Chef Sebastian Sikora, Chef de Cuisine at La Cocina International Restaurant, and respected member on the SJTHS Academy of Culinary Arts advisory board, spent a day in the classroom with our young culinarians cooking up a tasty meal for our final Dining with Dignity event. Chef Sikora and students baked chicken thighs which were later shredded into flavorful, succulent bites, roasted seasoned potatoes, and sautéed a blend of zucchini, squash, and onions. For dessert, they baked traditional chocolate chip cookies. This hearty meal then made its way that evening to downtown St. Augustine on a school district bus and was served restaurant style by our culinary students to more than 80 individuals in need.
We appreciate the time that our industry partners invest in our students throughout the year and especially when it affords them the opportunity to give back to their community by serving a delicious hot meal to individuals in St. Augustine through the Home Again St. Johns Dining with Dignity program. Special gratitude goes to St. Johns Food Service for donating 50% of the product required to make this meal a success and to Chef Rosaria Cammarata with St. Johns Food Service for collaboration.
Helping others and engaging our students in acts of kindness such as this experience will increase our young culinarians feelings of optimism and satisfaction. It is important that through our academies we continue to connect with the community and provide our students with these meaningful opportunities.
