Culinary Arts and Hospitality 

The growth of the Culinary Arts & Hospitality industry in Sonoma County has created a demand for employees with skills in cooking, restaurant management, and event promotion and management. The wonderful fresh and organic produce, delicious dairy products and world famous wines have made Sonoma County an environment rich with resources for students interested in the culinary field. The equally wonderful hotel facilities and event venues make tourism one of Sonoma County’s greatest economic assets.

Culinary Arts students will be provided with a foundation in food service operations. Included in the areas covered are food preparation, techniques and procedures; safety and sanitation; nutrition; food evaluation and customer service. Career opportunities, employability skills, personal and professional grooming are also part of the curriculum. Students engage in hands-on food preparation with emphasis on developing a critical palate, quality food and teamwork skills.

The Culinary Arts program at Maria Carrillo High School is funded in part by the Sonoma County Office of Education’s Regional Occupation Program (ROP). Established in 1997, the program covers all aspects of the industry with introductory and advanced courses in Culinary Arts.  Pathway students prepare for the ServSafe certification test, which is recognized as essential throughout the restaurant industry and will provide students a hiring advantage in the marketplace upon successful completion.  Last year the program expanded with the addition of an Event Planning and Catering class in which students are prepared for entry level employment in events planning, including the principles of public relations, planning and organizing events, conferences, and conventions.  The class prepares students for employment opportunities with trade and professional associations, consulting firms, non-profit organizations, and corporations.

This program coordinates with the Culinary Explorations elective class at Rincon Valley Middle School, where students are introduced to basic kitchen and food preparation skills while using recipes that reflect a variety of cultures and cooking styles.

Piner High School offers a full complement of courses from introductory culinary classes featuring cuisine from around the world to an advanced applications course where students learn about marketing, sales, management and support services related to food preparation and hospitality. The advanced class focuses on industry-specific skills in event planning and catering operations, while Culinary Arts 3-4 focuses on preparing for and taking the ServSafe certification exam.  Students benefit from learning in a new industry quality kitchen and culinary training center that opened in fall 2006.