Addison Keys, a senior at Mount Spokane High School, was inspired by her grandmother, whose cooking was inspired by her Russian heritage. Keys lived with her grandparents until she was seven, which allowed her to soak up plenty of her grandmother's culinary skills.
His grandmother was also influenced by Asian cuisine, as her mother spent time in China after leaving Russia. “She was a great cook,” he says. “Every night she would make something different. We never ate the same thing.”
Keys attended Spokane Public Schools before moving to Mount Spokane for her sophomore year of college, where she discovered Pro Start, a two-year culinary arts and restaurant management program for high school students. “Pro Start classes really boosted my confidence,” Keys said. “I knew I had always had a passion for cooking, I just hadn't tapped into it.”
Not only do students learn how to cook and get their food licenses, but they also learn the basics of the hospitality business. At times, students work in teams, taking turns being the head chef and directing the other chefs. “You learn so much,” Keys says.
As part of the program, Keys had to find a two-year restaurant internship. He was interested in working at Knie's Thai Cuisine in north Spokane, but the restaurant wasn't part of the Pro Start program. Keys' teacher, Maureen Collins, contacted the restaurant and convinced them to join the program and hire him, Keys said.
“All the people there are really great, really nice people,” he said. “I learned a lot there.”
Keys has completed about 800 hours of the 2,000-hour program and expects to finish next year, at the end of which he must pass a skills test that includes cooking for a panel of judges to receive his Journey Level card.
Keys said she does everything at Kny's, from washing dishes to preparing the main dishes. She also cleans, sanitizes, prepares vegetables and plates the food. “It's a behind-the-scenes job,” Keys said.
Collins said it was clear from the beginning that Keys wanted a career in cooking. “He's very quiet, but very goal-oriented,” she said. “He's a perfectionist.”
She said Keys specializes in “savory” cooking, a term often used to describe salty or hot dishes rather than sweet ones. “His presentations and sauces are amazing,” she said.
Collins estimates that 10 to 15 percent of his students go on to culinary careers, and he encourages those with a passion for cooking to do so as long as they understand what they're getting into.
“It's a passion,” she said. “They have to have that passion. It's a lot of hard work.”
Keyes said she plans to start culinary courses at Spokane Community College in the fall, and after graduation, she hopes to travel the world cooking.
“I want to experience different cultures and foods,” he says, “and hopefully work in a restaurant wherever I go.”
