Capital Region BOCES students will showcase their culinary skills on Wednesday for education leaders from throughout the region.
Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology students on the Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus are preparing a dinner for school district leaders from the region’s 24 component school districts.
The educators will gather for the Capital Region BOCES annual meeting on Wednesday, April 10, 5:30 p.m. at the Career and Technical Education Center – Albany Campus, located at 925B Watervliet-Shaker Road in Albany.
On the menu for the evening is an asparagus en feuille and goat cheese salad, maple brined roasted chicken served with roasted cauliflower and potato-leek mashed potatoes and a lemon chiffon raspberry tartlet.
Students are creating every aspect of the meal with guidance from their teachers, chefs Erica Weakley, Paul Dolan and Paul Rother.
“Events like this allow students to gauge and hone their abilities on a large scale,” Weakley said.
Besides preparing the dishes, students from Weakley’s, Dolan’s and Rother’s classes, will serve the dinner to the estimated five dozen guests.
Students said they appreciate the opportunity to expand their abilities and hone their skills.
“My first time working a banquet or a large event was here at BOCES and I learned so much from it, like planning and time management,” said Lily Galluccio, a senior in the program from Scotia-Glenville.
Classmate Genevieve Cooper concurred.
“Working events like this helps us with important life and industry skills, like collaboration and time management,” said the Shenendehowa senior.
Cooper and Galluccio are among more than 120 students from two-dozen school districts enrolled in the Capital Region BOCES Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology program.
Students in the two-year program learn the skills necessary to enter the workforce as a chef or pursue additional training in college. Graduates work in restaurants and resorts around the region and beyond, run their own establishments, and even prepare food for professional sporting events.