Becoming a Chef with Easterseals

A Talented Home Chef

Sebastian loves to cook Italian dishes like pasta and pizza. He also enjoys making Cuban food like arroz con pollo, pulling from his own heritage. In 2021 at the Easterseals South Florida Youth Culinary Arts Summer Camp, Sebastian discovered a passion for cooking, learning skills needed to craft a diverse range of cuisines.

The Youth Culinary Arts Summer Camp is a seven-week program for students with disabilities, including autism, in grades 6 to 12. Participants like Sebastian train hands-on with experts in the culinary arts, learning practical job knowledge and financial literacy to aid them in transitioning from school to employment and independence. The Easterseals Academy staff noted how Sebastian’s work in the kitchen has helped him excel in math and build leadership skills. 

Easterseals South Florida offers many opportunities for educating youth during their summer camps, including field trips that include experiential learning. “We’re always seeking site partners that specialize in sensory opportunities and other enrichment offerings. So the students enjoy a lot of outdoor and indoor field trips. They bring back a great deal of knowledge and gratitude. They get to work with animals, they get to enjoy performances … so it’s very fulfilling and very diverse,” says Pietro Bonacossa, Vice President of Development.

From Camp to Career

After summer camp ended, Sebastian wanted to continue cooking. He then joined the Easterseals Culinary Arts High School Program, which also includes the hands-on training from summer camp alongside traditional classroom instruction. 

Academic content follows the B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards and is tailored to meet individual student needs. Students can work together in small groups on different stations, like sanitation, food prep, and food service. They also have the opportunity to earn a ServStaff sanitation certification and learn Culinary Arts skills following the ProStart Curriculum. High school graduates can stay enrolled in the program until the age of 22. 

Through the support of the Easterseals family, Sebastian started an internship last year at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, working in their dining services department. He’s gained further skills in customer service, food prep, and creative food presentations. Earlier this year, the hospital hired him part time with benefits, and he is now working full time for the summer.    

Sebastian is but one example of the importance in creating inclusive, equitable spaces where people with disabilities can learn and thrive alongside their peers, gaining tools that foster independence and teamwork.    

Sebastian shared that his favorite part of being a chef is the collaboration between everyone that works in the kitchen, and being able to simply do what he loves with the support that he needs. Sebastian’s dream is to own a breakfast food truck. If that’s successful, he wants to open his own restaurant. He said, “The people at Easterseals have a future, they can learn new abilities to have their own future and follow their dreams.”

To learn more about the incredible work of Easterseals South Florida, visit their website. Thank you to Sebastian and Pietro for their contributions to this blog post.