WASHINGTON 鈥� Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland, is now home to the region鈥檚 hottest restaurant kitchen. But diners be warned: There鈥檚 no menu, just a course catalog.
After three years of planning, one year of construction and a $20 million investment from Prince George鈥檚 County, the Culinary Arts Center at Prince George鈥檚 Community College is open.
The 21,351-square-foot facility includes three instructional restaurant-scale kitchens, classroom space and event space. There鈥檚 also a community kitchen where home cooks can sharpen their knives and their roasting, baking and wine-pairing skills.
The 60-year-old academic institution launched its about a decade ago, but Prince George鈥檚 Community College President Charlene Dukes said with the area鈥檚 booming food and hospitality industry, it was time to take it to the next level.
鈥淭he interest in food and the culinary arts has grown tremendously 鈥� and we鈥檙e approached on numerous occasions about our students serving internships and also being hired,鈥� Dukes said.
According to from the National Restaurant Association, Maryland鈥檚 restaurant industry is a $12.1 billion business. There are currently 246,200 restaurant and food service jobs in the state, and by 2028, that number is expected to grow by about 9 percent. Close by, D.C. brings in $3.8 billion a year in restaurant sales and boasts 68,900 restaurant and food service jobs.
鈥淚t really is about giving the students the opportunity to work in the industry, to take what they鈥檙e learning in an academic setting and environment and put that to practice in the industry.鈥�
MGM National Harbor Executive Chef Jason Johnston partners with the school鈥檚 culinary arts program to help staff the massive National Harbor resort.
鈥淲hen the students graduate and come to us, they鈥檙e ready to hit the ground running,鈥� Johnston said.
And Prince George鈥檚 County Executive Rushern Baker expects other hotels and resorts in the area 鈥� including several 鈥� will find similar value in the students.
鈥淥ne of the growing areas of Prince George鈥檚 County is our hospitality. We have more hotels online than any other place around the Washington region,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淎nd this right here is going to prepare our children to go into those jobs and into careers.鈥�
The first classes in the new facility will meet June 1, and course options range from food production, baking and beverage management in the associate degree program, to authentic Chinese cooking and grill master classes in the continuing education program.
The center鈥檚 Executive Chef Edward聽Whitfield said health is another big focus in the instruction. Many graduates go on to cook in hospitals or other health care settings. Plus, he said, with the region鈥檚 high rates of obesity and diabetes, educating aspiring chefs about the link between food and health is essential.
鈥淥ur job is not only to make food taste good and look good, but to make sure it鈥檚 healthy as well,鈥� Whitfield said.
Baker added, 鈥淭his is all part of making Prince George鈥檚 County the place to be.鈥�
