Just three years ago, students at Frederick High School in Maryland didn’t seem all that interested in the culinary arts. Then they got a new teacher, sous chef Charlie Zachmann, who infused classes and dishes with a dash of wit and a sprinkle of spice. Soon, teens began flocking to the school’s commercial foods program.

These days, they’re learning to cook, run a business, and feed their teachers and peers at the school’s cafe. Thanks to Zachmann’s footwork – he’s walked up and down Frederick’s Market Street, asking restaurant managers if they can use extra help – many teens also have internships waiting for them at the end of the school year.

Frederick High School seniors Nahkel Myers, left, and Kelly Harris, make portobello mushroom sandwiches for the school's Cadet Cafe. (Photo by BILL RYAN, The Gazette)