Young Cooks of the ‘Toorkhon’ Team

During the pitch competition, students of the “Cooking Class” at the Vocational Education School of Sukhbaatar province confidently presented their project proposal, and offered samples of their products for customers to taste. “We want to serve our students and teachers with healthy, fresh products within the school environment. Currently, our school lacks a cafeteria, but we intend to fill that gap. Please enjoy our products,” they said. Today, they have delivered on that promise.

Their initiative has received strong support from the school administration, which provided a renovated space for the new cafeteria. Additionally, volunteer teacher Steen Miller shared his expertise, teaching the students American culinary techniques and recipes.

The “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project has been successfully implemented in the targeted soums of Ongon, Munkhkhaan, Bayandelger, and Erdenetsagaan in Sukhbaatar province. The project has since expanded its reach by engaging additional target groups. Piloted at the vocational school, it has now been integrated into the official curriculum.

During the pilot phase, students participated in the ESEL program, developed project proposal writing skills, and participated in a subgrant competition.

Let’s introduce the members of the “Toorkhon” team: R. Azjargal, B. Khulan, A. Munkhtsetseg, and B. Sunjidmaa. Passionate about their profession, they are classmates who are continuously striving to grow and improve.

Vocational school students spend a significant amount of time at school, as they study both general academic subjects and specialized vocational skills. During lunchtime, students would often walk to a store located far from the school to buy fast food and snacks. The members of the “Toorkhon” team envisioned creating healthy, fresh products right at school, using their professional skills.

Through their participation in the ESEL program, they not only developed personal skills, but also transformed their business idea into a formal project proposal, ultimately securing funding. The school administration was highly supportive, granting them access to culinary equipment and providing space to establish their cafeteria support that proved invaluable.

The “Toorkhon” students are committed to improving their peers’ health and helping them save time. However, they are also students with demanding schedules. Buying ingredients and cooking food all while managing their academic responsibilities requires exceptional organizational skills.

R.Azjargal shared, “Through the ESEL program, we’ve learned time management and organizational skills. Each team member has specific responsibilities, and when everyone fulfills their tasks, the project runs smoothly. Our products sell out within a day, and with the growing demand, we’re expanding our product range. Our goal isn’t just to run a business and make money; it’s to gain hands-on experience and adapt what we’ve learned to real-life settings in order to become skilled chefs in the future.”

The “Toorkhon” project initially planned to produce five types of desserts based on American recipes. However, through practice and by incorporating feedback from their customers, they have expanded to producing around 10 different products which they sell in their school cafeteria. They report daily earnings ranging from 90,000 to 110,000 MNT.

Team member B. Khulan shared, “Even though demand is growing, we aim to offer a diverse range of new and innovative products. We focus on maintaining financial and production discipline while improving our understanding in these areas. Our goal is to create new products that meet high standards and develop our own unique recipes.”

As part of the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project, both a mentor and a coach support the participants. Business coaches help connect subgrant projects to the market and provide valuable business advice, while mentors share their expertise and offer guidance. The mentor closest to the “Toorkhon” team is trainer Steen Miller, who teaches them American culinary recipes for desserts and other dishes.

Today, the project team has transformed into enthusiastic entrepreneurs with a long-term vision. They now have working capital, manufacturing and business experience, production equipment, and offer a well-established service to their teachers and fellow students. The team is also actively promoting their products on social media.