DETROIT (WXYZ) — “Follow my instructions. First thing you want to do is take a little bit off the top and a little bit off the bottom,” said Chef Austin Leake, the main kitchen instructor at Breithaupt Career and Technical Center.
Making a perfect pico de gallo is an art.
“Next, I’m going to cut it down. I’m going to turn it on a long bias and we’re going to make strips – julienne cut,” said Chef Leake while demonstrating the technique.
This is an art culinary students at Breithaupt Career and Technical Center in Detroit are learning.
From the knife skills to the life lessons, these students are preparing for their future.
“What do you love most about the program?” 7 Action asked one of the students in the program.
“Everything's hands-on, and they help you. If you don't know something, they're going to teach you,” said T’maiyah Turner, an 11th grade culinary student at Breithaupt Career and Technical Center in Detroit.
We asked another student to describe some of the cool things they’ve learned in the program.
“I’ve learned how to bake. I've learned how to cook. Lots of different meals,” said Analy Antone, a 10th grade culinary student at Breithaupt Career and Technical Center. “How to make a variety of different foods from all sorts of different cultures.”
“This has taught me a lot of responsibility about a lot of stuff,” said Jonathan Castillo, a 12th grade culinary student at Breithaupt Career and Technical Center.
“Time management is a big one,” Castillo revealed.
And a top chef in Downtown Detroit has their back.
Chef Omar Mitchell is the co-owner of Table No. 2 Restaurant in Greektown.
7 Action News caught up with the executive chef as he was trying out an entrée idea for a first-ever fine-dining experience on February 5 called ‘Black Excellence Culinary Symphony.’
“We have 23 chefs. These are all the top chefs in Detroit that are African American ranging from Master Chef Shawn Loving to Chef Davante. He just won ‘Chopped 2024’,” Chef Mitchell revealed.
He explained that this multi-course dinner party was planned to coincide with the beginning of Black History Month.
The theme of Black History Month in 2024 is "African Americans and the Arts." And Chef Mitchell is trying to draw attention to the culinary arts.
“I wanted to highlight the great chefs of Detroit. We all work so hard every day. And it’s just… it's so tough for us. We don't seem like we're getting our flowers as much as we would like,” he said.
Chef Mitchell is aiming for a Michelin star. He got his first taste of the culinary arts as a student at Golightly Career and Technical Center, which — like Breithaupt — serves students in Detroit Public Schools Community District.
We asked Turner “What's your dream job?”
Confidently, she replied “to be a executive chef and have many franchises for myself all around the world.”
And while these kids are cooking up plans for a career in the culinary arts, Chef Mitchell and his colleagues will be whipping up a delectable dinner to benefit them.
The ‘Black Excellence Culinary Symphony’ is set for Monday, February 5 at Table No. 2 Restaurant located on Brush Street in Greektown.
Doors open at 6:00pm.
Tickets are $125 per person. Reservations can be made on the restaurant’s website, where you can also donate to the culinary programs at both Breithaupt and Golightly.
The money will be used to buy new uniforms and cover expenses at culinary competitions.
