Florida Technical College unveils new commercial culinary teaching facility

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  • Florida Technical College recently unveiled its new commercial-grade teaching kitchen at its Kissimmee campus. SUBMITTED PHOTO
    Florida Technical College recently unveiled its new commercial-grade teaching kitchen at its Kissimmee campus. SUBMITTED PHOTO
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Florida Technical College's International School of Culinary Arts, a local provider of culinary training and education and the official culinary school of the Miami Dolphins football team, recently unveiled its new commercial-grade kitchen at its Kissimmee campus.

The expansion is part of the culinary school transformational growth plan, which includes the creation of a sustainable herb garden and a dual-admissions transfer agreement with NUC University International School of Culinary Arts in Puerto Rico. It is also key in establishing a pipeline of highly qualified talent for Florida’s hospitality industry. 

“FTC has grown tremendously since we opened our Kissimmee campus in 2011, but our commitment to our students’ success remains the same as when we first started,” said FTC President Dr. James Michael Burkett. “As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, this new kitchen continues to propel FTC’s commitment to academic excellence by enhancing our students’ experience and ensuring they are industry-ready on day one of their career.”

FTC has campuses throughout Florida; at the Kissimmee campus, around 90 percent of the student population is from a minority background. It offers a culinary arts program and a baking program fully taught in Spanish, launched after Hurricane Maria brought a wave of Puerto Ricans to the area.  

The high-tech facilities, with a capacity for 24 students, immerses hospitality trainees in an experiential and modern hands-on education. Wired to broadcast and receive culinary instruction and demonstration, the studio is multipurpose, ranging from serving as a classroom for regular class instruction - where students are able to see firsthand how professors prepare and cook food - to hosting guest speakers, continuing education and industry presentations. The culinary arts new kitchen investment exceeded $1 million.

The FTC International Culinary Arts School occupies nearly 14,300 square feet of the 90,000 square-foot campus, and is equipped with new, industry-grade kitchen equipment including multiple burner stoves, ovens, prep counters, essential safety equipment and more. In addition to these enhancements, the Culinary Arts team is taking on the meaning of ‘local produce’ by growing fresh, organic herbs in their sustainable garden just a few feet away from where the students will practice their skills.

Accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation’s Accrediting Commission, the FTC Culinary Arts department revised its program’s curriculum this year to a new 12-month format, which allows students to enter the workforce faster. The department also developed a career-focused curriculum to facilitate seamless transfer options for active culinary art students enrolled at NUC University in Puerto Rico wanting to study at FTC International School of Culinary Arts, or vice versa.