In Montezuma-Cortez High School’s commercial-grade kitchen, Panther Chefs are learning skills to become successful chefs and are preparing meals for businesses and other groups in the area while they’re at it.
According to Family Consumer Science teacher Kanto McPherson, students learn the skills to get a head start for culinary school or an associate degree by the time they complete the Panther Chef program.
McPherson, who has been teaching for 11 years, said the kitchen that was built in the high school in 2015 made the Panther Chefs possible.
“I said, ‘Hey, we can do this. Let’s start a catering, student-run business,’” McPherson said.
After the students came up with the name Panther Chefs and the logo, the little catering business was up and running, and it has been growing consistently for the past few years.
Now, the Panther Chefs cater to businesses, local nonprofits and more. After receiving an order from a customer, the chefs get to work figuring out how much food they will need to make, prep a list of ingredients and get to baking when the time of the event comes around.
They cater to local business and nonprofit events that take place during the school week, Monday through Thursday, because Friday events would require a commitment outside school hours.
Customers typically order food a few weeks before their event, and pick it up the day of their event. The Panther Chefs have a menu of their offerings, but can accommodate special requests.
Their menu includes burritos, salads, chicken, rolls, Italian dishes, soups, stir fry and enchiladas. Each prepared meal comes with a dessert such as cookies, cupcakes or pies.
In addition to real-world cooking skills, students learn the math behind meal size, food costs, meal price and invoices.
“It gives the students real-world experience of what it takes from purchasing ingredients to proper storage and reheating,” McPherson said. “They learn what it takes to run a business.”
Through the program, students can work toward achieving certifications that help them be competitive in the industry or be ready to start their associate degree if they choose to go the culinary route.
For other students, it’s a fun class that teaches them a valuable life skill.
“Some students just take it because they love to eat and they love to cook and it’s a fun class for them, but it’s also a skill that everyone needs in their future so it’s a win-win,” McPherson said.
Students start with McPherson’s intro to culinary, ideally as freshmen, and learn the basics of cooking, food groups and get to try their hand at making food. After a full school year in that class, students move onto catering class, where they become a Panther Chef.
McPherson has 16 to 18 students per class in her seven beginner culinary courses and three sections of the catering program.
Those who are interested in having a business or nonprofit event catered by the Panther Chefs can email McPherson at mchspantherchefs@gmail.com.
