NEWS RELEASE: Roseville High School Hospitality Management Cooks Up Culinary Delights

Hospitality Management/Culinary Arts has always been a popular career tech course at Roseville High School. Thanks to new facilities and a new teaching staff, the program has reached new heights.

The culinary arts wing was added to Roseville High School in early 2021, fully equipped with a state-of-the-art kitchen and restaurant space. Now the program is in full swing, offering restaurant service to staff each week. The menu consists of a different weekly theme, which has included Greek, German, Italian, Asian, and special themes for holidays, including a New Orleans theme for Mardi Gras, Irish favorites for St. Patrick’s Day, and a Friday fish fry during Lent. “We also have staple items that the customer can get such as burgers, wings, fries, and soups,” said teacher Shawn Thompson.

Handmade bagels are offered periodically during the month and the program sells sweet treats throughout the year as well, including homemade pies during the holiday season and chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day. The program has also branched outside of the high school, catering the district’s Veteran’s Day Brunch and hosting Kaiser’s CI students for cookie decorating. “The school district knows we are here to help them with all their culinary and catering needs,” added Thompson.

Thompson and culinary paraprofessional Andreana Woodward lead the program. Thompson took over mid-way through last school year as teacher after spending the previous year and a half as the program’s paraprofessional. Before joining RHS, Thompson had a long career in the food industry. He served as a certified chef for 15 years working in Birmingham and Rochester. He also spent time as the head chef for U of D Jesuit High School and the executive chef for Wayne State University. Thompson believes that this program sets up students for success when they graduate and enter the real world. “It is not just about cooking, it is also about teaching them life skills - how to talk to someone, how to handle situations without getting upset, how to write a resume, etc. It is teaching them skills so they can survive.”

Prior to the completion of the new culinary arts wing in 2021, the program was housed at Roseville Middle School, with students being bused to the location each day. RHS Principal Jason Bettin said that the addition of the culinary arts wing to the school’s Career and Technical Education learning environment benefits students. “It gives them greater in-classroom time and the ability to be in up-to-date facilities to gain real world learning. Mr. Thompson has done a great job making the program one that is appealing to students and draws their interest to learning about Hospitality Management as a potential career path.” Senior Madilynn Hines said she has gotten a lot of knowledge from the program. “I like learning new cooking techniques and recipes, how to bake at the correct temperature, and learning new recipes. It’s a lot of fun.”

RHS offers Hospitality Management Pre-Voc, an introduction to hospitality and food service, as well as three levels of Hospitality Management as students advance. Students have the opportunity to obtain certifications as they move through the program, including ServSafe Foodhandler, ServSafe Food Protection Manager, ServSafe Allergens and Beverage Service, and ACF Culinary Certifications. Students also have the opportunity for a culinary arts externship.

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