Students in the WACC Blue Apron culinary arts program work to prepare food orders from their first customers of a soft-opening held yesterday.
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)

The Warsaw Area Career Center (WACC) will officially open its restaurant, The Blue Apron to the public today at 11 a.m., offering sandwiches, soups, salads and more to guests all prepared in-house by students of the WACC.

The ambience at the Blue Apron is not the only draw for guests. The menu, which changes biweekly as students learn new techniques, offers two salad options, two soups and a number of delicious dessert options including a cheesecake, which changes flavor biweekly as well. Guests are also able to enjoy a house-made pasta, which is chicken fettucini for the opening of the restaurant.

According to Mark Bragg, first year culinary arts instructor at WACC, students have spent the last two weeks practicing their cooking skills and have learned a number of techniques such as boiling, braising, sautéing, pan frying and more. There are a total of 13 students within the culinary arts program — six in the advanced course in and seven in the introductory course. The class is a 2 year course with students spending three periods each week studying and practicing cooking technique.

Guests can enjoy a variety of food options from caesar salads and cuban sandwiches to chicken fettucini and crème brûlée.
(Photo by Alyssa Richardson)

Bragg, who has over 20 years experience in the food business, noted that once students learn a technique, they are able to choose via vote recipes from each technique to appear on the Blue Apron menu. Bragg noted that through the course, students are eligible for dual credit with Ivy Tech.

Students are learning to make as much from scratch as possible stated Bragg. Through the use of fresh ingredients and herbs, students are learning how to create complicated sauces and soup bases. Bragg noted that he hopes over time the students will be able to build up to cooking at events such as First Friday but stated the first priority is mastering skills within Blue Apron’s own kitchen.

Another addition to come to the menu this year will be an express lunch option. Bragg noted that the lunch, which will first be offered primarily to teachers, will offer a $5 meal complete with a sandwich on house-made breads, a monster cookie, drink and pasta salad.

Those interested in attending the Blue Apron may do so from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Reservations and advance orders may be placed by emailing [email protected] and the complete, current menu may be viewed by clicking here. The student-run restaurant will be closed the week of parent teacher conferences, Tuesday, Oct. 21 to Thursday, Oct. 23, due to the limited schedule of availability for students and staff.