Think Summer Students Get a Taste of Culinary Arts
In Colton Joint Unified School District, the cafeteria sounded less like a classroom and more like a bakeshop, as Think Summer students welcomed chefs from Sauté Culinary Academy for a hands-on pastry workshop.
Sauté Academy offers engaging cooking classes for all ages with the mission of teaching basic culinary techniques. They create a space where students can whisk batter, pipe frosting, and work with professional tools under the guidance of experienced chefs.
According to the Lukin Center for Psychotherapy, cooking helps kids build confidence, improve focus and develop problem-solving skills. It also promotes social-emotional growth by encouraging teamwork, patience, and a sense of accomplishment. These benefits were on full display as students participated in activities that supported many types of play in early childhood, including cooperative, and imaginative experiences.
After a quick food-safety briefing, students rolled up their sleeves to create fruit pastries from scratch. They began by practicing safe cutting practices on fruit, learning the importance of focus and precision.
During the whipped cream challenge, students worked together to whip cream by hand until it reached perfect consistency, bringing lots of laughter and excitement. Finally, they assembled their pastries by layering the whipped cream and arranging the fruit.
Chef Nate from Sauté Academy enthusiastically watched students complete each step, sharing his thoughts on why introducing basic cooking skills to students is important. “It’s a great hobby and even a cool career path,” he said. “They can add to their cooking repertoire and help their families in the kitchen, which is really what it’s all about.”
Fifth-grader Mark could not hide his excitement. “My favorite part was the cooking because I get to make stuff not just for me, but I can save some and share it with my family too,” he said. “It’s going to be so fun watching them try it!”
Site Program Manager Gabriela Hidalgo shared her enthusiasm as she watched students dive into the activity. “This is actually their first time doing it, and it’s already looking amazing,” she said. “They’re having such a good time, and it’s a great opportunity especially for students who might not get experiences like this over the summer. Who knows, maybe it’s something new they’ll want to try again at home!”
As the workshop wrapped up, students enjoyed their pastries, tasting the sweet success of their hard work. More than just a recipe for learning, the culinary experience blended practical skills, creativity, and social-emotional development into summer memories students will carry with them well beyond the season.
