CVCC to break ground on culinary arts school

Central Virginia Community College will break ground on its new culinary arts school Nov. 5, a $2.4 million project aimed at meeting Lynchburg’s growing need for trained chefs and food service managers.

The General Assembly appropriated $1.4 million for the project, a modern brick and glass building that will include classroom space and a teaching kitchen. Later this month, the Virginia Tobacco Commission will review a $250,000 grant proposal that would cover equipment costs.

CVCC plans to launch the culinary school next fall, said James Lemons, dean of business and allied health. It comes on the heels of a $4.2 million renovation of the college’s library and resource center, which re-opened in July.

The school expects no problem recruiting its first class.

“The word has gotten out on the street to a certain extent and we’ve literally gotten inundated with phone calls from students,” he said.

Four years ago, a group of local business leaders approached CVCC about adding a culinary program, citing a lackluster employment pool for high-quality chefs and restaurant managers.

In response, CVCC conducted a survey in 2005 that identified food service as a growth industry. According to the survey, local business owners planned to hire more than 623 full-time and 486 part-time cooks over three to six years.

“We found that there was a high demand for the program,” said John Poole, vice president for finance and administration.

The culinary school will offer two tracks: a one-year certificate program in restaurant management and a two-year associate degree for students looking to become chefs. Courses will cover everything from food preparation to sanitation and safety.

CVCC hopes to meet the unique needs of local restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other members of the food industry, said Lemons. The school put together an advisory committee of local restaurateurs and food service workers to provide input on the facility and curriculum.

Andre Ellis, executive chef at Boonsboro Country Club, said that in six years of hiring experience, the majority of applicants had little more than fast-food experience. Lynchburg needs more chefs who are trained to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients, he said.

“We’ve got a lot of restaurants here, but we don’t really have a lot of cooks that are trained properly,” he said.

Danny Rivers, marketing associate for Sysco Foods of Virginia, said that an influx of skilled labor might provide a boost to local restaurants, especially those trying to make it in the fledgling downtown.

“It’s been really tight for the local independent restaurants to compete with these national chains due to tight advertising budgets and marketing budgets,” he said.

“The school is a win, win, win for everybody: the community, the local restaurant people, the hospitality industry. It can’t do anything but help.”