Culinary arts students at Churchill County High School are learning a lot more than how to bake cupcakes or make an omelet.
Chase Johnsons students are catering for events in Fallon, earning credit at Western Nevada College and possibly preparing for a career in the culinary arts.
We run a catering business from my class to give the students real work experience in the restaurant industry, said Johnson, who was a chef for 10 years before transitioning to teaching through the business and industry alternative license when CCHS contacted him about taking over the Culinary Arts elective class at the high school.
Johnson teaches three college credit classes at Churchill County High School: Culinary 100, Culinary 105 and Culinary 106. If students complete the three-year program and pass the Nevada Career and Technical Education tests, they are awarded 11 credits through WNC.
Johnson said that if students dedicate themselves to three years of culinary classes, they will learn everything from knife skills to international cooking and restaurant management.
The students also participate in SKILLSUSA and compete against all the other schools in the state in baking and culinary arts competitions where they can win scholarships for college, Johnson said.
Johnsons students will have an opportunity to cater for WNC early next month when the college hosts an event for new Fallon Campus Director Jessica Rowe. That event is set for noon to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 17.