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Culinary teacher Andrea Pankau is one of two culinary teachers at FCHS. She teaches Introduction to Culinary, where students learn how to cook different recipes and bake sweet desserts. Pankau shares different cooking techniques and trains students how to cook alone and with others.

In Pankau’s kitchen, students learn to cook by working together, using teamwork and their skills to create good food. Here, students take turns mixing dough for making chocolate chip cookies. “I like baking because it’s fun, and it makes me bond with friends,” said freshman Isaac Johnson.

Pankau’s students learn how to measure ingredients, such as flour, sugar, and salt, when making different recipes. They use tablespoons and measuring cups in order to make sure their work is done the right way.

In Intro to Culinary, students learn the proper safety and sanitization of the kitchen before they cook, and they must pass a food handlers’ test with a 70 or greater in order to cook in the kitchen. Students follow a simple protocol, which is to wash, rinse, and sanitize used items and prep tables where the food touches. “I like this class because it teaches us about life and how it’s important to clean up after yourself when working in the kitchen,” said freshman Zamira Anderson (pictured).

Learning team bonding skills is something a number of Pankau’s students enjoy about the class. “I like this class because I enjoy baking. The teacher is really nice and fun,” said freshman Bailey Gentry (pictured, right, with Anderson). Students who want to move on can take Jonnay Grooms’ Culinary I and II classes to learn more advanced cooking skills.