407.297.4900 ext 6192628 christopher.bates@ocps.net
Wekiva Culinary

Wekiva Culinary

Ten Years of Culinary Excellence

  • About
    • What makes us “Premier”
    • Vision & Mission
    • News & Media
    • Chef Christopher Bates
  • Students
    • Calendar
    • Current & New Students
      • 2026 Welcome Letter
      • Course Guide: Syllabus and Kitchen Contract
      • Pay: Culinary Equipment & Supply Fee
      • Uniforms
      • Answers to Questions You’re Embarrassed to Ask: Culinary FAQs
    • Future Students
      • Open House: Feed Your Passion For Cooking at Wekiva Culinary
      • How to Apply for a Spot in our Magnet
    • Wekiva Culinary Summer Internship Program
    • What You’ll Learn: Four Years of Culinary Arts At-A-Glance
  • Learn
    • Get in the Kitchen: Safe Students, Safe Food
    • Getting Hired: the Culinary Students’ Guide to Finding Work
    • Customer Service Basics: Mastering the Art of Hospitality
    • Restaurant Management Challenge
    • Student Leadership
    • Food Safety Training
      • YouTube Food Safety Playlist, Study Guide, and Handouts
      • The Ins and Outs of Registering Your Account with ServSafe
      • The Gamification of Food Safety Review: Quizizz and Kahoots
  • Cook
    • Culinary 1 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 2 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 3 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 4 Recipe Book
    • Cooking Methods
    • Catering and Volume Recipes
  • Bake
    • The Great Donut Sale
    • Quick Breads: The Chemistry of Speed, Sifters, and Stopping the Over-Mix
    • Mom’s Kitchen to the Professional Bakery: How to Bake with Yeast
  • Mustang Enterprises
    • Christmas Cookie Gift Box Sale
    • Craveable Tapenade: Romesco Sauce
    • Order Your Next Amazing Boxed Lunch Right Here
  • Food Science
    • Create Something Delicious: The Art, Craft, and Science of Flavor
    • Make Your Own Ice Cream: Scoopable Art and Tasty Science
      • To Make Great Ice Cream, Understand What’s In It
      • Gelato: the LEAST you need to know
      • How to Make Great Gelato: Anatomy of an Artisanal Dessert
    • Wekiva Fire – Unexpectedly Good Hot Sauce
    • Wekiva Culinary Chocolate Factory
      • Fudge for You, Fudge for a Friend: Exploring the Greatest American Candy
      • Life Cycle of a Cacao Bean
      • Working with Sugar: the Magic of Crystallization
      • HOW TO: Make White Chocolate from Scratch
      • Chocolate Recipes 1
    • Boba Tea Cafe
      • Boba Tea: The Chewey Origins of the Worldwide Beverage Sensation
      • Tea History for Boba Lovers: Six Things You Didn’t Know (But Should)
      • Tea Primer for Boba Lovers: Eight Things To Learn
      • THE RISE OF BIG TEA: OWNERS AND INNOVATORS
      • Boba Science: Ten Things to Know
    • Panda Express: The Science, Technology, and Engineering Behind Chinese-American Wok Cooking
  • Partnerships
    • Our Students Need Your Support: How You Can Help
    • Volunteers, Parents, and Partners in Education
    • How to Post Job Opportunities for our Students
  • Video Introductions to Wekiva Culinary
  • Video Introductions to Wekiva Culinary
407.297.4900 ext 6192628 christopher.bates@ocps.net
Wekiva Culinary

Wekiva Culinary

Ten Years of Culinary Excellence

  • About
    • What makes us “Premier”
    • Vision & Mission
    • News & Media
    • Chef Christopher Bates
  • Students
    • Calendar
    • Current & New Students
      • 2026 Welcome Letter
      • Course Guide: Syllabus and Kitchen Contract
      • Pay: Culinary Equipment & Supply Fee
      • Uniforms
      • Answers to Questions You’re Embarrassed to Ask: Culinary FAQs
    • Future Students
      • Open House: Feed Your Passion For Cooking at Wekiva Culinary
      • How to Apply for a Spot in our Magnet
    • Wekiva Culinary Summer Internship Program
    • What You’ll Learn: Four Years of Culinary Arts At-A-Glance
  • Learn
    • Get in the Kitchen: Safe Students, Safe Food
    • Getting Hired: the Culinary Students’ Guide to Finding Work
    • Customer Service Basics: Mastering the Art of Hospitality
    • Restaurant Management Challenge
    • Student Leadership
    • Food Safety Training
      • YouTube Food Safety Playlist, Study Guide, and Handouts
      • The Ins and Outs of Registering Your Account with ServSafe
      • The Gamification of Food Safety Review: Quizizz and Kahoots
  • Cook
    • Culinary 1 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 2 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 3 Recipe Book
    • Culinary 4 Recipe Book
    • Cooking Methods
    • Catering and Volume Recipes
  • Bake
    • The Great Donut Sale
    • Quick Breads: The Chemistry of Speed, Sifters, and Stopping the Over-Mix
    • Mom’s Kitchen to the Professional Bakery: How to Bake with Yeast
  • Mustang Enterprises
    • Christmas Cookie Gift Box Sale
    • Craveable Tapenade: Romesco Sauce
    • Order Your Next Amazing Boxed Lunch Right Here
  • Food Science
    • Create Something Delicious: The Art, Craft, and Science of Flavor
    • Make Your Own Ice Cream: Scoopable Art and Tasty Science
      • To Make Great Ice Cream, Understand What’s In It
      • Gelato: the LEAST you need to know
      • How to Make Great Gelato: Anatomy of an Artisanal Dessert
    • Wekiva Fire – Unexpectedly Good Hot Sauce
    • Wekiva Culinary Chocolate Factory
      • Fudge for You, Fudge for a Friend: Exploring the Greatest American Candy
      • Life Cycle of a Cacao Bean
      • Working with Sugar: the Magic of Crystallization
      • HOW TO: Make White Chocolate from Scratch
      • Chocolate Recipes 1
    • Boba Tea Cafe
      • Boba Tea: The Chewey Origins of the Worldwide Beverage Sensation
      • Tea History for Boba Lovers: Six Things You Didn’t Know (But Should)
      • Tea Primer for Boba Lovers: Eight Things To Learn
      • THE RISE OF BIG TEA: OWNERS AND INNOVATORS
      • Boba Science: Ten Things to Know
    • Panda Express: The Science, Technology, and Engineering Behind Chinese-American Wok Cooking
  • Partnerships
    • Our Students Need Your Support: How You Can Help
    • Volunteers, Parents, and Partners in Education
    • How to Post Job Opportunities for our Students

