Leto High School teacher honored for 20+ years of inspiring culinary students
Honoring leaders in the classroom
Kicking off FOX 13's series during this Teacher Appreciation week is a chef who's carved her way into the hearts of her culinary students at Leto High School. FOX 13's Allie Corey reports.
EGYPT LAKE-LETO, Fla. - We all have that favorite teacher that has made an impact on our lives. Passing on valuable lessons that stay with us, even well into adulthood.
And inside the kitchen at Leto High School, you'll meet Chef Debra Hladky, who is passing along a lot of knowledge to her culinary students.
The backstory:
The sounds and smells coming from the culinary kitchen at Leto High School draw you in.
There’s an energy inside the kitchen complete with fluid motions and chatter that blend together to create chef-inspired foods.
"Lively, I feel like she really does bring an energy that you won’t see any other teachers bring," culinary student Cristi Ramos said.
Ramos is talking about Chef Debra Hladky, or Chef H.
Hladky has been whisking and tasting the recipes of her students for more than 20 years.
Chef Hladky comes alive when she talks about her students.
"They’re wonderful, I love what I do. I mean I get to come here and teach them those life skills that are so important," Hladky explained.
Hladky pours that joy and passion into her junior chefs who truly love being here and learning.
Dig deeper:
"I love chef. She is my favorite teacher! Sorry to everybody else, she’s my favorite. You can tell that she loves what she does," student Isabella Brito said.
And when you’re that beloved by your students, some of them tend to come back.
Courtesy: Guillermo Quezada
Chef Guillermo Quezada was one of her students 10 years ago.
"Those were probably some of the best times of my life when I was here as a student with chef. I started cooking when I was 6 years old with my mom and working with chef really just transformed everything that I knew about cooking and the desire to cook," Quezada explained.
Local perspective:
Quezada loved it so much he joined the cooking competition team his freshman year. Chef Hladky remembers that year well.
"We were competing six years in a row, and we were always up there second and third, but finally, when Guillermo came aboard his team, we won that year for the very first time!" Hladky remembered.
Quezada reflected on that time they won the state culinary competition and were featured on Emeril’s Florida with Chef Emeril Lagasse.
Courtesy: Guillermo Quezada
"I remember just like it was yesterday. I was super nervous to do it for the first time. We’ve been working really, really hard. It was a team effort," Quezada said.
Quezada went off to culinary school and was doing really well for himself.
"After culinary school, I ended up going to New York," Quezada added. "I was a personal chef for a Yankee baseball player."
Full circle moment
Then, Quezada had a "chance encounter" with an old teacher and friend.
"She was like, ‘Hey, are you considering becoming a teacher?’ From one moment to the next, it just shifted everything," Quezada said.
Courtesy: Guillermo Quezada
"He came by for an event, and we discussed ‘Hey, you know I’m going to be leaving in a couple of years. I would love to get somebody in here who is Leto.’ Someone who embodies Leto. Who will know the students and relate, and want to be here, and love them, and have the passion for cooking, and he has all of that," Chef Hladky added.
What's next:
Quezada is now in his first year working alongside his favorite teacher.
"It’s definitely a roller coaster, every day is different."
Quezada is now training to take over her kitchen full-time when she decides to hang up her coat.
"Having this opportunity to reciprocate everything that she [Hladky] taught me and the impact that it had in my life. It’s really surreal and a full-circle moment for the both of us," Quezada explained.
What they're saying:
It’s bittersweet for everyone who’s had the honor of cooking with Hladky.
"There are so many kids that once they graduate, they come back, and I think about that, and I want that to be me too," Brito said.
"Thank you [Hladky] for all the advice you’ve given and all the life you give to this school, because sometimes it feels dull, but every time I step into this classroom it’s like a whole another vibe I feel," Christi Ramos, another student, said.
"She’s [Hladky] not only my mentor, but she’s also a mother figure for me. I always wanted to work with my mom, and she’s like my second mom," Quezada said.
Teacher tribute
Quezada helped FOX 13 present Chef Hladky with her award and flowers, surprising her in the kitchen.
Hladky was met with applause from all of her adoring students.
"They’ll take these skills with them for the rest of their lives. So, knowing that I’m a part of that, it’s not just that they have to pass a test. You know, hopefully they’ll look back and be proud of the work they did," Hladky smiled. "You know, it’s just been a lot of fun, and I’m very proud to see the kids transform throughout the year."
What you can do:
If you have a teacher or coach you’d like to nominate, email Allie Corey at alliecorey@fox.com.
The Source: FOX 13's Allie Corey gathered the information for this story from her interviews with Chef Hladky, her students and former student Guillermo Quezada.