Originally Published: 09 MAR 23 10:30 ET

By KMOV Staff

NORMANDY, Missouri (KMOV) -- Normandy High School culinary students are learning from Chef Rob Connoley.

News 4 was on hand as the chef and owner of Bulrush StL taught kids the art of plating.

“Here we are playing with Twinkies and Ding Dongs, but this can easily transfer into fine dining pastry or other parts of the meal,” explained James Beard-Nominated Chef Connoley. “So, coming in here is important because I’m looking five years down the road, 10 years down the road of what the industry will look like in St. Louis.

Junior Alexandria Belton, an aspiring chef herself, said she looks forward to Chef Connoley’s classroom visits. She told News 4 they give her hands-on experience and help her to learn more about the restaurant industry.

After the lesson, Chef Connoley has the students put what they learned to the test with a competition for the golden spoon. But, for Chef Connoley, it’s about something else.

“It’s these small little techniques and tricks we can give them to inspire them to make something a little nicer than what they had been doing,” he said.