Culinary School Spotlight: Akou Kossi

June 20, 2016

By Joanna Scatasti, Communications Intern

Akou is as kindhearted as she is soft-spoken.  When asked why she decided to join The Culinary School at the Food Bank of Delaware, she sweetly replied that a friend from Wilmington turned her on to it.  When she found out about the opportunity more in depth, she said “hmmm, that would be interesting.”  The rest, we see, is history.

Originating from West Africa, Akou is fluent in French, and more recently, has become more fluent in her cooking.  “When I came here, I realized there were a lot of things that I did not know. In my country, where I originate from, we use a lot of spices that we do not use here.  Here, I learned to cook without it, and the food is perfect.” She said with enthusiasm.

Evidently, cooking isn’t the only thing that Akou has learned over the course of her experience in The Culinary School.  “Our chef gives something special to us by teaching us lifestyle: how to lead, how to act in society.”  Students in the program not only learn how to perfect their cooking skills, but also how to conduct themselves in a public setting.  Working in harmony with other people is important, and by going through the Culinary Program at the Food Bank of Delaware, students learn just how to work to their highest potential.

Akou has previous experience working in a hospital, so when she was asked what she wanted to do after the program, she immediately jumped at the question and said, “A hospital! I’ve worked as caregiver where I am expected to cook for clients, especially in a group home setting, and follow the menu, which was given by the dietitians.  It’s something fun and I want to continue that.”

If there is anything that Akou can take away from this program, it is proving herself to her friends and family.  “At home I have cooked for my friends, for parties.  I can prove myself in that area, especially at home.  Sometimes you want to cook or you want to call people to come eat but you don’t know exactly what to cook or how to handle food.  But in this program I have learned to plate the food. I can do something different, I can be creative.”

For more information on how the Food Bank of Delaware’s Culinary School can boost your creativity, please click here!