Before Chef Foster and Chef Long, the culinary department had some rocky times, especially with not being able to secure teachers for more than one year. Hiring multiple teachers only to have the teachers turn around and leave due to different reasons made it hard for students to learn. Now that both chefs have been at Osceola for more than a year, the culinary department is becoming more popular than ever. There are more than 350 students taking culinary this year.  According to Chef Long, “One of the main differences between this year and last is that I am teaching culinary 3 this year and Chef Foster is helping me teach culinary 1 because there are so many students taking it this year.”

Osceola’s culinary department has been more successful now than it ever has been. With all of the department’s success, it needs more money, so that it can  do bigger and bigger things. According to both chefs, one goal is to “get some new equipment this year such as an air fryer and a sous vide machine.” Chef Long and Foster are both planning fundraisers to raise money to add on top of the money they receive form the school district. Chef Foster said, “we hope to do more, but so far, our first fundraising event is to bake pies for Thanksgiving.”

Last year, culinary catered a few events, including Dr. Herzhauser’s literary dinner, as well as a few for the school board.  Students also prepared food for a homeless shelter. The department plans on doing even more catering this year than last. Chef Foster said “this early in the year we don’t have any catering events planned, but hopefully we will have lots of repeat business from last year.”

Along with all of the other things returning this year, the culinary club will start up again, meeting every Thursday in Chef Foster’s room.