How Restaurants Came to Be: Essential History for Culinary Students

August 10, 2025 Chef Bates

The evolution of the restaurant and foodservice industry has been driven by a combination of social, scientific, and physical advancements for many centuries. The following is a condensed overview of the history of restaurants specifically…

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Professional Interactions: How to SAY what you want people to HEAR

August 19, 2023 Chef Bates

There are 12 things that get in the way of communicating with others – 12 barriers to communication. This post reviews them and offers suggestions on how to become better at this vital skill.

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Finding and Getting a Job While in High School: Step-by-step

January 2, 2023 Chef Bates

Project map: From beginning to end.

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More Than Just a Paycheck: Why Working in High School Can be a Good Idea

January 2, 2023 Chef Bates

Time Management Learning to budget time and to use it well is a skill that many students don’t learn until they’re in college or in their actual careers. Spend three minutes talking to a high…

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Interviewing for the Win: Dress Like You Want the Job

January 2, 2023 Chef Bates

What’s the best outfit to wear to a job interview? The answer will vary depending on the type of job and company you’re interviewing with. This post walks you through the different ways you should present yourself in different job interview scenarios.

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Understanding New Hire Paperwork: the W-4

January 2, 2023 Chef Bates

When you start a new job, the IRS requires your employer to collect certain information from you, among other new job forms. The human resources department or your boss will ask you to complete the W-4 form. This post explains how to fill it out so you won’t make an expensive mistake.

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How to Seal the Deal: Thank-you Notes

January 2, 2023 Chef Bates

Job searches and the interview process can be challenging, but there are a few effective methods to raise your chances of being selected for a position after your first interview. One of the most common is writing a follow up email after an interview.

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Cover Emails That Will Get You Noticed

January 1, 2023 Chef Bates

Years ago, resumes were sent via snail mail and each envelope contained two things: a cover letter and a resume. In today's digital world, the cover letter has been (somewhat) replaced by the cover email.…

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Kill the Resume: Tips and Examples to Make You Stand Out

January 1, 2023 Chef Bates

While all resumes don't look alike, there ARE a few generally agreed upon guidelines you should follow. 1. Start early. The sooner you start compiling information about your unique experiences, the less likely you will…

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Kill the Resume: The 8 Elements Successful People Always Include

January 1, 2023 Chef Bates

A high school resume is a valuable tool for students applying to college, a job, an internship, asking for a recommendation, or winning a scholarship. A resume is not just a summary of your qualifications,…

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Posts pagination

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Chef Bates Receives his 4th National Recognition: The CAFE Technology and Innovation Award, Presented by RATIONAL

Coming Soon! Our Tenth Anniversary T-shirt Goes on Sale August 15th

Visit Orlando! Comes to Wekiva Culinary

https://youtu.be/LC2vB9CJW-4?si=qabW_yEsml_bWNxN

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Wekiva Culinary Magnet Information

Wekiva Culinary is now the Magnet Academy of Culinary Arts at Wekiva High School.

This means students from all over OCPS may apply to be admitted, regardless of what school they are zoned to attend. If your student is passionate about cooking and a career in the Culinary Arts, is interested in owning a restaurant one day, or is just curious about what the food and beverage industry is all about, apply for admission today!

You can always contact Program Director and Lead Instructor Chef Bates for more information. Email christopher.bates@ocps.net. To make sure your email is given a priority response, please put “magnet inquiry” in the subject heading of your email.

For more information, watch the orientation videos below.

For Future Parents

https://youtu.be/L44kcZGt_k0

For Future Students

https://youtu.be/NXDJsOMO2aE

Support our students with a financial gift here.

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Give Now

Wekiva’s FCCLA Chapter opens this year – keep an eye out for registration and sign up details!

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