A CULINARY HOMECOMING

When a chef with years of training and experience under his coat offers to teach a culinary class on scratch-made pasta – you jump at the opportunity! Especially when it’s famed Morristown-native, Chef AJ Sankofa! At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, Morristown High School Culinary Arts students had the pleasure of meeting fellow Colonial, Chef AJ Sankofa, class of ’15, where they learned first-hand, how to make fresh, authentic pasta like the dishes on his menu at ESO Artisanal Pasta in Morristown.

With his dedication and ingenuity, Chef AJ opened his business during the pandemic to provide fresh pasta and sauces to go, featuring the authentic flavors of Italy. Having learned exceptional techniques from his mentors and chefs around the world, Chef AJ wanted to give back to MHS students interested in pursuing a career in the culinary field. In May 2022, Chef AJ and his fiancé, Kristina Gambarian, Pastry Chef at ESO Artisanal Pasta, entered the Culinary Arts kitchens equipped with the tools of their trade and the best ingredients.

“I guess the biggest thing I noticed was that I walked in with a greater sense of purpose than when I was actually a student here," said Chef AJ Sankofa. “I had a goal that I wanted to achieve which was making a positive impact on the students I interacted with.”

After a brief introduction and demonstration video showcasing Chef Sankofa, the students quickly surrounded AJ and Kristina to learn the art of making homemade Cavatelli pasta firsthand. Students from Culinary Arts 3, as well as Colonial L.I.F.E., took to their kitchens where chefs taught students step-by-step, how to make the dough, form it into cavatelli pieces, and create the garlic chili sauce.

Students quickly realized how easy Chef AJ made it look to make homemade pasta. However, with a little patience, guidance and adjustments, each of the four student kitchens had crafted beautiful pasta dough balls ready to take shape.

While waiting for the dough to set, students chopped garlic to prep for the sauce. Soon after, they got to work cutting their dough to form into cavatelli pieces.

Next students cooked their cavatelli to perfection. Once complete, they brought their pasta to Chef AJ to mix the batches together and cook into the garlic chili sauce. Finally, Chef AJ plated a bowl for each student to enjoy the fruits of their labor.  

“Having Chef AJ and Chef Kristina come teach our class was a great opportunity to get a hands-on experience like never before,” said Christine Camisa, Morristown High School Home Economics Teacher. “They came in with the most positive attitudes, ready to teach every single student in our class. At any moment they were willing to help, as well as inform us of new methods of cooking.”

“The students did a great job," affirmed Chef Sankofa. “I was a little nervous since it was so close to the end of the year and many kids aren't completely engaged when summer is around the corner, but they were on top of it. Every team's dough came out great and every student was able to contribute pasta to the big pot that we cooked at the end.”

”The whole process opened our eyes to new foods and cultures, providing essential knowledge in the culinary field," remarked Christine Camisa. “Adding onto that, they supplied our class with great quality ingredients from around the world to immerse us into the food itself. Overall, it was a fantastic time that we would all love to do again, and any class would be lucky to have a session with Chef AJ and Chef Kristina.”

“Kristina and I are so grateful that we are able to have access to platforms like this where we can make a difference. I hope that we can continue to work with MEF for years to come, we aspire to be an inspiration to the youth in Morristown!”

If you’re interested in speaking with Morris School District students about your career path, please contact us by clicking here.