A Columbus Alternative High School alumna has taken on the mantle of mentorship through the culinary arts, fostering the next wave of young chefs in Gahanna. Rochelle Mayo-Barrett, a CAHS graduate who also pursued a meaningful career in social work for over two decades, has co-founded a local branch of the Young Chefs Academy, as reported by Columbus City Schools.
The Academy aims to provide children from various backgrounds, including students with disabilities and foster youth, with a space not just for learning culinary skills, but also for growth in academic and social spheres. To this end, the Academy's program has been tailored, not only to teach them about cooking but to fortify their skills in mathematics, leadership, and other practical life lessons. "We start talking about what it takes to run a restaurant: math, grocery planning, leadership," Mayo-Barrett told Columbus City Schools.
Since opening its doors in 2024, the Young Chefs Academy in Gahanna has been a haven where students who always need a safe, engaging after-school activity can gather to hone their craft. Cooking, something that began as a passion for Mayo-Barrett in her Franklin Middle School home economics class, has now blossomed into an entrepreneurial venture that seeks to empower youth through the lens of food and fellowship.
The educational model of the Young Chefs Academy strives to be inclusive and far-reaching, with Mayo-Barrett visioning a future addition of a "Senior Chefs" class geared towards high school students not bound for college, teaching essential cooking and kitchen safety skills. The entrepreneur, a mother, and a product of the very system feeding into her Academy, understands that there is more to education than desk-bound learning. "Not everyone's going to college," Mayo-Barrett said. "...But everyone needs to eat. So let's teach them how to boil water, use a knife safely, and make something more than ramen [noodles]." according to Columbus City Schools.
At the heart of the Young Chefs Academy is a commitment to equipping young people with skills that prepare them for real-life scenarios, a commitment that reinforces Mayo-Barrett's belief in the transformative power of practical education. The kitchen, through her guidance, becomes more than just a place to prepare food; it has evolved into a dynamic classroom where kids can explore and learn in a context that feeds both their belly and their potential.
