Moorhead High School culinary program sees huge growth in enrollment

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) – Students in Moorhead are flocking to the culinary program at the Moorhead High School Career Academy.

The ProStart certified program saw their enrollment grow from 33 students last year, to 90 for this school year.

They also received a $5,000 grant from the Rachael Ray Foundation and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for new equipment, curriculum and experiential learning opportunities.

Johanna Heigaard, a family and consumer science teacher at the Moorhead High School Career Academy, says that the program offers students a chance to learn in a real kitchen environment, and encourages problem solving.

“Of course when they first start in the food classes it’s to eat. But very quickly they learn that some of the skills that we practice every day in the kitchen, mies-en-plas, everything in its place, organization, taking something that went wrong, like a recipe that went wrong. We’re on the clock, we only have minutes to figure it out.”

They added that hands-on learning opportunities like these have been a great addition to Moorhead Public Schools, since the career academy opened in 2021.