Vamos a cocinar! Let’s get cooking!
Bishop State Community College is excited to begin offering culinary classes for Spanish-speaking students!
Bishop State’s Adult Education Program is starting its "Culinary Skills with a Latin Flavor" program. It will provide integrated education and training to Spanish-speaking students who express long-term interest in careers in the food industry.
Students will participate in Introduction to Culinary Arts and business development courses. These courses will provide individuals who are interested in becoming an entrepreneur through the food industry with additional job prospects and income for their families all while enriching the cuisine flavors of our community.
The classes will be taught by chefs who are certified by the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute. Students can earn three national certificates: kitchen cook, restaurant server, and breakfast attendant, as well as the Mobile County Food Handler’s permit. These come at no cost to the students as they are all paid for by Alabama Workforce Development funds.
Upon completion, they will receive a chef’s coat and funds to purchase a City of Mobile Peddler’s license for a year.
The class will cover topics including:
● Explaining how to use basic kitchen tools and equipment
● Converting standard recipes based on portion size and number of portions
● Demonstrating basic kitchen safety and sanitation guidelines
● How to properly handle food from receiving to service
● Knowledge of cross-contamination, food-borne illness, and food allergens
● How to set up side stations, display breakfast items, and maintain tables
● Demonstrating how to greet and seat guests and anticipate guest needs
● Explaining how to serve beverages, serve the meal, and check back to the table
● Explaining how to present guest checks and settle bills
● Knowledge on how to buy food
● Knowledge on how to write a business plan, establish and manage a business, and secure funding
This program is available thanks to a grant awarded by Mobile United to a group of concerned citizens, in collaboration with the Hispanic American Business Association of the Gulf Coast and Bishop State’s Adult Education Program.
Classes started on January 24 and be offered in Spanish for 12 weeks online 2 days a week with some in-class meetings at the end of the course. Students must be residents of Alabama and register for the class online. For additional information, please follow the Hispanic American Business Association of the Gulf Coast on Facebook or email Drljavier@comast.net.