They prepared and served more than a dozen loaves of focaccia bread and in the process, four Capital Region BOCES students gained a new perspective on their future career and helped the regional food bank.
Career and Technical Education students Jayden Jones from Cohoes, Jayla Jones from Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk, Cheyenne Kaminski from Scotia-Glenville, and Lalita Start from Bethlehem represented the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Technology program during the Sept. 24 event—CHEFS: Palm Royale event at the Albany Capital Center.
The seniors prepared and served different types of focaccia break, including Mediterranean-inspired loaf and cinnamon sugar loaf, to the approximately 400 guests who attended the event. Described as a “new take on the beloved Chefs & Vintners’ Harvest Dinner, the fundraiser benefits the Regional Foodbank.
“It was a great learning experience. We met a lot of people in the industry who spoke with us and gave us advice,” said Kaminski.
Start concurred.
“I met a lot of people from the industry and from other areas. I was happy to see all the different styles of cooking and ways to prepare food,” she added.
Students in the two-year Culinary Arts program learn the skills necessary to enter the workforce as a sous chef or pursue additional training in college. Graduates work in restaurants and resorts around the region and beyond, own their establishment and even prepare food for professional sporting events. More than 100 students are currently enrolled in the program that is offered at both the Albany and Schoharie campuses. For more information on the program, visit the program’s webpage.