Students at Florida high school get hands-on culinary lesson

Students inside a Florida classroom are learning how to create dinners and deserts from the experts.

FOX 35’s Randi Hildreth visited Wekiva High School on Wednesday to observe a class that is part of the Culinary Arts program at the school. Students that day were completing a hands-on lesson with renowned chefs from Universal Studios.

This is a total different experience than Culinary Arts program students had last year because of COVID-19. During the pandemic, they were learning in their own kitchens.

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"Had to record ourselves cooking — every step of the process," sophomore Robert Davidson said. Commenting on the difference this year, he said," Actually have someone be there with me saying you’re hiring this wrong or this right."

This school has offered culinary classes before but for the first time, it’s an official magnet program this year. It’s a popular program too, with students on the waiting list already for next year. Currently, they are pulling from seven different high schools.

The program gives students the skills needed in the hospitality and food shrive industry. A November report from the U.S. Department of Labor noted employment in leisure and hospitality is down by 8.2 percent since February 202.

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"What a great opportunity for our students to not just think that career would fit me well but actually start doing the career now," Christopher Bates, the program director for the Culinary Arts program, said.

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