MIAMI – There are people who love to cook and people who love to eat the masterpieces they create.
In Wednesday’s Tribute to Teachers, Local 10 Community Relations Director Mayte Padron surprised a high school chef who’s given her students the right ingredients to succeed in the kitchen and in life.
Usually, it’s Chef Yolanda Washington who’s whipping up something good in the kitchen, but on this day, we were the ones who brought something both savory and sweet to her.
The Miami Central High School marching band joined us to surprise Washington with a Tribute to Teachers award, an honor given to only five South Florida teachers each year.
“We want to add a little bit of love to all the love you’re getting today, and we want to present you with $1,000 in Publix gift cards,” said Padron.
It is a well-deserved honor.
Washington has dedicated 25 years to the culinary industry, six of them at Miami Central, leading the school’s Academy of Culinary Arts.
“We came here, we were playing a lot, very childish, but she’s helped us get ready for the real world,” said culinary student Trynitee McGahee. “We do events, we cater and we go on field trips to go on competitions for all-star, pro-star.”
One recent competition took them to Orlando, where Washington and students were challenged to create a specialty hand-held item.
“Out of 50 schools in the state, we were the top 10, and then we went on from top 10 to top three,” said Washington. “And we became the champions.”
Winning the competition also came with a $2,500 prize, and their Birria French Dip sandwich featured on the menu of a Universal Studios CityWalk restaurant.
