SNN: SOMERVILLE HIGH CAFE...

SNN Video Link to SHS's Culinary Program

Somerville, MA, June 3, 2014 – Every year, some 50 future chefs learn to chop, baste, mince and sauté in the Somerville High School Culinary Arts program.

“The Culinary Arts program started in 1981,” head teacher Thomas Cardon told Somerville Neighborhood News. “It’s basically a program to teach students how to become professional cooks and professional chefs and professional bakers.”

Staff and the students run the Highlander Café, a restaurant and take-out service.

“My second oldest son, Marty, was the first graduating class out of there, so we came to support him every week,” Claudia Ferro explained as she was about to dig into her lunch. “Since then we’ve had children and grandchildren graduate from here. We come now for ourselves because the food is so great!”

Junior Michelle Cea assembled a meatball sub during one recent lunchtime.

“The thing I get the most in the culinary program is experience, having total confidence with the utensils and knives, and just having fun while cooking,” Cea said during a break.

Cardon estimates that about half of all graduates become professional chefs or bakers.

“Students benefit from the program because if they’re going to go into the restaurant business they’ve got two or three years on people when they go out to work in the industry,” he said.

“Never, ever have we got a bad meal,” Ferro said.

Somerville Neighborhood News is a production of Somerville Community Access Television, made by professional journalists, volunteers and staff. The half-hour news show has as its mission to provide a lively, informative newscast focusing on the events, issues and information impacting Somerville residents.