Special-needs adults learn kitchen skills at Harper

Farzin Sharyari just couldn't wait.

A tortilla lined with curried mayonnaise, salami, turkey, two types of cheese and lettuce sat on the cutting board in front of him. Sharyari eagerly rolled the tortilla, but instead of getting a tightly wrapped sandwich, lettuce spilled from the sides and turkey stuck out at the end.

He unrolled the tortilla and decided he better wait for the instructor's help. With a bit of leading and a well-placed fold and tuck, Sharyari completed the sandwich, sliced it in half with a serrated plastic knife and placed it in a container to take home.

“This one's for my mom, the 24-year-old said proudly.

Sharyari is one of 16 developmentally challenged students enrolled in a special needs cooking class at Harper College in Palatine. Through the college's continuing education program, the students, most of them in their 20s and with disabilities including Down syndrome and autism, are learning the basics of food preparation.

“I like this class, said Sharyari, who lives with his family in Hoffman Estates. “John gives us a variety of foods and we learn every step.

John is John Filler, manager of the college's dining services and a chef who has worked in professional kitchens throughout the suburbs. He said the class, the first of its kind in the area, teaches special needs adults skills that can help them at home and in a job search.

The class exposes students to new flavors and helps them discover ingredients they like, as well as teaches them basic spreading, chopping and assembling skills that can help them at home and if they decide to look for a job in food service. They wear food sanitation gloves and work at their own stations equipped with a knife and cutting board.

“Once these kids come out of high school, there's not a lot for them to do, said Filler, whose 25-year-old daughter, Diana Vivirito, has Down syndrome and is a student in the class.

Instead of following written recipes with exact measurements, students mix salad dressings, top pizzas and toss vegetables into pasta salad until the dishes taste good to them.

“They're learning that it's not hard to make something, Filler said. “They're learning life skills.

Filler said the response was so great the class filled up in 10 days so a second section was added, and the class was offered again for the session that started this week.

“This is a wonderful class, said Paula Jones, whose 21-year-old daughter Ashley attends. “We've just cooked a little bit at home; this is really a first for her.