Most graduations involve “Pomp and Circumstance.” But for the second class of Culinary Arts students in the joint Manna Soup Kitchen-Southwest Colorado Community College curriculum, the final exam and graduation ceremony, combined, were a mad rush to prepare a nine-course dinner.
Their graders? Donors who had helped make the Manna Training and Resources Center, where the dinner was held, a reality.
“The first class was awesome; this one is just humbling,” said Joseph Prekup, culinary manager. “This group was born to be in the kitchen.”
Ranging in age from the teens to early 60s, the seven graduates are hardly recognizable from the students who started in January, he said.
“They’re miles away from their first class,” Prekup said, “when they were barely holding a knife and a little uncomfortable in their stiff white jackets.”
The program serves anyone in the community who wants to gain kitchen skills for a new career, not just Manna clients, although a few clients have completed one of the two courses offered, thus far. The center itself is available for rental for meetings and small events, and the chefs and their students offer catering services as well.
Is it working?
The Culinary Arts program was created after the board of directors at Manna Soup Kitchen were looking at an ever-increasing number of meals served. They needed to find a way to help people gain skills to become self-sustaining, said then-board member Clark Kinser; a look at The Durango Herald’s Classifieds section showed scores of restaurant jobs.
Then came the fundraising. The center cost $950,000 to build, with $500,000 coming from The Karakin Foundation to kick it off.
Five of the seven graduates from this class already have jobs, one is preparing to graduate from Durango High School and one has just completed an internship and is on the job hunt.
Stormy Camacho, who baked several types of breads and a babka – a Polish rum-scented sweet bread – for the graduation dinner, will be sharing her baking skills at Bread.
“She had just tried baking her first babka and was in the process of applying at Bread,” Prekup said, “and asked if I thought it was good enough to take as a sample of her work. I said, ‘Absolutely.’”
Shortly thereafter, Prekup got a call from Bread, asking whether Camacho had actually made the babka by herself.
“I said, ‘Yes, and it was her first try,’” he said. “They said, ‘Most people just bring muffins. We’ll take good care of her.’ Stormy has a natural talent for baking.”
Both Miya Talamante – fettuccine topped with grilled chicken and pesto – and Leonard Archuleta – chicken cordon bleu – have scored gigs at the Hermosa Creek Grill. Amanda Corbitt, who prepared a spiced-sausage ravioli for her final, will be working at Serious Delights. Geri Kelly, who prepared King salmon glazed with gastrique sauce, has completed her internship at Three Peaks Deli and is now on the job hunt.
Amber Jackson will get her “Pomp and Circumstance” as she graduates from Durango High School later this month. Her cookie tulip served with fresh-strawberry cream cheese and lemon-almond Chantilly cream was a highlight of the meal, and she is planning to pursue further education in the culinary profession in either Grand Junction or Denver.
T. J. Walker, who prepared a lamb chop with a chokecherry-brandy compote, interned at The Red Snapper and was offered a job there as a line cook. Owner and chef John Sheehan helped him develop the compote, he said.
“We wanted to represent how much we love our chefs,” Walker said, presenting both his instructors with a T-shirt decorated with a class photo at the dinner, “and we love how much they’ve taught us.”
But perhaps a better test of success is jobs over time. The first class, which graduated in December, is making that board of directors look prescient about job availability in a foodie town.
Aaron Dominguez is advancing in his craft under the tutelage of Executive Chef Dave Cuntz at Carver Brewing Co. James Drake is feeding folks at the Sky Ute Casino Resort while transferring to Fort Lewis College to complete his degree. Ronnie Shorty is helping to keep students at Durango High School fueled and ready to learn.
Joe Scott is in the process of applying for a job. Kelly Henderson is a student at FLC. And James Ross has moved to Ohio.
As far as Norm Jones, the executive dean of SCCC, is concerned, the program is a success.
“I encourage people to take advantage of this facility,” Jones said, “and make it part of your life.”
abutler@durangoherald.com
