Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Local Chefs Give Students Taco Demo, Caribbean Style

Local Chefs Give Students Taco Demo, Caribbean Style

ESBOCES invites pros for hands-on lesson

ESBOCES invites pros for hands-on lesson

You know it will be a great lesson when a Culinary Arts Academy alum and an executive chef join forces to give a Caribbean-style taco demo. Former Academy student David Franco and Chef Evan McDonough, both from Rumba in Hampton Bays, demonstrated how to prepare two taco variations using jerk chicken and short ribs in Jill Hamill’s Food Prep class at Ward Tech.

“Demonstrations given by guest chefs who work in the local area are fantastic,” said Hamill, “especially when one of them is an alum. My students get so excited.” The chefs prepared marinated jerk chicken tacos using chicken thighs and topped them with a pineapple aioli and a mango papaya salsa, in addition to a pork shoulder taco with barbeque sauce and crispy fried onions.

The Eastern Long Island Academy of Applied Technology, referred to as the Academy, is the Career and Technical Education Program of Eastern Suffolk BOCES and has locations in Bellport, Oakdale, and Riverhead. Ward Tech is located on the Riverhead campus.

The Food Prep class is part of the ESBOCES Special Career Education Program, which provides skills training to students with special education needs.