DeKalb students cook with celebrity chef, could see more opportunities

June 9, 2022 Jay Phillips

Select students from DeKalb County School District’s annual Summer Culinary Arts Program traveled to the Art Institute of Atlanta on June 8 for a hands-on cooking class with celebrity chef Deborah VanTrece – who DCSD officials stated has been named Atlanta’s “top African American restauranteur.”

DCSD officials said 25 students from the program participated in the June 8 class after more than 180 students applied for the trip, but a DCSD spokesperson added that there is at least one more trip planned for different group of 25 students.

VanTrece—who has been featured on Food Network, HULU, EATER, Thrillist, and Bon Appetite and owns Atlanta-area restaurants such as Twisted Soul—taught knife skills, butchering, braising, and temperature importance while making three dishes with students in the class.

Deborah VanTrece (right) talks with a group of DCSD students during a cooking class held at The Art Institute of Atlanta. Photos by Jay Phillips

“It’s almost like a summer enrichment program for any of our students. We did two weeks, because we wanted to hit both sides of the county,” said DCSD Instructional Coordinator Tom McFerrin. “Yesterday they went to the Your DeKalb Farmers Market. Today they’re here. Tomorrow they’ll go to Schuler Institute, and Friday they’re at Coca-Cola. Next week will be the same exact schedule except it will start to Tucker High School.”

During VanTrece’s cooking class, students prepared three different meals with Latin influence: paella, chicken croquette, and picadillo. VanTrece said teaching students about dishes and cooking techniques they didn’t already know about was one of the key focuses for her class.

“They’re all recipes they weren’t really familiar with when they came in, so I’m hoping—by the time they leave—they’ve made some new favorites,” said VanTrece.

According to Lithonia High School rising senior Jaliyah Martin and Tucker High School rising junior Cameron Shaw, the class was a good experience for several reasons.

“We’re learning and cooking and it’s a great experience. I have a passion for creating things, so cooking is something I love to do,” said Martin. “I learned how to dice onions and how to peel it better.”

Martin said she also learned about meat preparation during the class.

Martin and VanTrece also talked about how it was inspirational to work with other Black chefs.

“They’ve taught us a lot about chefs our color and how to do more stuff in the real world. It has been very educational and fun,” said Martin.

“When I came through these halls, there weren’t many people who look like me. To have an opportunity to give back and to teach and to mentor, I really do try and take advantage of that,” added VanTrece.

Shaw said she grew up in a kitchen and watching Master Chef, so “this has been a great opportunity.”

“Yesterday we went into the farmer’s market with one of the chefs and bought all the groceries. I saw a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables that I’d never seen before,” said Shaw. “I was a little nervous going into the camp, but [the chefs] are always nice so I love working with them.”

Tucker High School’s Cameron Shaw was one of the students at the event.

Both students said working in the culinary field is something they’re interested in doing full time.

McFerrin added that bringing DeKalb students into businesses and letting them work with local professionals is building relationships and respect between local institutes and DCSD’s culinary program that could help students continue their culinary careers.

“We’re looking at a program that we can hold after school for next year. They’ll still come and study with us for two days a week at the Schuler Institute, but then, possibly during the second semester, they’ll get an internship at one of these places,” said McFerrin.

According to McFerrin, DCSD’s summer camps—or MOSAIC of Summer Learning Programs—has classes in multiple fields. Schools also offer complimentary classes in the district’s 10 pathways, but McFerrin said the summer programs are crucial because students who are serious about the career pathways sometimes finish their coursework before their senior year. He said students in the summer camp get to continue working and can use more resources.

“A lot of our schools don’t have a true culinary program because we don’t have the big kitchens that are needed for a culinary program,” said McFerrin. “Some of the students will finish their pathway in the second semester of their junior year and they want to continue [cooking]. [A full culinary] class isn’t offered at their school, so we want to offer the enrichment programs to help them continue.”