Snowy textured flour melts off the measuring cup as it cascades into the glistening bowl. The flour is then coalesced with several other ingredients, such as eggs and sugar, to perfect the fluffiest and delectable French toast. Imagine your exam being graded on how delicious your food is rather than how fast you could solve a complex calculus problem? That is the joy of Culinary at Ayala.

“[Culinary] has given me some work experience for my current job, and it’s given me life skills. I probably might use the [recipe books] when I graduate,” senior Madison Casianos said.

Culinary is a college prep elective where students are able to challenge their passion for baking and cooking and or be introduced to food management and food industry paths. Led by Mrs. Jennifer Mehaffie, she takes great pride in having the opportunity to guide students to learning one of the core and necessary skills in everyone’s lives.

“It’s something that everybody needs to learn how to do. Even if you’re aren’t gonna be in this area for your career, you need to know how to live,” Mehaffie said.

Culinary 1 is a beginning course in learning to navigate the kitchen. In this course, everyone starts as entirely inexperienced, new chefs, where the students will learn about the basics in cooking, as well as prepare small breakfast dishes such as French toast. This course is necessary if students want to learn simple cooking disciplines and have a foundational structure in the kitchen.

“I joined because I thought it was an easy and fun class,” junior Ethan Adams said. “I’d say it’s a really fun time.”

Culinary 2 is an advanced course requiring prior knowledge on basic cooking skills and kitchen navigation. This will prepare students to learn in-depth knowledge on cooking techniques, creating more complex dishes, and mastering every nuance of the kitchen. This course helps students prepare for a potential career involving cooking in professional settings.

“I’m here to teach them about being able to move out into the field of working, making money, and also helping them out with their home cooking,” Mehaffie said. “[My favorite part is] getting to know the kids. They’re pretty funny, and it’s just fun getting to interact with them.”

If one were to walk into the Culinary, there is a likely chance that one’s jaw will drop. Apart from their main room, a typical classroom where you expect to see tables with cluttered papers and seats is nowhere to be seen. Instead, a quite professional setup for a kitchen is seen. The impressive setup is perfect for students being able to dip their toes into the professional culinary world, allowing them to experiment in a sensible environment.

“I would say that it’s a really good class to have because you could try out a lot of new skills. It’s really fun, and honestly, an easy A,” senior Ashley Moran said.

When it’s a day dedicated to just cooking and experimenting with their friends, you can tell that everyone relishes their time there. Their routine is simple: prepare the materials and get straight to cooking. While this custom may seem fundamental and normal at first glance, the student work behind the simplicity is far more complicated.

Culinary might be one of the most underrated subjects that one could take in their high school career. Being able to get food is one thing, but being able to produce your own and take pride in it is another. In the course of your high school career, if you feel lost or confused about what path you should take, consider taking Culinary to perfect your chef-like skills.