Pizza is something commonplace in college and university dorms, but Jana Stewart and her students at Edgar’s Grille on Washington Rd. are making their pizzas anything but common.
After switching careers from finance to culinary, Stewart is a Helms College graduate herself who now instructs students with experiential lessons at Edgar’s Grille – a modern bistro located at the Helms College campus and Goodwill Industries.
“The level of excitement and pride that this pizza station has brought is a game changer for these students. We hope that you come and see us and let them share that with you,” she said.
Her students have made their own pizza sauces and unique pizza creations which are available at Edgar’s Grille from their brick oven.
“My students in the previous quarter helped create the recipes, and my new class has been cooking them since October 5th when the new menu rolled out. We had that beautiful pizza oven that was begging to be used, so we decided to turn it into a student-run station, so they could use it as a learning tool,” she said.
Along a spacious courtyard and indoor or outdoor dining, the bistro has new American cuisine with a Southern flair, featuring locally sourced ingredients.
Exclusively for Edgar’s Grille, Stewart’s students have created a pork belly pizza with a house-made sweet heat barbecue sauce, red onion, house-made pickles, fried shallots and shredded mozzarella.
Like their “Sweet Heat BBQ” sauce, the menu also includes a roasted garlic marinara sauce and Neapolitan style dough which students make in-house from scratch.
They have also created a caprese pizza with fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic glaze, marinara sauce, and roasted garlic oil. But for those who enjoy a classic pizza, they have what they call “The Basic” – it contains shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, roasted garlic, fresh basil, marinara sauce, and roasted garlic oil.
“The students created a menu and costed out the recipes, and they train each other so that the product stays consistent. It’s giving them a small peek into what it would be like to have a lead role in a kitchen, and it’s really cool watching them take pride and ownership with it,” Stewart said.
According to Stewart, her students, before instruction, were used to more traditional ideas about pizza or food in general.
“They all have different backgrounds and different comfort zones, and I try to inspire them to take it a step further. If they have an idea and it seems a little ‘safe,’ I try to get them to look at it from all these different angles,” she said. “Then, you see their gears start turning and that excitement comes.”
After first bouncing ideas off each other and having a lot of tastings, the classroom had conferences where they listened to everyone’s thoughts and opinions in the class. Eventually, through this process, Stewart said her students exceeded her expectation and created a menu.
“They did surprise me,” she said. “We wanted to keep the recipes ‘simple with a kick.’ They took classic flavors and brought them to the next level. They were really excited about it, and I’m so proud of them.”
Stewart said cooking has brought her amazing experiences as an educator and has shown her, no matter people’s differences, everyone can connect through a common interest. Whether is simply improving someone’s knife skills or teaching them a new technique, her favorite part is knowing she was somehow apart of a student’s journey.
Stewart also said she believes cooking, with true passion, leads to remarkable connections and can touch someone in unknowable ways; she tries to impart these beliefs to her students, so they can understand why cooking is not just about food and ingredients.
“To me, cooking for someone is very personal. If you’re sick, I want to make you soup. If you’re being celebrated, I want to make your favorite dessert,” she said. “When I miss my dad, I make one of his favorite recipes. I think that when you take good ingredients and put thought and care into a dish, it’s showing someone that they’re important and that they matter.”
Prior to her culinary career, Stewart spent four years managing a finance company in Thomson and the collections department at a local credit union. Although the paychecks were nice, after a few years, Stewart felt the need for a drastic career change and a new purpose.
“I never felt like that was my place,” she said. “I was literally the worst part of people’s day and that was very unfulfilling. One day I had finally had enough and decided to quit my job and go to culinary school.”
Deciding to switch and pursue a career in her longtime love of cooking, Stewart was confident with her dad’s support as food has always been a shared interest between them.
“After graduating I started working at Helms College as a teaching assistant, and I finally had that feeling of fulfillment that I had been looking for, and that convinced me to become an educator,” she said.
While teaching allows her to inspire others to find their own purpose, Stewart said one of the best parts of her culinary job is seeing her creations surprise and delight.
“I just love how food brings people together,” she said. “The fact that now I can be the best part of a person’s day instead of the worst, there’s just nothing better. I’m definitely where I belong.”
Stewart and her current students continue at Helms College with training at Edgar’s Grille.
Edgar’s Grille is unlike just about any other restaurant in the Augusta area because a portion of every dollar goes toward education programs, including support for Helms College. The restaurant was named for Edgar Helms, founder of Goodwill Industries, and offers pickup and dine-in services. Reservations are encouraged but not required.
Edgar’s Grille is located in Suite E in the Vaughn Square Shopping Center on 3165 Washington Rd.
For more information, see the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EdgarsGrille
Ron Baxley Jr. is a correspondent for The Augusta Press.
