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Do You Know the Muffin Man? It’s Uncle Wally
– esboces.org
From making muffins, to running a business, to job opportunities, students in Mr. Steve Kuhl’s culinary class get the experience of a lifetime during an Uncle Wally muffin presentation.
Learning to prepare mouthwatering, taste-tempting meals is one reason students sign up for Mr. Steve Kuhl’s Eastern Suffolk BOCES Introduction to Cooking class at the Islip Career Center (ICC) in Oakdale. Food preparation and menu planning is the main staple of the course but students are treated to a myriad of guest presenters throughout the school year who demonstrate and instruct them on the skills needed to work in a commercial kitchen, restaurant, supermarket, or franchise. These guest speakers motivate students to explore a variety of job opportunities. The goal of ICC is to explore a wide variety of educational experiences for the students with moderate behavioral and learning disabilities.
Mr. Joe Middleton, Director of Research and Development for Uncle Wally’s in Shirley, New York, covered an array of information ranging from job prospects to how to make an Uncle Wally muffin when he visited Mr. Kuhl’s class. He emphasized, ‘if you like what you do, you will succeed,’ adding “So, find something you like and do it everyday.” He looks forward to going to work everyday as he looks to create new muffin flavors and products!
Students had fun during the interactive, hands-on portion of his demonstration creating their own muffins! Mr. Middleton brought the basic Uncle Wally muffin ingredients, along with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, blackberries, chocolate chips, and caramel chips. The students set out to create their own signature muffin.
Job opportunities at Uncle Wally’s range from working in production, sanitation, maintenance, office staff, sales, trucking, and distribution. Mr. Middleton said, “Uncle Wally’s cares about its employees. It’s a family business that ensures good manufacturing practices and quality assurance.” He said of his experience with the students, “I was very impressed with their attentiveness and enthusiasm. They obviously have a passion for cooking and baking.”
