The Charter School of Educational Excellence at 220 Warburton Ave. in Yonkers has been operating for more than 18 years. In 2021, it added a new, state-of-the-art commercial kitchen where students learning culinary skills can familiarize themselves with tools of the trade as they embark on a possible career path. The school will graduate its first senior class in June.
More than 50 students in the high school”™s culinary classes went on a field trip to the Lionsgate Studio at 28 Wells Ave. in downtown Yonkers recently where they spent some time at the Jane Foodie catering facility that services the studio and then went on a tour of the nearby film and TV production plant. The catering facility is used to serve meals to the crews and actors shooting productions.
“I want to get them exposed to cooking, but not in a traditional restaurant setting,” said Jane Carroll, owner of the catering company. “When kids go to culinary schools they think, OK, the pinnacle is to open up their own restaurant, but there are so many different avenues that you can go into.”
Culinary jobs are expected to grow at a faster-than-average rate nationally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which estimates that culinary careers will grow at 15% through 2031. The average growth rate for all professions in this period is projected to be 5%.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students,” said Alan Richter, one of the school”™s culinary teachers. “It exposes them to a food service operation for which they can train, get experience and move into a successful career.”
