Found Treasure: Food Teacher of the Year Imogen Erickson

March 17, 2023 – What was called “home ec” back in the day ain’t what it used to be.

One of the country’s most inspiring examples of its evolution teaches at Pacific Grove High School (which makes this Breakers news!).

Just this week Imogen Erickson was announced as California Restaurant Foundation’s ProStart Educator of the Year, which makes her eligible for National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s James H. Maynard Teacher of the Year award.

A number of accomplishments contributed to the honor, including:

• Tripling enrollment in PGHS’s ProStart culinary program.

• Packing 100-plus ingredient bags a week during COVID to distribute to students, while publishing accompanying virtual cooking demos.

• Leading events like an ice-cream throw down, doughnut pop-ups and Mother’s Day tea collaboration with 3D arts students adding inspiration.

• Providing a sanctuary for all students, including the LGBTQ+ community and students experiencing homelessness.

“My approach to teaching culinary arts is based on the fact that food has been at the center of every human experience since the dawn of humanity,” Erickson says. “It is impossible to separate from our history. By teaching culinary arts as part of a comprehensive high school program, students learn not only how to feed themselves and others, but are able to make real-world connections to their other areas of study—history, math, language arts, science—through the culinary lens.”

The teacher-philosopher-doer in her keeps the big-picture wisdom coming. (Sidenote: I may have to go 21 Jump Street to take her class. Please send reverse-aging juice.)

“A hands-on class allows students to learn kinesthetically, makes subjects come alive, and gives them an opportunity to hone vital life skills such as project planning, teamwork, leadership, budgeting, critical thinking and conflict resolution,” she says. “Regardless of whether my students go on to be chefs, teachers, engineers, accountants or work in retail, they walk away from the culinary classroom with job skills that will serve them anywhere.

“Most importantly, though, my classroom is a safe space where students know that they are not judged. They are encouraged to be themselves, celebrate their individuality, and develop compassion for others. We actively engage in giving back, learning to give and receive constructive feedback and ways to address the mental health challenges faced by young adults.”

Quick context: California Restaurant Foundation has been around since 1981. Executive Director Alycia Harshfield finds people are most surprised by the breadth of services the nonprofit provides. That involves, in part, providing scholarships for college, career exploration and training for high school students, and relief funding for workers facing crisis and neighborhood restaurants.

“We change lives through restaurants,” Harshfield says.

She adds Erickson’s “care for her students’ well being, creative approach to teaching and going above and beyond to offer real-world experiences” rank among the values CRF prioritizes when selecting a worthy recipient.

“Her commitment and passion inspire students to dream big and think about their futures in a new light,” Harshfield says.

For the #FoundTreasuresFam, Edible took the occasion of her award to run through quick-fire questions about kitchen skills and food fun so we might learn from her enlightening instruction too.

Edible Monterey Bay: What’s one of your favorite lightbulb lessons that really seems to empower culinary students?
IE: The first time we do a food photography exercise and students come back to me beaming with pride to show off their photos. They are amazed at their own ability to do visual storytelling after one lesson, using only a phone and outdoor lighting.

I see there’s a Julia Child banner in your cooking kitchen. Who are some of your culinary heroes?
As a child of the 70s, I grew up watching Julia Child on a 12-inch black-and-white television. I still have my first paperback copy of The Art of French Cooking. I admire her bravery as a pioneering woman in a male-dominated field of cookery and television.

Other culinary heroes are Alice Waters and Jose Andres, not only for their talents, but because both are outstanding examples of successful chefs who have focused much of their energies on giving back, Waters through The Edible Schoolyard and Andres through the World Central Kitchen.

I also see Yoda totems around your workspace, and can identify. (“There is no try!”) What can Yoda teach us about cooking?
There’s definitely a lot of Star Wars energy in my classroom. Being a Jedi and a good cook have a lot in common.

Like Yoda, a good cook needs training, dedication and focus, but it’s The Force that makes your creations truly magnificent!

The Force is inspiration, intuition and trusting your heart to make your food sing.

When do you feel most alive in your job?
I feel most alive in my job when students or their parents message me out of the blue to let me know that they’ve just cooked something wonderful. I still hear from students from my first year of teaching who will reach out for recipes or let me know about something fabulous they’ve made or tried.

In other words, knowing that I’ve inspired something that brings joy to others. What could be better?

What rank among some of the more helpful online resources for home cooks?
For recipes, you can’t go wrong with America’s Test Kitchen. Their recipes are solid, and you’ll learn not just how to make something, but why it works.

I love Pinterest for the sheer joy of being able to organize visual inspirations.

YouTube [provides] mini-lessons at your fingertips for absolutely anything you want to learn. Where was this when I was a curious kid in the kitchen?

For people who want to learn quick, simple recipes from a puppet and hilarious dude in under 2 minutes—in song—everyone needs to watch goodboy.noah on Instagram. Great for laughs, but the recipes actually hold up.

Please name one or two apparently obscure kitchen tools that deserve more use.
Kitchen shears are the unsung heroes of the kitchen—they help with perfect pizza and quesadilla wedges, snipping herbs, opening packages, cutting right through bones when breaking down your proteins!

Maybe I’m just a mono-tasker [as opposed to a multi-tasker], but my ancestors would insist I mention that you’re not making potato latkes right unless you’re using an Acme Safety Grater.

Top contender for great, quick, nutritious snack?
Whipped peanut butter and mini chocolate chips with cold, crisp apple slices. Nutrish-ish?

What’s one of the more memorable questions you’ve heard from students recently?
“Is cereal a soup?”

Most under-appreciated local ingredient?
Seaweed—shoutout to Monterey Bay Seaweeds. Love their ogo!

Also, all of the wild edible “weeds” we have, like chickweed, miner’s lettuce, nasturtium and three-cornered leeks.

Hit us with some less-than-obvious pantry staples to always have on hand.
Coconut [liquid] aminos and chipotles peppers in adobo sauce. Flavor builders.

Who would you include as some of your go-to Monterey Bay restaurants?
Family businesses that are good to the community, schools and serve good, honest food: Michael’s Taqueria and First Awakenings.

Mezzaluna on Forest is my favorite for craft cocktails, charcuterie and their amazing mozzarellas!

Stokes Adobe has been my longtime favorite in Monterey.

Sardine Factory. I love the history, love the ambiance and love the food. Bert Cutino and Ted J. Balestreri have been wonderful to ProStart and my program!

My favorite local chef is Colin Moody—so talented, kind and always pays it forward!

You have 15 minutes to pack a dream school lunch, all ingredients in play, within reason.
Vietnamese summer rolls. [They’re] fresh, colorful, healthy and loaded with flavor—shrimp, mango, avocado, butter lettuce, cucumber, scallions, rice vermicelli, cilantro, basil and mint with a quick nước chấm.

I love teaching this to my students every year!

Single dish most worth ditching class for?
I’m a sucker for good old-fashioned fried chicken and a fluffy, buttermilk biscuit. Honestly, just bury me in biscuits.