Cooking Up a Brighter Future: Janesa Builds Skills for Her Culinary Dreams

August 6, 2026

For Janesa, learning to cook started with family.

When Janesa became a mom, she wanted to make sure she could prepare good meals for her daughter as she grew.

“I started cooking because of my family,” she said. “I wanted to be able to know what I was doing by the time it was time for her to eat what I’m eating.”

At home, Janesa learned by searching for recipes online and following them step by step. But she knew there was much more to learn. That desire eventually led her to the Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School.

Now with just two weeks until graduation, Janesa is developing the professional skills that could turn an interest in cooking into a new career.

“This program is literally teaching me everything that I don’t know,” she said.

In the kitchen, Janesa is learning from the Food Bank’s culinary instructors and her classmates, building skills that go beyond simply following a recipe. She is also refreshing her food safety knowledge and making connections that can help her as she pursues a career in the culinary industry.

“If you want to network and really be in the food business, this is the place to get your foot in the door,” she said.

Janesa’s path to the food service industry hasn’t been a straight one.

She previously attended school online to study music, but after becoming a mom, her priorities and career goals changed.

She was working as a school bus driver when an ACL tear sidelined her from work for six months. After eventually returning to work, Janesa began looking toward what she wanted for her future.

Cooking had become increasingly important in her life, and she started exploring opportunities to develop her skills.

A Google search eventually led her to the Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School. The opportunity to receive hands-on culinary training at no cost made the program especially appealing as she considered a new career path.

For the summer, Janesa took time away from driving a school bus so she could focus on Culinary School.

She is already taking steps toward turning her culinary interests into a profession.

On weekends, she works at the DuPont Country Club, gaining valuable experience in a professional kitchen while continuing her training at the Food Bank.

And she has even bigger plans for the future.

“I would like to be a private chef,” she said. “And then eventually open a food trailer.”

The dream is more than just an idea. Janesa already has a menu planned and is thinking about the steps she will need to take to launch her own business.

The Culinary School is helping her build the technical skills, confidence and professional connections to move closer to that goal.

The program has also encouraged her to think creatively about food and ingredients. During one exercise, students visited the Food Bank’s Healthy Pantry Center and identified five available ingredients they could use to create a meal through the GOLO Challenge. She recently earned first place for the class’s culinary final exam with her Italian Soul Oxtail Ravioli

For someone who began cooking by following recipes online, challenges like these are helping Janesa develop the ability to look at available ingredients and envision what she can create with them.

For students considering taking that opportunity through the Food Bank, Janesa’s advice is simple:

“Just do it.”

“You don’t know what type of atmosphere you’re coming into, but once you get in here, it’s lovely,” she said. “You get to learn from everybody — your classmates, the teachers, the instructors.”

She also points to the connections students can make throughout the program.

“Networking is really huge,” she said. “If you want to network and really be in the food business, this is the place.”

To learn more about The Culinary School, click here.