Everybody knows about the Warrior Eastro, but not everyone gets a peek into what goes on behind the scenes.
Tucked inside the Walker Career Center, the Eastro is more than just a student-run restaurant. It's a hands-on learning environment that serves up creativity, discipline and some seriously good eats. The core of its success is its carefully crafted menu, which often sends fragrant waves of comfort food drifting through the halls and sparks conversations throughout the building.
“Most of the foods that are made here are comfort foods that most people like,” Chef Chad Stearns, who leads the culinary program and oversees all operations at the Eastro.
Although the Eastro isn’t officially open to the general student body yet this year, the kitchen is already alive with action. Culinary students are hard at work testing recipes, refining techniques and preparing dishes from a menu that Chef Stearns has meticulously developed. The offerings are both familiar and elevated smash burgers, grilled and fried chicken salads, an array of wraps and rotating soups.
Many culinary students get more than they expect from this class. Senior Lonnaé Porch said the menu is easier to make than she thought it would be, but there's still a challenge with making the food.
“There are going to be foods made this year like churros, which is different because we didn’t make anything like this in previous culinary classes,” Porch said.
The Eastro doesn’t just serve food. It serves experience to the students involved. From managing time and teamwork during the lunch rush to learning about nutrition, plating and food safety, students are getting a taste of what life in the restaurant industry is really like.
One of the biggest responsibilities the students take on is ensuring that the kitchen operates safely and responsibly. The Eastro is especially careful when it comes to food allergies and dietary restrictions. Chef Stearns emphasizes the importance of cleanliness, cross-contamination prevention and reading every label.
“We teach our students to be aware of allergens and to always ask questions,” Chef Sterns said.
Many are eager for the day when the restaurant opens its doors and the wider school community gets to taste what these young chefs have been working on. But for now, the smells wafting from the Walker Career Center are just a preview of what may come. But if the early efforts are any indication, the Eastro is on track for another successful season, one dish at a time.