The crown of a pineapple isn’t typically thought of as edible, but for Kai T., it’s another chance to expand his palate and a step toward his dream career of becoming a ‘flavorist’.
As a child, Kai spent a lot of time in the kitchen, redefining family time as moments of culinary exploration.
Now, he studies culinary arts at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, a pivotal step toward his career goals. He describes a flavorist as someone who melds culinary arts with chemistry to perfect artificial flavors and create new ones.
“I’ve always been a huge science nerd, and cooking is the easiest way to do an at-home science experiment,” he said. “I used to cook every day and try to learn something new and usually, it turns out pretty good.”
Kai experiments with food under the mentorship of Chef Lorenzo Foster, who has been leading the culinary arts program for almost two years.
Foster is teaching Kai and his classmates to run a commercial-grade kitchen by observing in-class food demonstrations, tasting various fruits and vegetables, and trying their hand at professional kitchen tools. The class also learns the importance of keeping the kitchen sanitary to meet official health regulations.
From pizzas and cookies to burgers and pasta, students are learning to make a four-course meal while earning a ServSafe Manager certification, which allows them to start working mid-level jobs after high school. Several other plans are in line for the culinary arts students such as involvement with the school’s garden club by growing produce, participating in competitions, and working at the “Mustang Cafe” once it’s open for business.
In a way, Kai’s building community with his peers, much like he did with his family when he first discovered his love for cooking. After he graduates, he hopes to carry the knowledge gained at Roosevelt with him into his future career as a flavorist.“Cooking is a hobby and a life skill because you get to try things from all over the world in the comfort of your own home,” Kai said.
