Culinary Mentor Program
Celebrates Anniversary

“These kids are just so happy to be around people who enjoy food.” Adam Votaw, Chispa’s executive chef

By Mark Goldberg

This time of year most high school kids are thinking about one thing: The Prom. But there is another group of students — a small, select and special group — that has something else at the forefront of their thoughts. They are thinking about setting up and running a restaurant kitchen, about cooking food to the exact specifications that their noted chefs have laid out, about pleasing parents and friends when they present their work at The Festival of Chefs next month.

These are the deaf, blind, learning delayed and otherwise-disabled children who make up the Easter Seals Miami-Dade County Culinary Arts Education & Training Program. We first learned about this caring program’s new mentoring facet last September, when it was in its infancy. Now, with almost a full school year under its belt, it is worth a second look.

The program is a combined effort of the South Florida Workforce, which provides the funding to purchase the equipment necessary to set up a full commercial kitchen within the Easter Seals complex, and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. “The goal is to provide disabled students with an array of services to get them their high school special diploma and training for each individual so they can become productive, self-sufficient citizens,” said Catherine Rabbito, Easter Seals director of vocational service. “Because we have the fourth-largest school system in the nation, we have many special needs students graduating and we need to offer them an opportunity for independent living.”

That opportunity is generously reinforced by a group of noted local chefs who are one-on-one mentors for the students. People like Edgar Leal of Cacao, Michael Bloise of Wish, Sergio Sigala of Casa Tua, Giancarla Bodoni of Escopazzo, Adam Votaw of Chispa and David Matlock of Art Café graciously give their time and share their knowledge with the students. The chefs come to the school on a regular basis, with their own ideas of what to teach, treating each student based on that student’s needs and abilities. This is not a lecture class. Every student stands next to the chef and works hands-on, one-on-one.

It was in 1972 that Easter Seals Miami opened its culinary school behind Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in the Jackson Memorial area. But the mentoring program just began this school year. “We take children, aged 16 to 22, children with physical as well as learning disabilities — deaf, blind, learning delayed, those with Cerebral Palsy — and give them culinary training,” said Melissa Frantz, Easter Seals Miami-Dade director of development and marketing. “The school takes in 30 students each year. It’s a two year course, so next year we’ll have students at both levels.”

Cooking and academic classes are held on the Easter Seals campus, with half a day devoted to each. “It’s easier to teach life in the kitchen than many other places,” said Edgar Leal. “It’s easier for a chef to teach another person to be a chef than it is for another doctor to teach someone how to be a doctor. I teach my students basically pastry, because these are very methodical people. You teach them how to do something and they do exactly that, without change. To make pastry, you need that. Especially with chocolate. My wife [Cacao’s Executive Chef Mariana Montero] and I can change things while we’re cooking or even miss an ingredient. But with baking it’s different. Everything has to be exact. It’s the same thing over and over again. It’s patience and timing. People with disabilities are very good about that. They would never change it, won’t cut steps.”

The commercial food curriculum is based on the one used by Miami-Dade County schools, but modified to meet the needs of the disabled. Still, students must learn how to run a complete kitchen, from ordering to cleaning to cooking to breaking down.

The mentoring chefs come in with their own ideas and teach them to the students. But chefs are some of the hardest-working people in town with very little time for even their own personal lives. Many deal with purveyors early in the morning, long before the restaurants open, and close up hours after the last diner has enjoyed his after-dinner drink. Still they come in. They do it, as Michael Bloise, executive chef from Wish says, because “I feel like I should always give something back. I feel I’ve been fortunate with the opportunities I’ve had; to be in the position I’m in in such a short amount of time. So I’m always looking for something I can do to help.”

Bloise is working on a menu, based on concepts listed by the program’s kitchen manager. In addition to a classroom environment, he works one-on-one with his mentee, Sade, and plans to bring her to Wish so she can see how things are done there. “Most of the kids are excited and want to learn about [my] restaurant, what we do and what kind of crew we have,” said Bloise. “When a person offers me a chance to do something like this, I jump at it. Because I like to deal one-on-one as opposed to just raising money for the charity.”

Chispa’s Executive Chef Adam Votaw wishes he could spend more time with the students. “They’re a great bunch of kids. Their attitudes are great, they’re happy, they enjoy food. This is even more fun than being involved in a program like Johnson & Wales or CIA where students are working toward a career. These kids are just so happy to be around people who enjoy food. They are so happy about seeing [recipes] come together and talking about food. You can see it in their faces,” said Votaw. Apparently his face reflected it as well. “When I got home from that first day, my wife was going, ‘What’s up with you?’ It’s a feeling that when I’m around these kids things are great. And the feeling keeps coming back. What a great program it is.”

Giancarla Bodoni, executive chef from Escopazzo, works one-on-one with her student, Reva. “She’s a wonderful, sweet young lady with great energy and enthusiasm. And with the right environment and support, she is able to work in this industry,” said Bodoni. “Because of their disabilities, we’re not going to place [these students] in a position where they can hurt themselves. We give them the tasks they can handle. Given the right environment, this allows them to flourish and participate in society. I’m a mother of three, so it comes naturally to me to be nurturing and giving. Especially with these kids who are just so wonderful and need the opportunity.”

Vladimir, a student who was mentored by program Chairman Edgar Leal prior to the integration of the official mentoring program, has worked at Leal’s Cacao for over six months. Back in November, Leal said, “Vladimir can really whip up mashed potatoes with wide strokes. He loves straightening up and organizing, so he’s in charge of that. He’s always happy and the whole crew — everybody — loves him. I don’t know who gets more out of this, Vladimir or us.” Vladimir understands English, Spanish and sign language. His fellow workers agree he’s amazing. They admit he brings them all together and changes their energy. Leal added, “A lot of disabled people know they are disabled. And they feel great when they become part of a group that is not. The power that they give is different. To have him here, it’s great energy.”

Today Vladimir is still excited about work. In addition to his other duties, he now operates the ricer, helps clarify stock, and oversees cooling down temperatures. His self-esteem has improved and his high energy is even higher. On his birthday, the rest of the kitchen staff all chipped in and got him his own toque with “Cacao” and “Vladimir” embroidered on it. So he’s officially a part of the team.

For more information on Easter Seals and the Culinary Arts program, visit www.miami.easterseals.com.