From 2020-2024, rising food prices have increased by over 23.6%. Neil Kalson, the culinary teacher here in Arcata, noticed the change in prices affecting his class.
“The budget I received this year is pretty similar to last year’s, maybe a seven to eight percent increase,” he said.
If this is the percentage of increase he received just last year, food prices have increased 4.4% just in Humboldt. Based on these percentages, the school isn’t doing too badly in keeping up with the inflationary price increase in food.
Students walk into class expecting to cook as they do at home, and see the piles of books and posters showing some principles of cooking.
”They don’t expect to have to go as fast and as hard as they do in a real kitchen… they don’t expect to be as clean in a real kitchen,” Kalson said. “I can expose them to what it’s like, but it’s hard to recreate…”
Teaching this profession can be difficult, but working in a professional kitchen could be worse.
Kalson said, “It’s harder to be a professional cook. I think in a high school cooking class you’re just introducing students to the possibilities … some of the advanced students are starting to embrace the work ethic that’s necessary…”
Working in this career can be challenging, not only financially if you want to have your own business, but also by working in a restaurant.
