Willowbrook culinary courses provide students with real-world experiences

At Willowbrook, students enrolled in the school’s culinary courses have an opportunity to earn certifications that prepare them for careers in the food service industry, catering and nutrition/menu planning. They also gain real-world experiences through field trips and planning/hosting events within the school, as well as throughout the community.

Certifications

• Culinary Arts 1 students receive their ServSafe Food Handler certification.
  
  
• Culinary Arts 2 students receive their ServSafe Allergen training and certification.  
  
  
• Culinary Arts 3 students receive their ServSafe Food Safety and Sanitation Managerial certification.

The Brook Catering Co.
Through The Brook Catering Co. at Willowbrook, students enrolled in Culinary Arts 3 – Catering learn about event planning, scaling recipes, ordering groceries, figuring costs in a lab setting and working with clients to determine themes and menus. They also can earn dual credit and choose an honors option. For more information, go to https://dupage88.net/site/page/4256.

On Nov. 1, students in this course visited College of DuPage (COD) to see an Introduction to Culinary Arts class on the campus (pictured above). They shadowed COD students, toured the facility and prepared various types of salads for the group to taste.

On Nov. 17, the group hosted a “Taste of Fall” luncheon (pictured in the photo gallery at the top of the page), where students prepared and served 48 lunches for Willowbrook and District 88 administrators and staff members. Menu items included Fall Harvest Salad, chili with cornbread, penne with butternut squash and goat cheese, pumpkin cheesecake squares and apple cinnamon cupcakes with toasted meringue topping.