FLORENCE – The Shoals Culinary Academy will begin the next session of the FOOD Team program on Tuesday, October 1. During this program, up to 16 students will participate in a hands-on culinary experience designed to teach the fundamentals of food service to prepare them for careers in a culinary environment. The FOOD Team (Food Occupational Opportunity Development Through Enrichment And Mentoring) is specifically designed for at-risk young adults, ages 18 to 25, who have an interest in a career in food or food service. Upon completion, program graduates will be equipped with not only culinary skills, but also other valuable job and life skills.
The FOOD Team program is a partnership between the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center’s Culinary Complex and 
Northwest-Shoals Community College. Instruction includes knife skills and various other cooking techniques, resume building, food safety and sanitation, etc. Students will also be given the National Restaurant Association’s Serv-Safe certification exam. Professional Chef Kevin Kilburn leads the classes, which include approximately 25% lecture and 75% hands-on work in the kitchen. Classes meet Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. for 16 weeks.
The program, funded through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, is designed so that program participants can be placed with an employer in the food industry and encouraged to continue their culinary education. There is no cost to the students for the program.
For more information contact the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center, a 501 (c) 3 organization, at (256) 760.9014 or Northwest-Shoals Community College at (256) 331.5240. Applications for the 16 spots must be received by 12 p.m. Friday, September 13, 2013 for consideration and should be mailed or dropped off at the SEC at 3115 Northington Court in Florence or the NW-SCC admissions office. A printable version of the application is available at https://www.NW-SCC.edu/admissions.shtml (please mark “CULINARY” at the top of the application). Applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview.
