culinary

INSTRUCTOR:  DEBBIE VERMILLION

Debbe has always loved serving children—whether in church, home, or the classroom. A long-time Sunday School teacher, a grandmother to nine, and a great-grandmother to one. During the years her children were in school, she worked at a Christian school in Jacksonville, FL, where she discovered how much joy she found in helping students learn and grow. After spending many years caring for her family and grandchildren, She is excited to return to the classroom and share her love for cooking in Culinary for Beginners. 

CULINARY FOR BEGINNERS - JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD 

Target Levels:  Ages 13 - 18

10 Weeks

Culinary for Beginners is a, hands-on cooking class designed for middle and high school students who want to build confidence in the kitchen. Each week focuses on a classic Betty-Crocker–style category—soups, breads, casseroles, desserts, and more—while teaching essential skills such as budgeting, measuring, knife safety, recipe reading, and basic cooking techniques. Students will prepare and taste a new dish every class, learn practical skills they can use at home, and practice stewardship through smart grocery planning and making meals from scratch.

This hands-on course where students learn budgeting, kitchen skills, and classic home-style cooking by making a new dish each week.

Around the World in 12 Kitchens

This spring semester, our Beginners Culinary Class will take students on a culinary journey around the world. Through hands-on cooking experiences, students will explore the foods, ingredients, and traditions of 12 different cultures while developing essential kitchen skills.
Each class will focus on preparing a simple meal representative of the featured culture. Students will learn about traditional ingredients, food preparation methods, and the importance of food in family and community life.

Proposed Cultural Studies and Menus

1. Italy — Italian Family Cooking
Spaghetti with homemade marinara sauce, focaccia bread, tomato and cucumber salad, and biscotti.
Skills: Pasta preparation, sautéing, simmering sauces, yeast breads, and baking.
2. Mexico — Fresh Flavors of Mexico
Bean and cheese tacos, Mexican rice, fresh salsa, and cinnamon-sugar tortilla crisps.
Skills: Rice preparation, knife skills, seasoning, and skillet cooking.
3. France — A French Café
Savory and sweet crêpes, French-style salad, and a simple chocolate dessert.
Skills: Batter preparation, whisking, skillet cooking, folding, and presentation.
4. China — Stir-Fry and Dumplings
Vegetable fried rice, homemade cabbage dumplings, stir-fried vegetables, and mandarin oranges.
Skills: Stir-frying, preparing rice, vegetable cutting, and dumpling folding.
5. Greece — Mediterranean Cooking
Homemade pita bread, chicken gyros, tzatziki sauce, and cucumber and tomato salad.
Skills: Flatbread preparation, marinades, yogurt sauces, and assembling sandwiches.
6. India — Exploring Spices
Mild chickpea curry, homemade naan, steamed rice, and cucumber raita.
Skills: Measuring spices, simmering, preparing rice, and making flatbread.
7. Japan — The Art of Presentation
Teriyaki chicken and rice bowls, rice balls, Japanese-style cucumber salad, and fruit.
Skills: Rice preparation, glazing, shaping, knife precision, and presentation.
8. Germany — A German Bakery
Homemade soft pretzels, potato pancakes, applesauce, and braised cabbage.
Skills: Yeast dough, shaping, grating, shallow-frying, and simmering.
9. Great Britain — An English Tea
Homemade scones, cucumber tea sandwiches, mini sausage rolls, and fruit preserves.
Skills: Quick breads, pastry preparation, sandwich assembly, and table presentation.
10. Spain — A Taste of Tapas
Spanish potato omelet, patatas bravas, tomato bread, and cinnamon-sugar pastries.
Skills: Egg preparation, roasting, sauce preparation, and small-plate presentation.
11. Ireland — Traditional Irish Cooking
Irish soda bread, colcannon, vegetable soup, and apple cake.
Skills: Quick breads, potato preparation, soup making, and baking.
12. Israel and the Middle East — Foods of the Bible
Homemade pita bread, hummus, cucumber and tomato salad, and honey and date treats.
Skills: Flatbread preparation, food processor use, vegetable preparation, and measuring.

Biblical Integration
Each class will include a Verse of the Week emphasizing biblical principles such as diligence, thankfulness, hospitality, cooperation, and serving others.
Colossians 3:23 (KJV)
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”

Students will be encouraged to recognize cooking as both a practical life skill and an opportunity to demonstrate care and hospitality toward others.

Parents should inform us of any food restrictions or allergies

TUITION: $230.00

For full schedule details, please view our Class Matrix.