Pizzeria helping students get on-the-job training in the kitchen

By Andrew Ramos

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — It’s not your normal classroom, but some Chicago kids are learning important lessons inside the kitchen of a Southwest Side pizzeria.

It’s part of an after-school program for budding chefs.

Inside Angelo’s Stuffed Pizza in Archer Heights, class was in session on Thursday. At the head of this class was shop owner Adrian Zamudio.

As part of a partnership with Chicago Public Schools, he has been welcoming students into his pizzeria after school for the past 4 years – not just for a slice, but for a learning experience.

The students in the program learn how to make pizza, opening a door to what Zamudio said are endless possibilities.

“It’s something they can use in the future, maybe as a summer job, maybe as something they do while they’re in school on the weekends. Maybe they wanna open their own pizza place,” he said.

The students selected for the year-round program have made the honor roll or maintained a perfect attendance.

Their reward is a unique pizza party, where they learn what it takes to make a tasty creation, and then eat what they’ve made with their whole family.

The on-the-job training is a major plus.

“The best place you can start working is at a restaurant. It teaches you everything, from all the values you need to know, communication, hard work – I mean, from start to end,” Zamudio said.

For 14-year-old student Maya Paz, her work in the kitchen will hopefully earn her high marks with mom.

“She doesn’t trust me with cooking, because she’s afraid that I’m going to mess up or something, or hurt myself. So this is a really good experience so I can help around with my mom,” she said.

Seventeen-year-old Jesus Contreras is already making plans for the future.

“I’m just really interested in cooking, and it’s something I wanna do in my life,” he said.

“I have seen them grow inside of the kitchen,” Zamudio said. “Not just in pizza; they go on to other fields.”

In addition to the make your own pizza program, Angelo’s Stuffed Pizza also welcomes in families who could take part in the fun.

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