Food with a new attitude

The Culinary Arts Academy at Newport Harbor High School is like the

mustard seed. It started small and through a leap of faith and has

blossomed into a program with unparalleled breadth and depth.

Janet Dukes is the founder and director of the program and her

coordinator, Hennie Sondel (who is an angel of a volunteer), have

created a successful niche at Harbor High and have even taken their

show on the road as they compete in culinary contests throughout the

state.

Gone are the days of making applesauce in foods class -- these

women have turned up the heat, so to speak, to include regional

cooking, pastries, sauces, fondants and garnishes. You have to see it

to believe it, and tasting it is even better.

The Culinary Arts Academy has returned from its trip to San

Francisco, where members spent 16 doing hours of hands-on cooking

classes at the famous California Culinary Academy. Program

participants went last year, too. Not only did the group create food,

it was introduced to the business aspects of hotel management and

hospitality.

The group spent four nights at the Fairmont Hotel, toured the

kitchen and had a chance to be tourists. The academy also attended a

class, lunch and tour of the Culinary Institute of America at

Greystone in Napa.

Days later, the group competed in the first California Restaurant

Assn.’s Culinary Competition and Knowledge Bowl. The competition

included preparation of a three-course meal in one hour. The NHHS

contingency placed second in the state in the Knowledge Bowl. Not bad

for a fledgling program. Kudos.

The program graduates will continue their educations in the

culinary field: Jaime Gonzales has been accepted to the California

Culinary Academy in San Francisco; David Mosqueda and Pete Madison

will attend the culinary arts program at OCC, which is ranked second

in the nation.

The Culinary Academy hosts an annual fund-raiser to help defray

the cost of activities for the participating students. This year the

fourth annual event, “A Taste of Newport Harbor High School,” at the

Evening of the Arts will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at the

high school, 600 Irvine Ave. The menu will include swordfish with

mango lime salsa, Cajun gumbo with spicy black beans, chicken satay,

baby back ribs, southern sherry chicken, lamb chops, pasta bar and a

dessert table, which will include chocolate dipped strawberries and a

variety of cheesecakes.

Tickets are $1 and $2, depending on the dish. I am not proud of my

having eaten, or at least tasted, everything they had to offer last

year. They have my hearty endorsement.

It’s a great way to have dinner, see a few neighbors and enjoy

other student visual art displays that are included in the evening.

Eat, dish, support ... it’s a win-win.

Mark your calendars, bring the family, bring some dollars and I’ll

see you there. Bon appetite.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Sundays.