If
Chef Rick Webb and the culinary arts program get their wishes, EPCC
may be home to the greatest culinary arts program around – at
the ASC.
“We’re expecting to be in the new facility by the fall
2008 semester,” Webb said.
The decision to move culinary arts to the ASC Building was a joint
one by Webb and EPCC President Richard Rhodes because of the rapid
growth in the program’s enrollment.
Webb’s dream facility, which has not yet gone before the Board
of Trustees for funding, will account for 33,600 square feet of the
existing 56,000 square feet of free space at the ASC.
Chef
Webb (second from left) helps students as best as he can at the cramped
facilities at the TM campus.
Photo by Nick Davis
The
program’s planned new home, according to tentative plans, is
to consist of six electronically equipped “smart” classrooms,
two basic kitchens, a pastry kitchen, an alacarte kitchen, a dine-an-dash
kitchen and eating area for serving fast food, a formal dining area
that will seat 60, two freezers, a culinary resources room and a televised
cooking demonstration room that will accommodate an audience of more
than two dozen.
“Our idea is to also assist the Travel and Tourism program at
the Rio Grande campus in the hospitality department with this facility,”
Webb said. “My plans are to have a chef a month in the demonstration
kitchen airing on EPCCTV.”
Webb also said he wasn’t “too sure” of the exact
hours of operation, but added, “We’re expecting dine-an-dash
to be open Monday through Friday and the restaurant on Tuesdays and
Thursdays for lunch and dinner from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.”
Many of the walls in the Webb’s dream facility will have glass
walls to let the public watch the operations of the kitchens from
the hallways, Webb said.
Culinary arts currently enrolls 107 students, according to Webb. However,
406 students are dual registered in at least one culinary arts course,
as well.
“The move will be good because we will have more space, but
I will have to travel farther,” said Olivia Peña, culinary
student, who lives on the West Side.
“The facility will attract a lot of attention, and we’ll
have something to show off.”
Adrian Jaramillo agreed the new facility will be much better. “I
love the design,” Jaramillo said. Citlalli Acousta, who is also
studying culinary arts, spoke enthusiastically about the move, stating,
“I think it’s great,” she said. “We’ll
get to cook for the public, and I can’t wait to work in the
pastry kitchen.”
Webb said he is now working with New Mexico State University to fund
grants that will allow a “joint-package” for EPCC students
who want to transfer later to NMSU.
