Cheshire High School’s culinary arts program is more than just a class—it’s a launchpad for culinary careers and passionate foodies. Located in Cheshire, Conn., and led by Culinary Arts Teacher Adam Belward, the culinary program at CHS welcomes students from all backgrounds, offering them practical skills they can use both at home and in professional settings. Students learn the fundamentals of food and kitchen safety, knife skills, baking and mastering five mother sauces: béchamel, espagnole, tomato, velouté and hollandaise.
“It’s amazing to see students gaining confidence as they grasp these concepts. Whether they pursue a culinary career or simply improve their skills for personal use, they’re building valuable knowledge,” said Belward.
How Proper Equipment Makes a Difference
A robust culinary program relies on quality equipment; CHS’ kitchen was in need of an upgrade to keep up with modern techniques. Outdated coil cooktops, low-quality pots and pans and noncommercial storage containers were a challenge. Through our Cambro Cares program, we were able to provide CHS with new products to increase students’ efficiency and support industry standards.
Cambro’s storage containers, food boxes and Camshelving® have streamlined CHS’ kitchen operation, allowing students to maintain organization and learn proper kitchen routines.
Storage Containers
CamSquares® are now used to store dry goods like sugar, flour and chocolate chips, while Camwear® Food Boxes support bulk-proofing, marinating and brining.
“These containers help us prevent food waste by not only ensuring FIFO (first-in, first-out) procedures, but also minimal loss if cross-contamination occurs by a student,” said Belward.
Camshelving
CHS replaced the outdated wooden shelving in their pantry with Camshelving and added adjustable Shelf Dividers to keep items organized.
“The fact that the shelves come off so easily makes it a lot easier to clean spills, which occur quite a bit,” said Belward. “We were very grateful for the support Cambro has given us.”
While this is Belward’s first year in the district, he has big dreams for the culinary program’s future.
“We are very eager to grow this program exponentially over the next few years, ultimately having a small eatery in-house where students can test recipes and get even more real life culinary experience,” said Belward.
With the right tools, education and passion, Cheshire’s culinary students are poised to become the next generation of culinary leaders. Some students have applied to prestigious culinary schools like Johnson and Wales University and the Culinary Institute of America while others are already working part-time in various roles within the foodservice industry.
Programs like this demonstrate how investing in young talent and quality resources can create endless opportunities for aspiring chefs. If you’d like to nominate an organization for our Cambro Cares program, please visit www.cambrocares.com.
AUTHOR: ADRIANA COCHRAN IS THE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER AT CAMBRO.
