The Cupertino Courier

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Tenth-grader Kimi Lanes serves soft tacos to fellow Homestead High students as part of a culinary arts class focused on teaching the basic concepts of the restaurant business.

Chili's brings unique culinary arts class to Homestead High

By Justin Berton

A new Chili's opened at Homestead High School March 12, but the menu looked a little a different than those of other restaurants in the chain.

By student demand, diced tomatoes were necessary to complement the only item on the menu, the soft taco.

"The students wanted it that way, so we said, OK," Chili's regional manager Lon Ledwith said after the opening-day rush settled down.

Students had their demands met because they are the co-owners, the workers, the managers and the chefs of the makeshift Chili's through a new culinary arts class that teaches all sides of the food business.

The only one of its kind in the district, the pilot class will serve the Tex-Mex cuisine on campus each Thursday for the remainder of the semester.

Currently, the class consists of students who are at risk of not graduating, but next semester the course will be offered to all students as an elective.

"As the rush came in, and watching the students see the success of their restaurant business," teacher Fran Grinels said, "that was great."

It was Grinels and co-teacher Catherine Jacobs who had the idea to combine a marketing class with a home economics class to create a culinary arts course.

Last semester they called on Starbucks to help provide the students with insight into the industry. But the coffee didn't sell very well with high-schoolers, and students in the class showed little interest in the product.

"First we worked on teamwork with our students," Jacobs said, "then we worked on work ethics and skills, and once those were all in place, we contacted Chili's."

When the call came in, Chili's was more than receptive.

Scott Brandistetter, a Chili's employee who taught students how to prepare the food, said he was surprised how well the Big Afternoon was going.

"After 10 minutes, a third of what we prepared is gone," he said, while hustling out more tortillas.

The course takes two periods of the day, one for the hands-on food work and one for the numbers side.

Aaron Vercellino, a 17-year-old junior in the class who chopped the tomatoes and poured chili in the assembly line, said he liked the food business for three reasons.

"I like to eat, make money and eat," he said, adding that the class has taught him how to manage money.

Students Devon Rodriguez and Ana Urias handled more than $1,400 as about 360 students filed through for lunch.

Rodriguez, who wants to be a marine biologist, and Urias, who is planning to be lawyer, said they'll work the cash drawers each Thursday.

"We're the only ones who know how to handle money," Rodriguez joked.

Harry Unsinger, a teacher who works with the kids in other academic classes, said the class will use the profits earned--which were estimated at $400--for teaching real-life fiscal responsibility.

"We're going to teach profit-sharing, percentages, reinvestments," he said.

New Homestead Principal Eric Paulson, who was on his fourth day on the job, stopped by the restaurant to lunch. "It's great to see the kids get involved in the whole process," Paulson said over a plate of soft tacos and rice.

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