Food for Thought is back on the road, today. It's a short trip, just across the street from FM90. Chef Brett McCarthy, Administrative Program Coordinator of Culinary Arts, led us into the WIT's new Culinary Arts Program's kitchen classrooms – spotless stainless steel surfaces, walls and floors precisely tiled, refrigerators humming. It was enough to make our little hearts burst, a truly beautiful and inspiring space.
The program has proved to be a great success in the short amount of time that it has been available. More applications came in for the first semester than there were spaces, and even more applications are coming in for the next year.
Chef McCarthy was the architect of the program, having the responsibility (and pleasure) of designing the kitchens and selecting the equipment. His goal was to provide a workspace for students that would allow them to leave the program with the knowledge and skills to use the equipment that is standard in the industry. After having designed many such spaces for other programs, it is worth noting, Chef tells us that WIT's program is the most impressive he has seen, that the college has shown its commitment to creating a truly great program.
The dishwashing room, or wear-room, is as big as many restaurant kitchens, Chef tells us. It was filled with all manner of washing equipment, including a basing that cycles warm, clean water. There is also a washing machine and dryer for linens.
Phase 2 in the development of WIT's Culinary Arts program is the baking lab, which was just completed. Here, students will learn the basics, from quick breads to yeast breads as well as pies and pastries. They will go on to make more advanced hearth breads and pastries after completing their introductory classes.
