Thirteen students will begin 2015 with careers in the food industry after successfully completing the Food Bank of Delaware’s 14-week culinary arts training program. Fourteen weeks of hands-on culinary training culminated today with a graduation ceremony held at the food bank’s site near Newark.
Under the instruction of Chef Instructor Sean McNeice, students have developed proper knife handling techniques, had the opportunity to become ServSafe certified, learned culinary techniques and much more. Graduates also had the opportunity to work alongside chefs from Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant preparing for the food bank’s annual Blue Jean Ball and catered a holiday event for 1,000 Capital One employees Ernest & Scott Taproom, Home Grown Café, Firestone, Desserts by Dana and Iron Hill Brewery were some of the local restaurants students spent their two-week internships. With experience in the kitchen, classroom and special catered events, the students are prepared for entry-level positions in the food industry.
.“What a great way to start 2015 with our 38th graduating class here at our Newark facility,” said Food Bank of Delaware CEO Patricia Beebe. “This has been a great class. I know these 13 students will have much success in the food industry. In the past month I have run into two graduates who now have successful careers at La Fia and the Christiana Hilton. I look forward to running into these students as well.”
The mission of The Culinary School is two-fold. First, students are taught skills that are highly desirable to employers in the food industry. Second, these newly-developed skills have the potential to lead to jobs in the industry that provide job security and economic sustainability. Students are referred to the program through the Delaware Department of Labor, Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and other community-based organizations.
