This past month, Westerly Food has been visiting the Highland Grille at Westerly High School to learn more about their culinary program and the man behind it. If you ever have the chance to speak with Jamie Finkelstein you will soon find that his energy and enthusiasm for what he does is infectious.
For the culinary students at Westerly High School, he is a one man show, from teaching, to ordering supplies and running the school cafe when students are not available, he does it all. After speaking with Finkelstein, I learned that he is a bit of an overachiever. With an associate and bachelor degree from Johnson and Wales he went on to receive both a masters in education and an MBA in hospitality. He has worked within the industry for McDonald’s, Starwood Hotels and Resorts as well as at various bakeries and restaurants.
With roughly one hundred students involved in the culinary program, Finkelstein works tirelessly to write proposals for grants that will enhance his program. This year he received a grant to build raised beds outside of his classroom. In year’s past the grants have been used to purchase a trailer for the catering that the program provides. Finkelstein has been directing the culinary program since 2006. Students who are interested in careers in the food industry can take elective courses and get hands on experience cooking. While some students come in with previous experience cooking at home, most do not. Students are required to volunteer with him in after school programs such as chowder cook offs (where, by the way, they placed first at the Mystic Chowder Cook Off), neighborhood dinners, catering, helping out at warming shelters and community centers. They also get placed locally at places such as Ella’s, McDonald’s, Vesta Bakery and the Cooked Goose. When the program ends students walk away with basic skills, certifications, and connections to Johnson and Wales. On campus the students run the Campus Cafe where faculty, staff and students can enjoy coffee and treats in the morning hours before classes. My favorite quote overheard today was a freshman saying that they were “so proud of what they were doing”.
Westerly Food had the opportunity to speak with some of the students.
Senior Hope Kisinger is going to be going into the military upon graduation where she will take culinary classes. She participated in last year’s Gingerbread competition and is looking forward to the event Monday night. Transporting her project gives her the most worry, so she is opting to move it in a friend’s car rather than on the school bus some of the kids will be going over on.
In this photo she is working with junior Jeremy Gingerella on final touches for their incredibly detailed piece which includes a mountainside made of Rice Krispies, fondant and cocoa powder. Both she and Gingerella take two culinary classes at the high school.
Senior Matthew Knight is in the class for the first time and enjoys cooking but will not be making a career of it. Today he was partnered with sophomore Jeremiah Johnson who is hoping to make it to the advanced culinary classes and then go on to Johnson and Wales to ultimately be like Chef Finkelstein. They were both busy rolling out gingerbread today.
Freshman Nia Dussault and Fallon Denning spent today’s class working on their gingerbread creation, which is an anchoring part of their grade. I was most impressed with the quiet, controlled method in which the girls worked. They put a lot of effort into finishing various parts of their creation before moving on to the next.
The culinary students are currently offering a number of specials for the community to experience including The Gingerbread Village Competition and Reception taking place at the Ocean House next week, Gingerbread Cookie Kits, Cookie trays, and Soup Fridays. They also produce delicious pies available for order for the holidays. Your support provides materials for their classes. Westerly Food would like to thank Chef Finkelstein and all the students in the culinary program for their graciousness today. Look for more stories on the students of Westerly High’s Culinary Program over the next few days as we lead up to the Gingerbread Village Competition and Reception.
