Experienced chef whips up life skills in campus kitchen

Originally from Louisiana, Marnique Jourdan-Davis brings good eats and personality to the LEE High School kitchen.

“I am going to teach your child how to wash dishes so if they are not doing that at home, they will learn to do that here- as well as sweep and mop,” she said with a giggle during a recorded video to students.

It’s Jourdan-Davis’ first year as the campus culinary instructor and she has hit the ground running.

She’s been in education for five years and previously cooked in restaurant kitchens, nursing home kitchens and hospital kitchens.

By whipping up demos like homemade soda bread, she is having fun while teaching her in-person and virtual students all about kitchen fundamentals.

“We’re going to do knife skills. They are going to learn how to cut an onion, how to peel and cut garlic, stocks and sauces, learn how to poach and fry,” Jourdan-Davis explained.

She has also taught students safety precautions such as how to use a fire extinguisher and what to do if there is a grease fire.

“All of these really important things just for basic life,” Jourdan-Davis added.

Students who take classes like these in high school have the opportunity to obtain food safety certifications and earn college credit at some culinary schools.

“A lot of my first-year students get their ‘Texas Food Handler’ certification. My advanced students get to take ‘ServSafe’ food manager certification which is already automatically going to put them ahead of any other person going for a food job,” she explained.

Jourdan-Davis said, while the pandemic forced many families to stay home and cook, it also encouraged more and more young people to take up the skill.

“A lot of people think [culinary] is only for people who want to go into a career in culinary- which is great because there are a lot of job opportunities- but these are great skills for life!”

She stressed that everyone, regardless of your career path, needs to learn how to cook.

Jourdan-Davis is unquestionably passionate about preparing her students for the future.

“I really like educating and talking to people so that’s why I decided to go back to school and I got my master’s in education (M. Ed.) and then I started teaching. But I wanted to only teach the thing that I liked, which was food,” she said with a laugh.

Students in her class will also learn how to write resumes, fill out college applications and discuss career readiness.

“I have a lot of experience and I really hope to bring that experience to my class.”


Because #NEISDcares!

Ashley Speller