Topsail students create culinary masterpieces

Some restaurants would envy this commercial kitchen, but it’s students doing the cooking inside the new Topsail High School and they stay busy.

“We’re involved in catering for events. We’re involved in catering for plays and things that go on in our auditorium. That’s pretty awesome as well,” said Kelly Painter.

She would have been called a home-ec teacher long ago; these days it’s called family and consumer sciences, and these budding chefs get their share of math and science:

“Culinary math,” Painter said. “Guys, we got to triple the recipe. How much is that going to be? They’re learning that. We just did a whole unit on culinary math. Just this week we were doing science as we talked about salad dressings and emulsions, permanent and temporary, what are they, what causes them and why. The food science behind it, so they’re getting lots of science. They’re getting lots of math in a fun and practical way.”

As the program grows, the students are transforming an open classroom into a coffee shop, which they will run and design.

“The purpose is for students to come in and study. So it needs to be very flowy looking for students to come in,” said Emily Painter.

Meantime, back in the kitchen, it’s lunch day at the Pirate’s Den, where a part of another classroom is converted into a restaurant.

The culinary students prepare lunch for the faculty on Fridays. The money they make helps fund the program, and the teachers like it.

“The food is always wonderful. And what’s amazing is the kids prepare all the food, and they also serve it,” said Topsail teacher Matt Perkins.

Friday’s menu… bruschetta chicken, Italian potatoes, and sautéed beans.

Mrs. Painter is looking for donations of furniture and rugs for the coffee shop. You can contact her at Topsail High School.