Parents of kids with special needs know the pros of instilling practical skills—and the importance of having fun while learning. Ruth Thompson and Maria Caccavale of Market Street in McKinney have found a winning recipe: hands-on cooking sessions for mentally and physically challenged kids and young adults, conducted by local chef Matt Melton of Lawry’s the Prime Rib—who seems to have found his calling. “They create these dishes themselves, so it’s a huge feeling of accomplishment,” he says. “I’m no celebrity chef, but when they see me in a uniform, it makes them feel fantastic. And I feel like a rock star.” Eight different groups bring special-needs students from middle and high school during the school year. Melton makes it fun, from wowing his pupils with their own tall [donated] chef hats to tapping into teens’ musical states. “A lot of the girls loved High School Musical, so I loaded up some MP3s and it became a full-blown dance party.” His hope is that more chefs will participate. Classes for the younger set, in which special-needs kids learn alongside mainstream students, are also on the menu. “We adapt whatever we need to their abilities,” says Thompson.
