|
Published: October 03, 2008 09:20 pm
NCCC: Whipping up a new career
NCCC offers six new programs in anticipation of culinary institute downtown
By Caitlin Murray E-mail Caitlin
Niagara Gazette
When students in Maria Iacovitti’s class are told they have a final exam, instead of grabbing a pen and paper, they’re going for butter and sugar. Wearing white aprons and wielding spatulas, these candies and confections students are hoping to whip up an A.
“They get graded on tempering — this kind of chocolate has to be tempered and it creates a nice snap and a glossy shine,” Iacovitti said.
The class is offered as part of Niagara County Community College’s six new associate degree and certificate programs this year, covering a range a food-related studies: Culinary arts, pastry arts, restaurant management, tourism events planning and wine and beverage management.
The shift is part of an ever-expanding move by colleges to offer programs beyond the classic academic programs. In 1996, there were 269 career cooking schools in the U.S., according to ShawGuides’ “Guide to Cooking Schools.” That number has jumped to 556.
The trend is especially growing fast in community colleges, said Mark Mistriner, trained chef and head of NCCC’s new programs.
“The trend for culinary education is that students are steering away from the higher-end private schools. They’re now being challenged by community colleges who are making a huge investment in culinary programs,” Mistriner said. “Instead of a student paying $35,000 a year, you’re looking at a maximum of $10,000. They’re learning with just as qualified faculty and they’re all graduating with associate degrees.”
NCCC, in particular, is making a major investment in its culinary-related programs. The college is pouring $15 million into the development of Culinary Institute Niagara Falls, a new three-story building planned to stand behind the Crowne Plaza Hotel downtown, where students will operate a full-service restaurant.
For now, students are working in labs at NCCC’s Sanborn campus before the new institute opens. It’s tentatively planned for 2009 and the timing is right. Mistriner said the college’s enrollment in food-related courses is up by almost 50 percent over last year and the programs are near maximum capacity.
“The national average is about 63 percent of a food budget is spent outside the house — that’s going out to dinner and getting prepared foods,” he said. “I always tell my students, say you want to move to wherever, in this field you can get a job within two to three days after you land somewhere.”
According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, “job openings for chefs, cooks, and food preparation workers are expected to be plentiful through 2016,” with related fields growing as fast as average.
And in a tourism hub like the Niagara region, the potential for jobs is even better, with a student placement-rate between 95 and 100 percent, Mistriner added.
Christian Willmott, a first-semester culinary arts student from Buffalo, hopes to open his own restaurant someday and plans to stick around Niagara after graduating. He already graduated from Canisius College with a degree in pre-law, but realized cooking is what he loves.
“It was a little difficult to push aside a law career for something like this where you’re not necessarily guaranteed to make the same amount of money you could as a lawyer, but I’ve worked in restaurants for years now and it’s just something I really enjoy doing,” he said. “I’m not really a 9-to-5 person — I don’t mind working late and I like the fast-paced environment that goes on in a restaurant.”
It’s a similar story for Scott Hardin of Tonawanda. He earned a psychology degree 10 years ago and decided to go back to school for culinary and pastry arts. He now serves as an executive chef at a golf club and though it was quite a change from what he had been doing, he’s glad he did it: “I said to myself, ‘Well, I like to cook and I like pleasing people — why not?’ ”
|
|
|
Photos
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Adult Residential Services Administrator
HUMAN SERVICES Progressive Niagara County Agency serving adults with psychiatric disabilties seeks an Adult Reside...>MORE
Warehouse
Warehouse, Assembly Production & Cleaning 1st, 2nd & 3rd shifts Sanborn, Grand Island Amherst & Tona...>MORE
Maintenance Supervisor
Maintenance Supervisor FT Maintenance Niagara Falls YMCA. HVAC, electr., plbg, carpentry, cleaning, pool. $13.25/hr...>MORE
DRIVER
Driver, light pick up & delivery, need own car, no WNY, valid NYS driver lic., good pay 694-1251...>MORE
Recreational Aide
Recreational Aide - Full/part time. Performs hand on activities to include crafts, cooking, recreational and social acti...>MORE
Marriage Counselor
Catholic Charities has an excellent professional development opportunity available for the following position: ...>MORE
BILINGUAL PHONE INTERVIEWER
Bilingual Telephone interviewer. Surveys for insurance policy review. Spanish/English a Must. ft/pt & Sat. No sales/coll...>MORE
Cook
COOK full time. Apply in person only, Augie’s Diner, 2470 Military Rd. ...>MORE
Grill Cook
GRILL COOK & Waitresses, exp only, full time. Apply within 2021 Main St. Nia Falls ...>MORE
SHIPPING CLERK
Shipping Clerk, p/t, 30-35 hrs. wk., exp. in warehouse environment, knowledge of Word/Excel, data entry, UPS, freight ch...>MORE
See all ads |
Dodge 1993 Dakota 4x4
FORD 1999 WIndstar, LX, fully loaded, 38k miles, $3850. Excellent condition 860-4747...>MORE
Nissan 1993 4x4
NISSAN 1993 4x4, extended cab, bedliner cap, $1200 or best offer, 715-2450...>MORE
1996 Ford Escort
FORD 1996 Escort 4 cyl, 2 dr, exc cond in & out, no rust, 1 owner, only 61k orig mi, $2195. 523-7102...>MORE
Monte Carlo Z24 1998
MONTE CARLO Z24, 1998, runs good, average miles, excellent shape, $1800 , 990-2303...>MORE
1999 Dodge Caravan
DODGE 1999 Caravan, 33, V6, auto, A/C, 99k miles, good cond., runs great. $1950. 525-7796...>MORE
Chevy 1994 High Topper Van
CHEVY 1994 High topper van, high road miles, mechanically sound, $900 or bo, 716-510-8105...>MORE
Ford 1999 Windstar
FORD 1999 WIndstar, LX, fully loaded, 38k miles, $3850. Excellent condition 860-4747...>MORE
Chevy 1995 Pickup
CHEVY 1995 Pickup truck, 4WD, 5 speed, must see, never had plow on it, $2800 bo, 804-5579...>MORE
Ford 2001 Taurus
Ford 2001 Taurus Station wagon, well maintained, 112,000 miles Siver ext. 4 dr, auto, asking $2800/BO. 716-772-2454....>MORE
1984 Cadillac Eldorado
CADILLAC Eldorado 1984, runs, inspected, $500. 283-3552....>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|