Teaching the next generation

VAN WERT — Robin Burns enjoys the controlled chaos of a restaurant kitchen — and even more so, she likes helping kids learn about the field.Burns, culinary arts instructor at Vantage Career Center, had her hands full earlier this week. The program operates Cup & Saucer, a restaurant open to the public two days a week, and the 23 students under her leadership worked hard to get lunch out and prepare for the next event.Politely interrupted often by questions beginning with, “Mrs. Burns?,” she helped give students the direction they needed on topics ranging from trash removal duties to those checking in with her about leftovers from that day's lunch period. And she did it all with a smile.“I like working with the kids,” she said, explaining she enjoys the enthusiasm they usually exhibit.Burns has been at Vantage Career Center since 1994, but this is her first year teaching culinary arts solo. But food has always been a passion.“My mom's an excellent cook, and my grandma's a great cook before her,” Burns said. “I love food; I like to eat.”Burns said the students recently took part in a culinary arts competition and several students did well enough to go to state competition. “They did very well. I was very proud of them,” she said.The recipe she shares today is from that competition. It was a recipe that all the teams had to use, and they were judged by their final dishes. Burns said it is a delicious recipe that isn't terribly difficult for the home cook. One word of warning: The blackberry sauce is very dark and if you use too much of it, the chicken will become stained and look unappetizing.Burns encouraged everyone to giving cooking a try.“Oh heck, if you can read, you can cook,” she said. “They're intimidated. I don't really understand that. It's just food.”Interested in dining at Cup & Saucer? Lunch is usually served Wednesday and Thursday. Call 419-238-5411, ext., 130, to make a reservation.Have a suggestion for who should be featured in this spot? Email amcgee@limanews.com.