Thomas Haney chefs serve up new cookbook to showcase culinary arts program

Bring home the flavours of Thomas Haney Secondary’s Thunder Kitchen with a new cookbook by culinary arts instructors Brian Smith and Karen Carruthers.

“Our students are the heart of this cookbook,” said chef Carruthers. “It’s inspired by their work, their creativity, and the energy they bring to the Thunder Kitchen every day.”

The Thunder Kitchen Cookbook is a collection of recipes from the teaching kitchen, along with a breakdown of the program’s four key kitchen stations: hot side, cold side, bakery and sanitation. It offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at the culinary structure that supports students from grades 9 to 12 develop real-world kitchen skills.

“We hope this offers a glimpse into the incredible work our culinary students do every day, and how our shared teaching philosophy extends far beyond simply preparing and serving great food,” said chef Smith.

The two culinary instructors have worked collaboratively in the teaching kitchen for eight years.

“We had both dreamed of creating a cookbook for a long time,” Smith said.

With some help from the school’s photography teacher, Randy Dickin, they were able to make that dream come true.

“More than anything, we want to inspire others to cook wholesome food with joy, to approach each day with a positive attitude, and to see cooking as a meaningful life skill,” Carruthers said.

The cookbook features recipes that are simple, nutritious, and easy to replicate at home, she added.

“We selected our most popular and well-loved dishes and recipes that are frequently requested in the cafeteria and those that hold special, joyful memories for our students and staff,” Carruthers said. “Every recipe tells a story of connection, learning, and shared experience.”

Students played an important role in creating the cookbook, Smith added, from formatting the recipes and participating in the editing process, to writing some of the blurbs, and sharing their perspectives on a typical day in the teaching kitchen.

“The cookbook is a way to honour the artful dishes they’ve created over the past decade and to encourage more students to explore the culinary program,” Carruthers said.

The Thunder Kitchen Cookbook is available for purchase through the Thomas Haney teaching kitchen, with all proceeds going back into the culinary arts program to help cover the costs of maintaining a fully functioning, professional-grade kitchen.