HOSPITALITY: Chef Jack is back to teach her culinary students the skills they need to know in the kitchen.
By Guadalupe Meza, Staff Writer
The culinary arts teacher Jackie Magnano, better known as Chef Jack, was away from Poly on a personal leave. During her absence, the Grizzly Grill, a student-run café for Poly staff, was closed. The class is a Career Technical Education (CTE) class aimed to prepare students with real world knowledge.
Students were still productive despite Chef Jack’s absence. They applied their knowledge and skills to make sure that everything was in order at the café, doing tasks such as cleaning the kitchen and dining room, putting away and inventory orders, balancing purchase order accounts, and removing products that expired or would expire before winter break. “I could not be happier with their performance and willingness to take initiative in my absence,” Magnano said.
Magnano is going to keep teaching students vital skills in the class that can be applied to their prospective careers one day. “Whether a student decides to enter the hospitality industry or not; at some point everyone will obtain their first job. I will continue to encourage development of soft skills, creativity, and teamwork while students run the café and practice their creativity in the kitchen,” Magnano said. Now that she has returned, the Grizzly Grill is back in business.