Culinary Arts students gain invaluable skills and knowledge which are necessary to compete in post-secondary education or in the workforce. Practical experience takes place in our on-site facility. Students run the Dollhouse Restaurant, a full service, fine dining establishment which is open to the public. This experience challenges our chefs of the future with a menu which changes weekly. Students also operate a catering business and Bakeshop, which offers students and staff from STC and RHS creative meal choices during lunchtime. The program focuses on hands-on learning during which students become familiar with baking techniques, cooking methods, meat & fish preparation, meal & menu planning, cost analysis, purchasing, inventory control, marketing, business planning, sustainability, nutrition, customer service, and dining room etiquette.
What We Do
The Dollhouse Restaurant enjoys a fine reputation. Students are part of a community where everyone is responsible for the finished product. The Dollhouse is open to the public. The kitchen classroom at STC has all traditional equipment associated with finer restaurants, and it is the beneficiary of some of the newest technology, including flashbake ovens and a point of sales system.
Program Instructor
Greg Lynch
Greg has been at the Stafford Technical Center since the spring of 2004. As an alumnus of The Culinary Institute of America, Greg has earned over 25 years of experience in the Culinary Industry. With a focus and specialty in fine dining service and the catering industry, Greg knew he could inspire students with the same dream. In his free time, Greg enjoys golfing with colleagues and taking a ride on his motorcycle.
[email protected]
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Cassie Ciejko
Cassie joined Stafford in August 2021 and is also an alumnus of the STC Culinary Arts program. She attended Lincoln Culinary Institute in Hartford, CT, and graduated top of her class in 2014. With over 7 years of experience working in the Culinary industry and school systems, Cassie is happy to be back at Stafford to share her unique twist on cooking with the next generation of cooks. In her downtime, you may find Cassie driving her 1968 Bronco around town or heading into the woods to hunt for her next harvest-to-table meal.
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Nick Delauri, Class of 2007
Stafford was the hands on, interactive learning environment I needed. I knew sitting at a desk wasn’t for me and I knew I wanted to be a cook. Stafford seemed like the logical choice to jump start my career and get valuable experience. Just do it.
Program Advisory Committee
Name | Business |
---|---|
J. Paul “Brownie” Brown | Rutland Country Club Chef |
Brittany Chase | Rutland Country Club FOH Manager |
Aaron Conway | Kamuda’s Country Market |
Vallerie Carara | Performance Foods Sales Associate |
Dave Gillam | McCauley’s Food Service |
Brian Kamuda | Kamuda’s Country Market |
Connie Mendall | Occasions Catering |
Donna Vargas | Former Culinary Arts Instructor |
Ken Shattuck | Hannaford Bakery |
Dual Enrollments/College Credits
Accelerated status agreement with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
Certifications
SERV/SAFE Certification, American Heart Association HeartSaver® First Aid/CPR with AED, Students completing 90% of the Core Competencies will receive a certificate from Stafford Technical Center.
Average Career Salaries
Jobs | Average Salary |
---|---|
Prep Cook | $25,676 |
Baker | $27,380 |
Caterer | $27,333 |
Sous Chef | $44,369 |
Food Scientist | $74,130 |
Executive Chef | $63,772 |
*Average Salaries for Vermont taken from Zip Recruiter (ziprecruiter.com) in October 2020.
Requirements For This Program
Recommended Prerequisites: basic math skills – addition, subtraction, multiplication, division of fractions; measuring skills (weight and volume); simple money math; competency with fine motor skills; ability to work as part of a team and independently; ability to thrive in a fast-paced, physical environment
Reading Level of class materials: Grade 11.1