Welcome to Stuyvesant Cooking Class

Stuyvesant offers many practical and exciting electives, from Woodworking to Ceramics to CPR and First Aid Training. However, Stuyvesant is missing an essential class often seen in stereotypical American high school movies: cooking class. With this inclusion, students could better understand nutrition, learn essential skills, and prepare for their lives outside of tests and school projects. 

Stuyvesant does mandate one semester of health, where students learn about the importance of nutrition. However, learning the concept of nutrition and learning it in practice are two very different things; the latter is far more valuable for students. A study done by Moncton University’s School of Nutrition shows that, in high schools that offer an elective cooking course, students are left with improved food literacy skills. Food literacy is an emerging concept that refers to the knowledge required to make consistently balanced meals. This would be especially useful for upperclassmen, most of whom will be moving away for college in the near future and leaving behind school lunches and their parents’ cooking. Instead, they must choose their meals, and cooking class could provide a strong foundation for what a healthy meal looks and tastes like. Also, this kind of food education could even inspire underclassmen to eat healthier meals while at Stuyvesant. Instead of choosing between McDonald’s, Terry’s, or Ferry’s every day, students may focus more on finding what foods are healthiest, not just the easiest to access. 

Cooking classes could also teach students basic kitchen techniques and safety. For example, students could learn how to use a knife with a claw grip—where one curls their hand to grip the food they’re cutting so as to not cut their fingers. Similarly, basic kitchen rules could be taught, like cautioning students from using hot water from the tap since hot water dissolves contaminants more easily than cold water; this means if there’s a chance of lead in your pipes, it’s more likely for it to end up in your food if using hot water. Providing students with useful information like this can help prepare them with life skills. 

This elective would also change the pace of school. It could offer students a switch from more academically rigorous classes to practicing a new skill, while reminding them that grades aren’t everything. Since a cooking class teaches the importance of nutrition and kitchen skills, it will help many students focus on eating three balanced meals a day. At the moment, many Stuyvesant students struggle with this, and they skip breakfast for a shortened morning routine or lunch to study. However, it’s important to remember in those moments that grades don’t matter as much as one’s health. A culinary course could help students pay more attention to our school’s impact on their dietary health. 

Furthermore, cooking classes at Stuyvesant could offer unique experiences to its students. Stuyvesant has a diverse student body, and cooking can utilize that, teaching students not just how to make American food but Indian food or Chinese food. Stuyvesant could also offer new experiences by using its rooftop garden. With permission, the class could use freshly picked ingredients from the garden. In turn, this might also inspire students to start their own garden or look for fresh ingredients when they shop. These examples show how Stuyvesant could offer a unique cooking class that many students would benefit from.

Of course, one must acknowledge that, at the moment, there isn’t a space for a culinary course in Stuyvesant. One thing Stuyvesant could consider doing is using the cafeteria, since the needed materials are there. However, the cafeteria is constantly utilized by students eating lunch. This would leave only 10th period as a viable option for the class but would still cause some trouble with cleaning up afterward. Though not ideal, this could be a short-term solution. However, for a long-term solution, Stuyvesant should look to renovate one of its larger classrooms to create a dedicated cooking classroom. Stuyvesant would be leading the way amongst New York City public schools in establishing a cooking class for its students. 

All in all, a cooking class would greatly benefit Stuyvesant’s student population, providing students with a better understanding of nutrition, essential kitchen skills, and a break from more academically rigorous classes. Though some students might consider signing up for cooking as less valuable than a more academic class, a cooking class would teach them important skills for after Stuyvesant and leave them with valuable experiences of being in the kitchen and trying new food. All Stuyvesant students could benefit from taking cooking classes.