As a kid, Wasatch High School teacher Emily Willardson didn’t recognize the importance of the homemade meals and bread her mother regularly prepared for the family table.
She said she and her 12 siblings considered it a treat to eat store-bought bread at the homes of friends.
But at Utah State University while pursuing a family and consumer science education degree, that changed. During one class, the students had to make bread, but most didn’t know how.
“I was like, I've made tons of bread before,” she said. “So I made the loaf, and I put it on a tasting table after, and it was gone by the time I got to the table. And I was like, ‘Okay, bread, it's a big deal.’”
Now a culinary teacher at Wasatch High School, Willardson is being recognized for her work sharing cooking and baking skills with students.
The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education awarded her the 2026 Community Outreach Award in July and $1,000. The national honor recognizes culinary and hospitality educators for their positive impact on their communities through outreach programs.
Willardson said she’s honored to receive the recognition, but the award should really go to her students.
“I'm glad not just for me but for them too that they're recognized for their efforts,” she said.
In an announcement, judges said Willardson was uniquely qualified for the award as service-oriented outreach events are embedded in Wasatch’s culinary program.
The biggest is the annual “A Day of Thanksgiving” celebration, where Wasatch High students prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for 600 locals. Willardson said dinner prep is optional, but students always volunteer and cook alongside professional chefs.
Her students also led a fundraiser supporting Wasatch County’s Children’s Justice Center by designing and building gingerbread houses. They also cater teacher appreciation events and prepare healthy lunches for teachers to purchase.
And of course, another project involves breadmaking. Willardson said she and her students visit local Kindergarten classes to teach them the art.
“We measure everything out in like little cups, and then they make it in a bag,” Willardson said. “So each of the students makes their own bread, and then the culinary students walk around and help them dump things, and help them, you know, mix it, and then knead it.”
Willardson said her favorite teaching moments are during these programs. She loves watching the students problem-solve.
“They love having this common purpose together,” Willardson said. “They really are just amazing humans, and they love to just give back.”
Many of the students who volunteer for outreach opportunities are part of the high school’s Prostart culinary arts and management program, where they earn college credit through Utah Valley University.
Willardson said others are there for the fun and camaraderie of the kitchen.
