Students from two A.C. Reynolds High School (ACRHS) classes came together for one delicious field trip! Kenneth Ulmer’s Hospitality and Tourism class, and Kennedy Forbes’ Food and Nutrition 1 and 2 classes both met for a trip to the A-B Tech’s Culinary Program’s test kitchen, DJ’s Pickles at the WNC Farmers Market, and Mother Earth Foods. This wide range of locations gave students a view of many different careers within food available in Asheville and Buncombe County.
At their first stop, A-B Tech’s culinary students showed the ACRHS group what life as a professional chef might look like. In the classroom kitchen they showed what it was like to prepare food and what the A-B Tech Culinary program has to offer.
“Seeing the kitchen classrooms and hearing from instructors about the types of careers, from boutique bakeries to managing a country club, helps our students envision a pathway to their future,” said Mr. Ulmer. “One student compared it to being in the audience of a Food Network show, with the camera and giant video screens projecting what the student chefs were creating.”
Next, students made their way to the WNC Farmers Market to meet the owners of DJ’s Small Batch Pickles. While tasting the crisp, sour and sweet pickles, students learned about what it takes to start a small business and keep it going, and how local produce can be turned into a sellable product in a simple kitchen. Innovation, tenacity, and a one-on-one connection to the local community, they learned, are a key aspect in running a small business in Buncombe County.
“We discovered that the owner, Don, is a graduate of the AB Tech Culinary program,” said Ms. Forbes. “This was great for students to see a working small business in our community as well as learn about the pickling process and local foods.”
After a small tour of the farmers market itself, the food field trip ended at Mother Earth Foods, a local Community Supported Agriculture business that delivers curated packages of farm-fresh vegetables and meats, along with locally-made pantry products. The students toured the facility and saw how food from the farms made its way through on to people’s doorsteps.
“This was a great stop for students to learn about why it is important to know where your food is coming from,” said Ms. Forbes.
Lastly, students ate at Mehfil, an Indian restaurant downtown, exposing many to a type of food they had never before tried.
“The day in general was also a way to connect with students on a deeper level, find out their thoughts on the experiences, and what lessons they took away from the day that connect to their future,” said Mr. Ulmer.