Natural Chef Culinary Program
New — Fall 2010
The Chatham Campus of CCCC is home to the first associate degree program in Sustainable Agriculture in the nation. The sustainable agriculture program has been very successful at training the next generation of farmers in local, organic, and sustainable methods. As a result, Chatham County is one of the few areas in the nation where the number of small farms continues to grow. Agriculture is the number one industry in this county, and contributes to the economic vitality of the region in a significant way.
Nationwide interest in locally available, fresh, organic produce is creating a new demand on the part of the public for eating locally grown, in season produce. Restaurants which specialize in "farm to fork" and "slow food" methods are increasing at a rapid rate and are creating a job market for chefs with new skills and abilities. Traditional culinary training programs work with bulk procurement of ingredients and rarely discuss the process of devising menus based on seasonally available and local foods. Preparing food with fresh, in season produce and procuring it locally requires a new skill set in addition to the basics of culinary training.
Recent program planning research in the college service area has confirmed the need for culinary training in the service area of Central Carolina Community College. Given the strong training and resources in the Pittsboro area centering on small scale, local farming and organic produce, the college has realized the need for a unique culinary program sometimes referred to as a "natural chef" program. The training will naturally complement the sustainable agriculture program at the campus. The Natural Chef program will emphasize the health supportive nature of culinary arts, and will emphasize the importance of a sustainable food system to our community. Students will learn basic skills in the kitchen along with the fundamentals of nutrition and the connection between food and wellness.
The CCCC Natural Chef culinary program will be a part of the Center for Sustainable Technologies, housed in a new LEED certified classroom and lab building which will break ground this summer and will open fall 2010. Design includes kitchen training facilities and a dining room.
Farm to table and seasonal cooking will have an important emphasis in the program. Students will become knowledgeable about the actual ingredients used in healthy cooking. Most of the vegetables, herbs and meats will come from the college student farm or the organic farms within the local agricultural community. The program will require nutritional coursework as well as the kitchen basics, meal planning, and serving skills for the workforce. Supportive business training will also be incorporated this program for chefs that want to open a restaurant, cater, or manage a kitchen.
In addition to an intensive chef training program, classes and workshops will be available to educate the public. It is anticipated that the college will collaborate with the public school system to include outreach and training for middle and high school students in the basics of culinary science, and that a Slow Food Campus chapter will be established for all campus students.