Teen runs restaurant at Dinuba High School
Dinuba High School student Briseyda Dominguez can’t imagine college life without working toward a cooking career.
The 16-year-old currently runs her own restaurant Bamboo Panda through her Food Service class where she is responsible for a team of aspiring chefs.
Through her hard work and dedication, she was recently awarded the Trustworthy Pillar through the Tulare County Office of Education’s CHARACTER COUNTS! program.
In the class, Dominguez is in charge of four other students and responsible for giving each student an assignment for the day. Together, they function as a fast food restaurant would function, prepping food and boxing it up as it is ordered by teachers. There are five other restaurants run by students in the class that range from deli delights to all-American cuisine.
Food Service instructor Martha Macias said Dominguez shows great responsibility through everything she does, including her cooking.
“All those pillars of character, she’s got,” Macias said. “She works well with her group, is able to delegate the work and is responsible enough to be in charge.”
Dominguez’s love for cooking started when she was just a youngster. Being the oldest of five children in her family, she always had the chance to help feed the younger ones of the bunch.
“Food has always been a passion of mine,” the junior-class student said. “It’s been something I’ve grown up to do.”
On her off time, when she finishes her homework, sometimes Dominguez will whip up a tasty treat or two. There aren’t any particular foods she likes to cook, so long as she’s in the kitchen, she said she’s the happiest.
“On my spare time I really like to express my creativity with cooking,” Dominguez said.
Macias said she’s proud of what her student has accomplished. Even when it’s not asked of her, Dominguez goes above and beyond to get additional work done, such as creating a satisfaction survey she includes with every meal she makes. Dominguez said it’s a way to receive feedback about her creations so she can put out a better product next go round.
“This was all done on her own time,” Macias said. “The teacher will not only get the meal but they’ll be able to rate it. Briseyda will use the surveys to try and figure out how to better the product.”
Other than her Foods Service class, Dominguez enjoys studying English. She is considering her options for college in either culinary arts or nutrition.
Dominguez, along with other award winners, will be recognized for their achievements at the Tulare County Office of Education 2015 CHARACTER COUNTS! Kids of Character Provident-Salierno Family Foundation Awards night at 6 p.m., Oct. 27.