Cooking Up an Aromatic Classroom

Issaquah Press: February 15, 2006

By Chantelle Lusebrink

Things are heating up in the classroom kitchens of Pine Lake Middle School.

Sweet aromas often waft through the hallways, enticing students and staff members into the doorway of Gail Oseran’s class throughout the day. Many come to plead for just a taste of what fellow students, guest chefs or Oseran have created during class.

Oseran’s dedicated passion and relentless work has transformed the basic cooking courses at Pine Lake into a mini culinary arts program — one that has students coming back for more.

During her past three years, Oseran has revitalized the curriculum to take a more hands-on approach to food and life skills provided at the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade levels.

Oseran has been with the district in many capacities throughout the last 12 years. However, it is in her new role as the culinary arts teacher that Oseran has made the most significant improvements with Pine Lake’s cooking program.

In 2003, Oseran began filling out grant applications from the Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF), hoping to boost her meager program budget of $15 per student each trimester, with additional funds to replace the outdated equipment in the kitchen lab.

To date, Oseran has been awarded two Kateri Brow Big Idea ISF grants totaling $10,000, as well as $1,500 in PTSA grants.

The grant money has been used during the past three years to purchase stainless steel prep and cooking surfaces, new Cuisinart food processors, Kitchen Aid mixers, safe cookware — like pots and pans with handles — and new kitchen stools.

In addition to increasing her budget and creating a safe atmosphere for students to learn how to cook, Oseran has also arranged for several talented, local chefs to come into class as demonstrators.

Her most recent volunteer guest chef was Matt Jones, owner of Starry Nights Catering and Events in Kirkland. Bringing his supplies and expertise, Jones featured simple ground beef empanadas with chimichurri sauce, both commonly served in South American cuisine.

“I made these in about 15 minutes,” said Jones, rolling the cinnamon-meat mixture into the pastry to demonstrate. “So I thought you’d be able to take the recipe home and make them yourselves.”

“Matt is just perfect for this. He is young and enthusiastic and really connects with the kids,” Oseran said.

During the course of the trimester students will take turns being head chef, Oseran said. As head chef, each student needs to develop a plan to prepare, finish and eat his or her meal in class. Organization and time management are critical.

“The goal is to work together cooperatively as a team with a finished project,” Oseran said of her curriculum.

Enabling students to make quick and simple meals is another focus of the class. Students also learn how to make quality food choices for their health in the future and know that preparing food is not beyond them.

“A class like Ms. Oseran’s is extremely valuable today, because it helps combat all the available junk food,” Jones said. “I applaud her efforts to help teach students how to cook for themselves, which puts them in control of their health.”

While being one of the coolest teachers on campus, according to several of her fifth-period students, Oseran does have one rule that most of them would love to do away with.

“I make them try one bite of everything we make, unless they have an allergy,” Oseran said. “If the kids refuse to taste something in class, then they fail that assignment.”

“I try everything I cook,” said Katie Mclaughlin, an eighth-grade aid for Oseran. “Except for fish. Ewwww!”

Despite her successes, Oseran continues to seek improvement and new ways to update the kitchen. Recently, she completed her third ISF grant and jokingly refers to it as “All Students Cooking Well and Safely — the Finale,” since it is her third year applying.

However, the $9,300 grant for 2006 will allow Oseran to furnish the kitchen with new technology. She wants to take advantage of new document cameras by purchasing two, flat-screen television monitors so that the students can more easily watch demonstrations. Oseran will also be asking IKEA for additional kitchen organization supplies this summer.

Nick Owen, a new eighth-grade student of Oseran’s with “mean bread-making skills,” as she put it, couldn’t believe classes like hers were offered in school.

“My cooking class is the coolest class I have ever taken,” he said, smiling.

Reporter Chantelle Lusebrink can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 241, or clusebrink@isspress.com.