Renton High School turned a typical classroom into a bustling kitchen Tuesday morning, giving seniors a hands‑on “cookie lab” that mirrors the fast‑paced environment of professional food service. With a timer counting down 50 minutes, students formed teams and chose one of three classic recipes—chocolate chip, oatmeal or sugar—to bake before the clock ran out.
Learning beyond the oven
Instructor Katharine Wright, a former pastry chef who has worked at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Café and the Pike Place Market’s French patisserie Le Panier, says the exercise is about more than just cookies. “Students pick up time‑management, teamwork, communication, a sense of urgency and accountability,” Wright explained. “Those skills translate to any job, whether they stay in the food industry or not.”
During the lab, students measured ingredients, operated stand mixers, loaded ovens, and cleaned up their stations. A few weeks later they will face a final exam that tests the same techniques under pressure.
From family food trucks to first‑time bakers
Wright notes that her class reflects a wide range of experience. Some students have helped in family‑run food trucks since childhood, while others have never held a measuring cup. “It’s like my second day cooking,” sophomore Jamar Baker said, smiling. “I’m kind of good at it though.”
By randomly assigning teammates, Wright simulates a real workplace where employees don’t get to choose their coworkers. “You don’t get to pick your coworkers in a professional kitchen,” she said, emphasizing the value of adaptability.
Future chefs and entrepreneurs
Junior Dorothy Walton, who dreams of opening her own restaurant, shared that her passion for cooking began at age two, when her late great‑grandmother taught her to bake. She recalled making sweet‑potato pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas, memories that fuel her ambition.
After completing Culinary Foundations, Walton plans to enroll in additional cooking classes before pursuing a college culinary program. Wright’s curriculum also includes higher‑level courses in gourmet cooking, baking and pastry, as well as an international cuisine series that takes students on a culinary tour of the globe.
New facilities on the horizon
Renton High is currently constructing a new building that will house a state‑of‑the‑art culinary classroom. Wright said the upcoming space will feature industry‑grade equipment and a dedicated instruction room, giving students an even better environment to hone their craft.
The cookie‑lab initiative demonstrates how practical, skill‑based education can prepare students for the workforce while reinforcing core values of responsibility and collaboration—principles that resonate with families and faith‑centered communities alike.
Original reporting: Renton Reporter — read the source article.
