On Thursday April 25th, SIATech North County (NCIS) in Oceanside welcomed guest speaker Chef Oscar from the California Culinary Arts Institute (CCAI) which is located in San Diego.
This guest speaker is an example of how SIATech strives to connect our high school students with career exploration and exposure to job training opportunities after high school.
Students and staff enjoyed the on-site guest speaker. Rather than giving a prepared presentation, Chef Oscar said he would be “speaking from the heart” and gave an engaging metaphorical presentation.
The entire presentation was vivid with food for thought and the imagination. However, there were two key highlights. As with any good cooking show, a “surprise” ingredient was introduced, in this case it was a +Box. Every Thursday NCIS distributes +Box’s to students, they are filled with fresh vegetables and fruit along with a selection of beans, rice, or other grains and legumes. The items alone are delicious and nutritious but when combined and prepared properly they are even better and can make a great meal!
Chef Oscar utilized the items and taught students how to prepare every item in the box to create a tasty meal for themselves, friends or family. He emphasized that the same simple ingredients, meat, vegetables, tortillas, when prepared in slightly different ways can create many unique textures and flavors. In this context, Chef Oscar also introduced the concept of Mise en place, a French culinary term that refers to the proper setup and preparation required before cooking a meal.
Chef Oscar went the extra mile, taking the idea of Mise en place and relating it more broadly to the key concepts of our Portrait of a Graduate. He did this by explaining the importance of organization and how preparing a clean designated space for studies leads to academic success which then prepares students for college, a career and overall life success.
In response to students’ questions Chef Oscar explained how different pans and tools serve different, and distinct purposes. He also taught students how to make the food bought from the store (or found in a +Box) taste as good as the best restaurants. Revealing how cooking is a life skill!
For 2024-2025, SIATech North County High School will be adding a new Culinary Program to the menu of career pathways and other Paxton Patterson Lab offerings in the coming year. NCIS will certainly welcome Chef Oscar and the CCAI back as they prepare to Beat Bobby Flay!
