WACC culinary arts senior students work at Blue Apron to sharpen, strengthen and apply the skills they learned through their previous culinary classes. Pictured in front from left are Marissa Caudill, Ben Andrew, Marco Hernandez-Mungia and Zachary Diamond. In the back row from left are Daylin Chappell, Brighan Hudson, Ian Turczi and Chef Mark Bragg. Photo provided by Emily Campbell.

By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Blue Apron, a hidden gem student-ran restaurant within the Warsaw Area Career Center, opened earlier this month for the current school year. Blue Apron’s menu features a variety of fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, including a classic Latin cubano and Hoosier breaded tenderloin. The menu will also feature weekly rotating seasonal specials so guests can always have a new and delicious dish to try.

Blue Apron will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. Reservations are not required, but recommended due to limited space. To make a dine-in reservation, call (574) 371-5074.

WACC culinary students Jason Goble-Velazquez, left, and Wilder Lucas work together to perfect their pizza dough. Photo provided by Emily Campbell.

“Blue Apron allows our culinary students to experience a real-world restaurant setting,” Emily Campbell, assistant director of the WACC, said. “It’s rare to find a program with an industry-standard kitchen and dining area, allowing students hands-on experience in every aspect of culinary operations.”

In French cuisine, the color of an apron worn by the staff denoted the level of their culinary mastery. The Blue Apron is named as a nod to its’ student-in-training approach.

The range of culinary classes offered within WACC, students develop a range of professional, academic and life skills that is applicable to life inside and outside the classroom. Students learn front-of-house operations, where they master customer service skills, taking orders and table management and the back-of-house operations, where they learn and work stations on the chef line, pastry, salads and dish washing. These professional skills are instrumental to understanding and thriving within the restaurant industry.

“A unique aspect of our program is the rotation across these roles, giving each student meaningful experience in all aspects of restaurant operations,” Campbell explained.

Students learn core culinary skills, including food preparation techniques, knife skills, nutrition, menu planning, food safety and culinary math. Many students earn national safety certifications, such as ProStart and ServSafe, which are necessary to enter the restaurant industry, givings students a step-up before they even graduate. Students earn dual credits — essentially free college credits — through WACC’s partnership with Vincennes University.

“Beyond the technical skills, they are practicing time management, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership — all skills they can carry into any dream career they pursue,” Campbell added. “We want them to be ready for whatever they take on next, both in culinary and in life.”

Chef Mark Bragg is essential to WACC’s culinary program. As an industry professional, Chef Bragg brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his classroom, kitchen and student proteges.

“His dedication to student success is a defining feature of our program and is truly inspiring,” Campbell lauded.

Several graduates of the culinary program have gone on to attend prestigious culinary institutions, like the Culinary Institute of America and The French Pastry School of Chicago. Other graduates have jump started their culinary careers locally, working with some of WACC community partners, such as One Ten Craft Meatery and Oak & Alley.

“Seeing students continuously acquire and apply knowledge and skills while pursuing their dreams is incredibly rewarding and, ultimately, what anyone who is in education wants to see from their past students,” Campbell remarked.

Emma Dohan, left, and Victoria Yoder work with a new culinary tool, a biscuit cutter. By utilizing a biscuit cutter, the biscuits will be the same shape and size, ensuring even baking. Photo provided by Daniel Bauer.

Similarly, Wawasee’s Pathways CTE Cooperative offers hands-on experience to its culinary students through The Upper Deck. The tables are purchases by local companies and corporations before the Warriors’ basketball season starts. Proceeds are split between the culinary arts and athletic departments.

“The Upper Deck is an opportunity for hands-on experience for my students. They are able to prepare and serve members of the public,” said Daniel Bauer, head of the culinary arts program at Pathways. “Every home basketball game, our culinary students serve planted meals that consist of a starter, entree and dessert.”

Students take a leadership role in running The Upper Deck. Students are responsible for welcoming guests, ensuring food is ready on time, accurately plating, serving, communicating with guests during the meal and cleaning up. Students are able to refine and sharpen these skills as they help serve various other meals and year-end banquets during the school year.

Pathways and WACC culinary programs both offer hands-on experience for its students. Pathway students run The Upper Deck during home Wawasee Warrior basketball games. WACC culinary students run Blue Apron, which is open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both programs have provided students with valuable culinary knowledge and experience. Photo provided by Daniel Bauer.

“High school is the time to explore your career interests,” Bauer mentioned. “Culinary arts classes give students hands-on experience to allow them to decide if this is a career path they want to pursue.”

Pathways culinary courses are limited to 17 students. Students meet five days a week, two and a half hours per day for the entire school year. First year students meet in the morning and second year students meet in the afternoon. First year students’ focus on studying and mastering basic food theory and safety, and second year students challenge themselves to learning baking and pastry skills. Students are able to earn dual credit through Ivy Tech while taking culinary arts classes. Students also have the opportunity to learn industry-level certifications, such as ServSafe.

“A ServSafe certification is required by the state of Indiana that every restaurant in the state must have at least one employee on staff that has this certificate,” Bauer explained. “So, this is a great way for students to get a foothold into a restaurant.”

Pathways culinary students compete at SkillsUSA, a student workforce development organization, in four categories: restaurant service, culinary arts, wedding cake decorating and baking and pastries.

“This competition gives our students an opportunity to see how their skills stack up with other Indiana culinary arts students,” Bauer mentioned.

Last year, Pathways culinary students scored second place in restaurant service and second place in wedding cake decorating at the state competition held in Indianapolis.

Both WACC and Pathways CTE open their opportunities to students from other school districts. Warsaw is able to cater to Tippy Valley and Triton students. Pathways is a cooperative between Whitley County Consolidated Schools, Wawasee Community Schools and Fairfield Community Schools so the program welcomes students from Noble, Kosciusko and Elkhart counties.