Students in the culinary careers program at Lethbridge College make food for staff and students in the kitchen and then get to serve them at lunch time.
Their coursework gives them the chance to experience what it’s like working in the culinary arts industry.
The culinary careers program at Lethbridge College offers students both a baking and a cooking apprenticeship. Both of these options were not available back in 1985, when Doug Overes, Chef and Academic Chair, was a student in the program.
“At that time, they didn’t have an apprenticeship program. So, I had to go to Calgary to finish my apprenticeship and my baking ticket and my hotel and restaurant ticket.”
The program has evolved a lot since 1985.
In the first year of the program, students learn about safety, sanitation tools, equipment, soups, stocks, sauces, bake shop, meat cutting, meat cooking, salads and appetizers.
The second year of the program is all about the dining room experience. Students learn “plating for lunch expresses, evening dining and buffets.”
After passing the first two years of the program, students have the option to apply for and then write their apprenticeship exams.
After writing and passing their apprenticeship exams, students can go on to a third-year apprenticeship, with the option to write the Red Seal exam after the third-year apprenticeship has been completed.
Sophie Macdonald, a first-year student in the program, hopes to get her Red Seal and open up her own business one day.
“I’m planning on probably continuing on with culinary for a little while, hopefully get my Red Seal at some point and then I’m thinking about maybe going to business school when I’m done with culinary and then hopefully one day open my own place.”
Macdonald enjoys the hands-on experiences she gets to participate in while in the program.
“I really like the fact that it’s so hands-on and we’re in the kitchen everyday cooking something different.”
The hands-on experience is one of the reasons Macdonald chose to come the college.
“I loved the fact that the program was so hands-on and again, like that you’re in the kitchen every single day doing stuff and it, kind of just won me over coming here and I really liked it.”
Even though students in the culinary careers program still get to come to campus to do their labs, there are some changes because of COVID-19.
According to Overes, class times are staggered so that students don’t come to class all at the same time. They also have to wear masks, especially when they are in confined spaces.
Another change that has happened due to COVID-19 is how much food students produce. Their production levels are lower than they used to be.
Even though production levels are lower, students are still getting the hands-on experience that they need.
Overes is impressed with how well his students have adapted to the changes that COVID-19 has brought on.
“I think there has been a little bit of a learning curve for students that are not technologically advanced with computers and canvas, laptops and Zoom and Team meetings, but they have adapted quite quickly and it’s going better than I had expected.”
The Garden Court Dining Room, which is run by the students in the Culinary Careers program, is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.