Ribbon Cutting At The Brand New International Studies High School Culinary Arts Program

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New Dining Room for the International Studies Culinary Arts Program

Principal Fred Walsh and the students of the Culinary program
Fred Walsh with Carmen Farina,
former Dept. Of Education Deputy Chancellor
Bette Stoltz of SBLDC and Carmen Farina
One of the student chefs

Bon appetit!

The new professional cooking facility

The Culinary Arts Program Today

The culinary arts program in years past

Years ago: Alan Harding working with students

For those who had worked for two decades to turn a small after-school home economics program into a full fledged Culinary Arts facility and curriculum at the High School For International Studies at 284 Baltic Street, the ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday was very sweet.

During the ceremony for the new International Studies Culinary Arts Program, proud students in white chef uniforms were joined by Principal Fred Walsh and by former Department Of Education Deputy Chancellor, Carmen Farina. Walsh and Farina spoke of the history of the program and their tireless effort to make the new facilities a reality. After years of lobbying and fund raising, they finally secured moneys from Borough President Markowitz, Councilman Yassky and the Board Of Education.

Also in attendance was Betty Stoltz of the South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation, who, over the years, brought restaurateurs on Smith Street into the school to work with the students.

Teachers and parents were given tours of the state-of-the-art kitchen, while students served delicious food that they had made themselves. It was clear that they were thrilled to be hosting the event and for being able to show off what they had learned. I am glad I was invited.

Below is a brief history of the program from the press release.

“IT TAKES A VILLAGE"

(OR HOW A "FOODIE" NEIGHBORHOOD INSPIRED AND IS SUPPORTING A BRAND NEW STATE OF THE ART CULINARY ARTS FACILITY AND PROGRAM IN ITS LOCAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL)

Two decades ago when the task was to "resurrect" a largely vacant and uninviting Smith Street the South Brooklyn Local Development corporation noted that dismissal time at the local middle and high schools was a problem. So local economic development work quickly expanded into "School To Work" After-school Programs which connected teens to the businesses around them.

With guidance and support from the then local School District SBLDC developed a repertoire of programs using the talents and passions of teachers and the tools & facilities we then had - which included a "standard issue" six kitchenette "Betty Crocker" type Home Economics Room -- unused except for storage but amazingly with 4 operable kitchenettes.

Thus a Culinary Arts After-school Program was born which lasted fifteen years - each Monday for 20 weeks a different guest chef from local restaurants, deli's, bakeries, caterers came to demonstrate a dish and talk about how they got into the food business, their training, what food service work is like! Students re-created the same dish the following Wednesday under the supervision of their teacher & aide. Two meals a week were shared by all involved and community became family -- social graces and table etiquette were learned - recipes recorded, a cookbook produced, and a wonderful banquet ended each season.

Meanwhile Smith Street developed into Brooklyn's "Restaurant Row". Court Street and Atlantic Avenue added their flavors to the mix. By 2003, in a natural and logical progression, the new leadership at the High School For International Studies began to explore the idea of adding a "Culinary Arts" course of study into the curriculum. Then followed four years of lobbying and fund raising - (Thank You Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Councilman David Yassky) - a year of design, and a year of construction (Thank you Chancellor Joel Klein, Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, and former Deputy Chancellor Carmen Farina) .

In this “pilot year” we are beginning with 3 sections of mixed grades Introductory Culinary Arts, aligned with the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (CCAP) curriculum. Students are learning basic skills, and kitchen safety and hygiene. Gradually they will learn to use the brand new restaurant quality equipment, including ranges, ovens, griddles, grills, fryers, mixers, soup kettles, dishwashers, washer/drier, etc. Students will also learn “front of house” hosting and serving skills. We are planning to have spring term apprenticeships at local Smith Street restaurants. Interested and eligible students will eventually follow a Career and Technical Education course sequence (CTE) and graduate with this distinction.