Family is the one word that students in Renton High School’s Culinary Club use to define their relationship.
The tight-knit group has become an in-demand business with the success of their student-run catering company, An Essence of Renton.
The students have catered at least 20 to 30 events in the area. Past events have included a Swedish Hospital fundraiser that they partner with Seattle’s Wild Ginger restaurant to work.
They have also done events for the Renton Chamber of Commerce, Piazza Renton, Skills USA, Seattle International Film Festival, events for the district and Renton High School.
Their company has a core group of 12 to 14 students and a maximum of 35 for large events.
Formed four years ago, the club and business have taught the teens not only practical lessons in the kitchen and business, but in life too.
It is pressing them on to pursue their future dreams whether they are in the culinary arts or something else.
“I don’t think there’s anyone in there who doesn’t have a plan for their future,” said Nick Mobley, a Renton High senior and president of the club.
Originally, Mobley started taking classes at the school because he wanted to one day be a chef. He’s learned hard work, dedication and responsibility throughout his experience with the club and now wants to be a surgeon.
“I started coming in and showing up every day. I got to working hard,” he said. “And after a while culinary wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do, but I got so close to everybody in here that I couldn’t leave. There was no option, it’s like I couldn’t separate myself from my family because that’s who they are.”
In their interactions there is screaming, crying and yelling as they all work to better their culinary skills, Mobley said.
He credits his instructor, Aleta Konkol, for a lot of his development and says many of the students call her “mom.”
Konkol tries to capitalize on the students’ enthusiasm and hard work as an avenue to them pursuing higher education.
“I don’t just push that they do culinary,” she said. “I personally want them to do a four-year (college program), that’s just as a mom.”
Yet many of her students have found their passion in the culinary arts from their time spent with the club.
The class means a lot to student Christina Gryniv. She baked cakes for the giant Renton High School Centennial cake presented at a ceremony last summer for the club.
Gryniv like baking and wants to pursue it as a career although her plans aren’t completely formed.
“I’m always here, (the class) helped me grow and become more responsible and more of a leader,” Gryniv said. “It helped me in a lot of ways and taught me a whole bunch of new stuff.”
Student Dandre Johnson Katz plans to go into the Air Force first and then becoming a chef and having his own restaurant.
His specially created cake balls were a hit at the Seattle International Film Festival in the IKEA Performing Arts Center at Renton High.
An Essence of Renton sold food items for the filsm
“It became a big hit,” Johnson Katz said. “I just make stuff that comes to the top of my head and they get out and everybody likes it.”
The students work hard to fill their catering requests. They work over school breaks and sometimes after school late into the evening.
“We’re just ready to work and cook,” said student Nailah Eubanks.
Recently An Essence of Renton catered a breakfast for about 320 people for the school district.
Within Renton High the chef’s jackets that club members wear have become so popular that Konkol had to increase the service-hour requirements to get them.
All the profits the company makes goes for supplies and scholarships. Last year they were able to give out two $500 scholarships. This year they are trying for more.
“I don’t know what the future’s going to be like, but I can tell you I’ve learned more about life in this room than I probably will anywhere I will ever go,” said Mobley.
