CACC News: Junior Culinarian and Junior Pastry Culinarian Certificates piloted at CACC

This was the first year CACC Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry students had the opportunity to complete the requirements to obtain Certified Junior Culinarian (CJC) and Certified Junior Pastry Culinarian (CJPC) certifications through the American Culinary Federation. To receive CJC and CJPC status, students must graduate from an ACFEF Secondary Certified Program, score 70% or higher on a written test and 75% or higher on the performance portion of the test. Students who have taken Culinary Arts 1 as well as either Culinary Arts 2 or Baking and Pastry were eligible to test. Previously, Culinary 2 and Baking and Pastry students, who are considered concentrators, have taken the written portion of the test only. This year, students were given the option to also take the performance portion as well and receive certification.

The performance test requires students to prepare four items to specification within a given time frame. This assesses the students' culinary knowledge and skills as well as their creativity, organization and time management. While students practice drills like this during the school year, testing for certification with professional chef evaluators takes it to a new level. No matter how hard they prepare, this tests their skills and nerves. The evaluators noted that a test of this scale is similar to what post secondary culinary students would be required to perform in an advanced culinary class.

This opportunity wouldn't be possible without the cooperation of community partners who graciously gave their time and expertise to serve as evaluators during the performance exam. A special thanks to Benjamin Hamrah, General Manager and Executive Chef of Peachtree Catering; Scott Gestring, Sous Chef at the University Club; Mike Odette, Owner and Executive Chef of Sycamore Restaurant; Dennis Clay, Executive Chef at Inside Columbia Magazine; Margaret Hughes, Pastry Chef at the University Club and Katie Frink, Pastry Chef at Sycamore. As an added bonus, some of the chefs met with students after the test to share their critiques, give them pointers, and encouragement, commenting on how our mistakes often teach us the most. Their advice, "Don't get discouraged; take what you learn from this experience and apply it to the next."

The Chef Evaluators were quick to praise the Culinary program at Columbia Area Career Center saying how fortunate the students are to have state of the art equipment and committed instructors, Chef Rayl, Chef Risner and Chef Harlan, who spend countless hours inside and outside of the classroom helping prepare students for future careers in the culinary industry.

Certified Junior Pastry Culinarians

Cameron Grahl (RBHS)

Brian Jost (RBHS)

Elizabeth Keel (HHS)

Ashley McWilliams (HHS)

Julia Peterson-Southern (HHS)

Lydia Priest-Regan (RBHS)

Mackenzie Ruebling (RBHS)

Jacob Schmidt (RBHS)

Mallory Barnes (RBHS)

Hailey King (RBHS)

Taylor Parker (RBHS)