Teaching everything from nutrition to knife skills to kitchen management, a growing program in St. Petersburg is enriching young people through the universal language of food.
The nonprofit St. Pete Culinary Center makes professional culinary training free and accessible to underprivileged students, with a particular focus on young adults 16 and older. No high school diploma or GED is required for registration, and a criminal record does not create a barrier to entry.
With a focus on job creation, the SPCC is empowering youth to build rewarding, successful careers in food service, one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation. The next series of classes is set to begin in August at the Childs Park Recreation Center, led by experienced culinary instructors, top local chefs and restaurateurs.
“The program is invaluable in our community, because it gives an opportunity to students who might not otherwise have one,” Board Chairman PT Collins said. “We’re so excited and blessed to be able to do this work.”
Business partners Ted Dorsey and Jason Griffin, owners of the popular downtown St. Petersburg restaurant the Mill, recognized a need and in 2016 crafted a plan to start a culinary school that gives back to the community. Along the way, they enlisted like-minded supporters to host fundraisers and build a referral program.
Now governed by a seven-member board of directors, the SPCC has graduated three classes of certified culinarians since its launch. Alumni earn the credentials to immediately enter professional kitchens, including ServSafe and Food Handler certificates.
Lorenza Jackson, 30, heard about the center through a friend and graduated from the program at the beginning of this year. He already had been cooking for roughly a decade, working in kitchens at Locale Market and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, and he was ready to build a career in the industry.
“The classes helped me sharpen skills that I didn’t know I had, and taught me the proper names of techniques I didn’t know I was actually using,” Jackson said. “It’s a good place to network if you’re trying to build your own business or get a good job. Either way, you’re going to find what you need.”
The center has space to accommodate 12 students. Board members are exploring options for a larger place that can serve more, as the school has a waiting list of more than 50 applicants.
The organization estimates a positive economic impact of more than $2 million annually to the city, factoring in unemployment costs otherwise incurred by the government for students who now are gainfully employed. SPCC graduates are empowered to enter jobs and open new businesses, each earning between an estimated $35,000 and $60,000 per year.
Jackson, who lives in St. Petersburg with his son and girlfriend, now works on catering events and is moving toward launching his own business.
“My goal is to get a food truck,” he said. “I want to do a food tour around the country, and after a few years of building my name nationally in the food industry, I want to get a restaurant.”
In addition to financial gains, these students reveal the peripheral impact of job creation, finding new purpose through their work and watching it ripple through their community of friends and family.
“Sharing that newfound knowledge and enthusiasm with their immediate circle is contagious,” Collins said.
Learn more about the program and how you can support it at www.stpeteculinary.org.
