Changing Culinary Arts Education

RETURN OF APOLLO 17. THE FOOD SERVICES INDUSTRY IS PROJECTED TO GROW IN THE COMING YEARS. BUT THERE IS A LABOR SHORTAGE. ONE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO FILL THAT NEED BY TRAINING STUDENTS TO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY REGARDLESS OF THEIR LEVEL OF ABILITY AT A LEE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR REMARKABLE CITIZENS. WGCU REPORTER YOUN-JOO PARK LEARNED ABOUT THEIR NEW CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM. >> THE DINING AREA WAS PULSATING. PEOPLE WERE MINGLING. AND SNOW HANDS. PULSE WAS RACING AND SHE PICKED THAT CASTS FROM THE SAFETY OF THE KITCHEN. >> I'M FEELING EXTREMELY NERVOUS BECAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE MY BODY. MY NEIGHBORS TURN OUT. >> THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION THEY HEAVY LIKE A TRAY FULL OF FOOD. ALL FOODS WERE PREPARED WITH UTMOST CARE. AND NOW. IT WAS TIME. TIME TO GO OUT AND SERVE GUESTS. >> I CAN GIVE YOU A CAT. THAT. >> CHEFS AND THEY GET DISPATCHED TO STUDENTS TO THE DINING AREA WITH LAST MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT >> ARE THEY NERVOUS ABSALOM LIKE I TOLD THEM IF YOU'RE NERVOUS, THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST CARE. YOU CARE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SUCCEED. AND YOU'RE PERFORMING. YOU'VE NOT PERFORM FOR ANYONE ELSE, BUT YOURSELF SAYING I CAN DO THIS. EVERYTHING. >> IN THIS BUILDING, THIS BRAND NEW. SO IS THE CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM. >> THEY GET TO TOUCH THE FIRST PANS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN TOUCHED. THE FIRST, THOUGH, THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, FIRST CUTTING OF THE FIRST APPLE HAS GIVEN US, YOU KNOW, A LIGHT TO SEED WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS >> THE LEE COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR REMARKABLE CITIZENS OR A LARK AIMS TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO STUDENTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE STATE OF THE ART KITCHEN AND DINING AREA PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES TO HELP THEM LAND A JOB AND GAIN INDEPENDENCE. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ALTHOUGH THE FOOD SERVICES INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO EXPAND, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH WORKERS TO FILL JOBS. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANGELA CATS SINCE LARK IS TRYING TO HELP FILL WORKFORCE GAP. WE WE HELP PEOPLE BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND OCCASIONAL SKILLS. AND HOW CAN WE TAKE THAT? >> AND NOW HELP OUR COMMUNITY SAW THE WORKFORCE CRISIS IN THE FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY. >> AND SO IT REALLY DID GREW FROM THAT. >> IT TOOK MULTIPLE YEARS FOR THIS PROJECT TO COME TO LIFE >> AFTER RESEARCH. >> FUNDRAISING BEGAN IN 2019. >> THE CONSTRUCTION COST A MILLION DOLLARS OF WHICH 650,000 CAME FROM THE AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. STUDENTS RECEIVE A FULL SCHOLARSHIP AND A CHEF COAT. THEY ALSO GET 4 MONTHS OF TRAINING FROM CHEF. THEY KEPT. A 30 YEAR VETERAN OF THE FOOD SERVICES INDUSTRY. BIGGEST OWN FAMILY BACKGROUND ALLOWS HIM TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS. >> I ACTUALLY HAVE A COUSIN THAT IS AN ADULT GRADUATED FROM FORT MYERS HIGH AND HE SPENT SOME TIME AT LARK AND DOWN THESE. FULL FULLY FUNCTIONAL. DON'T NOW CARING FOR HIS FATHER. AND I'M IN IS IN HIS 50'S. SO DON'T VERY WELL. SO SEEING A PROGRAM LIKE THAT AND HAVING FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TALKS TO YOUR HEART. >> SHAUN, THE BRANCH SAYS HE IS THANKFUL FOR HIS PARENTS PRESENCE AT THE GRAND OPENING. >> HERES A GUY MEAN THERE IS. BUT WHEN I SAW MY FAMILY FOR THEM AND I'M SURE THE KITCHEN I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THEM AND THEY NEED SO HAVING A NEW LIFE CHURCH MET. >> SHAWN'S MOM, CURRY SAYS HE HAS STARTED TO COOK FOR THEIR FAMILY. >> I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT THERE'S A PROGRAM OUT THERE THAT ARE FOR THESE PEOPLE. AND HE'S JUST LEARNING SO MUCH. SEAN ALSO BRINGS HOME. >> YOU RE PASSABLE EXCITEMENT OF HIS NEWLY LEARNED SKILLS. >> ACCORDING TO A STEP THAT DENNIS CURRY. >> DAY BY DAY. >> HE COMES HOME AND HE GOES ON ABOUT WHAT HE GETS A BAD DAY. >> AND WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO AND THEN A GREAT CITY COOK JUST TO GET A COAT. >> THE CULINARY LESSONS ARE ESPECIALLY IMPACTFUL BECAUSE OF A GUY USES THE MAIN INGREDIENTS OF PATIENTS AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND TEACH >> I CHALLENGE HIM. I MET THEM, MAKE A VINAIGRETTE OR OR A RECIPE THAT THEY CREATE AND THEN SEE HOW THAT RECIPE COMES OUT. THEN WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, WE PUT A LITTLE TOO MUCH TO THIS. IT'S A LITTLE TOO SPICES AND THEY RECOGNIZE, WELL, I'VE GOT TO COME BACK AND NO THAT MY PALATE ME ENJOY IT. THAT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S MAY NOT. SO IT'S THE. THE MESSING UP IS A GOOD THING IN THAT IT ALLOWING US TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IT BETTER. >> ANGELA CATS OF LARK SAYS STUDENTS HAVE SOME JOB PROSPECTS ARE ALREADY LINED UP WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES. >> THEY PREPARED AND SERVED A LUNCH FOR OUR 72ND ANNIVERSARY ON MARCH 13TH AND THEY WILL SERVE A COMMUNITY EVENT ON MARCH 31ST. SO THEY'RE GETTING ALL IN THIS EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CAN ADD TO THEIR RESUME AS WELL. AND THEN WE WORK WITH WE WORK WITH EMPLOYERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO BELIEVE IN IT OR DIVERSIFIED WORKFORCE AND THEN WE MATCHED THEM TO PLAYERS. >> ALTHOUGH SNOW HADN'T HAPPENED NERVOUS AT FIRST WORDS OF PRAISE FROM GUESTS MELTED HER ANXIETY. AT THE END, SHE EVEN GOT THE COURAGE TO SPEAK TO THE CROWD ABOUT HOW THEIR SUPPORT TOUCHED HER HEART. >> FOR WGCU NEWS. I'M YOUN-JOO