Tired after a long night doing homework? Hungry in between classes? Just want a little sweet treat to get you through the day? Robinson Culinary’s new and improved snack shack is the place for you.
The snack shack, ran by Robinson’s Culinary 1 students, boasts an impressive spread of tavern cookies, various types of soda (including Orange Soda, Cherry Pepsi, Coke Zero, Regular Coke, Sprite and Dr. Pepper) and four different types of chips.
“The Snack Shack was originally the coffee cart from Chef’s Kitchen, but Chef [Smithey] decided to move it on to Culinary 1’s recently, and now we are going to be selling it in Ms. B’s room, and if you don’t know where that is, it’s right next to the Media Center,” Culinary 1 student Xander Breed (‘27) said.
Along with providing tasty snacks and drinks to Robinson students and teachers, the snack shack offers Culinary 1 students the opportunity to provide an authentic customer service experience.
“They will learn how to work with customers, how to work with each other, with the manager, with time management, with money, with inventory, with stocking. It’s definitely a real-world experience,” Culinary 1 teacher Clara Biletzky said. “Having the Culinary 1s take this project on themselves without the help of others will also kind of make them cultivate their own little Culinary community, since there’s so many of them, and then those kids will most likely keep moving on into the advanced Culinary classes.”
The Culinary 1 students are, so far, going above and beyond in running the snack shack, and hoping to expand the menu further.
“After spring break, we’re gonna be doing more baked goods. Brownies and Rice Krispie Treats are for sure. We’ll bring back the coffee, possibly espresso and lattes. We’ll have all the syrups and different types of milks,” Biletzky said.
The best part of the snack shack is that all the profit received goes back into the Culinary program, helping it progress and grow within Robinson.
“So, that’s the really great part about the Culinary 1s taking on this project; is that money is going to go straight into their experience in the Culinary program, because they [still] have years left to go in the program. So, right now, it will hopefully go towards the outdoor kitchen we’re building,” Biletzky said.
So, when can we visit this amazing snack shack?
“We are open during passing periods. Traditional passing periods, IB passing periods and then twenty minutes before and after school,” Breed said.
With its expanding menu, hands-on learning opportunities, and direct contributions to the Culinary program’s future, the snack shack is more than just a place to grab a quick treat: it’s a valuable addition to the Robinson community. Whether you’re craving a soda, a cookie or espresso, be sure to stop by during passing periods and support the Culinary 1 students.
