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. 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. 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.