Frank A. Sablan, Jr. obrained a culinary arts degree from one of the nation’s top culinary schools and worked for top and recognized kitchens in the mainland and here in Saipan. Today, he heads the culinary arts class of Kagman High School.
The culinary arts class at KagHS is the pioneering program of the Public School System. When it was launched this school year along with other career-oriented and-designed programs, the response was staggering. High school students are in the class being honed to be the next culinary experts of the islands.
And for Sablan, he finds it rewarding and beneficial when he is able to share his experience with his students.
“It is a never-ending experience. I see creativity, willingness to learn and, in the past months, I see growth in my students,” says Sablan.
Working in the kitchen is a painstaking and laborious process but can also be fun. It is costly if offered as a degree; but, for the Public School System, it is free as part of the several programs under the education system’s Career and Technical Education Program.
The CTE Program is formerly PSS Vocational Education Program that was revived two years ago by Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan, and was transformed into an innovative program that prepares students not only to be college but career-ready. CTE programs and courses are now offered as electives in all public junior high and senior high schools.
“This is a wonderful program that we have here at our school. This has been on the back of my mind for many years now and when we received the ARRA [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] Funding, I jumped on the opportunity to have this culinary arts program started here,” KagHS principal Alfred Ada said in a separate interview.
Kitchen stars
Paricia Nauta loves cooking since she was young. On Friday, she had prepared a Roman-styled chicken, a mouth-watering recipe that is not even served on any fine dining restaurants on the island.
The gourmet-like chicken dish — with a mashed sweet potato (kamuti) as side dish and in an explosion of garnish served in a white plate — was presented to a panel of judges and in the classroom.
Nauta’s approach to food p reparation is evident that she wants to be somebody after school. She is a student of culinary arts program of KagHS who is leading the way in the school-to-career PSS initiative.
“I want to be in the class from the first time we were told that we would have it in our school,” Nauta said.
The culinary arts class of KagHS is preparing for next month’s 2011 PSS-wide Recipe Contests for National Nutrition Month Celebration. This competition allows the culinary arts class of Sablan, Jr. to showcase what they have learned from the program.
With this year’s competition theme, “Eat Right With Color,” the KagHS culinary arts class has to prepare foods that incorporate locally grown produce.
The PSS Food and Nutrition Services, in partnership with Northern Marianas College- Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Services, Commonwealth Cancer Association and Saipan Health Clinic is spearheading the statewide competition that will culminate on March 12.
There are five categories for the CNMI-wide competition. Category 1 is for healthy snack and the competition is open to grades 1 to 3 students only; category 2: salad and is for grade 4 to 6; category 3: pupus (appetizer or finger food) and is for grade 7 to 8, category 4: main entrée for grades 9 to 12 only; and category 5: vegetarian entree for grades 7 to 12 only.
For each category there is a maximum of three students per team.
The highlight of the competition is the promotion of health and well-being of public school students, and among others, entry recipes must include “low to moderate use in sugar, fat and sodium content.”
“This is really, really good. They only used salt and pepper but the taste is perfect,” said judge and school counselor Emily Camacho of the grilled garlic chicken prepared by one of the teams. “It is a great job for the team.”
The poached mahi-mahi with a side dish of eggplant and sweet potato won the palate of algebra teacher and Judge Bill Sizemore. “The taste is very good. The use of the sweet potato garnish goes well with the eggplant. The mix of flavors complemented each other.”
For third judge and computer teacher Kyle Mateo, the baked Roman chicken of Nauta with sautéed vegetable was gastronomically inviting.
“It is not only tender but the use of ingredients and local produce is perfect,” he said.
‘Not a stand-alone’
Culinary arts program is not a “stand alone” program. Before students go into actual hands-on cooking experience, classroom instruction starting from food and nutrition, then health and sanitation, and safety are taught in class.
“This is a one-stop-shop-like program that the Public School System has ventured into and we here at Kagman High School have started this.
Hopefully now that we see success on our first year, by next year we want to request that this be further expanded,” Principal Ada explained.
He recognizes that it requires a special talent for someone to teach culinary class, he acknowledges that teacher Sablan’s expertise is in his taste buds.
The food that is coming out Sablan’s class is not your ordinary home cook. It is a well-choreographed-like cooking approach. It is the real thing — the authentic chef style.
Sablan Jr., a graduate from the Western Culinary Institute, Le Cordon Bleu Program with emphasis on French fine dining in Portland, held a public showcase of his class’ culinary product during his school’s preparation for next month’s PSS-wide 2011 Recipe Contest for the National Nutrition Month.
KagHS has also allowed its students to be exposed with the use of new cooking technology, wherein the school is now home to latest kitchen advancements: four- door reach-in refrigerator, six-burner stove, small wares and cook wares, stainless steel sink and tables. And more are coming: reach-in freezer, gas grill, gas griddle, gas deep fryer, and an industrial sized ventilation hood.
There is a far-reaching goal for KagHS students: They see culinary arts as a new career option for them. And Sablan Jr. is ready to help his students make the right career choice.
“I am just here to help open new career paths to our students. There are many career opportunities that our students can choose and we, here at Kagman High School, are ready to assist them,” he humbly said. “We want them to be workforce ready.”
To what the Kagman High School’s culinary arts students have shown and came up, it is no doubt that they are not only the next kitchen superstars but the school is leading the way of creating culinary experience.
