Farm-to-Table Culinary Apprenticeship Program
Interested in a career in the culinary field? Our Farm-to-Table Culinary Apprenticeship program is a 12-week training program designed to lead to permanent full-time positions at participating restaurants, institutional kitchens, and food manufacturers.
Photo by Kristopher Radder / Brattleboro Reformer Staff
Now accepting applications for our October Culinary / Nutrition Training Program
Program Dates
Fall: October – December (dates TBD)
How To Apply
Fill out the online application below, OR
Fill out a printed application available at the River Garden, 157 Main Street, Brattleboro (leave application with Stroll staff at the River Garden), OR
Download and print the application here (PDF), fill it out, and deliver it to the River Garden, or mail to Strolling of the Heifers, 105 Partridge Road, E. Dummerston VT 05346
Eligibility
This program is FREE to participants who meet income and employment status qualifications, including veterans.
Qualifications include:
- A history of low income
- A history of unemployment or underemployment
- Serious interest in a culinary career
- Willingness to commit to the program’s values, rules, and requirements
- A drug-free lifestyle
Final program candidates must be available for a personal interview.
Curriculum
The program includes instruction and practice in:
- NEW! Cheesemonger training: In collaboration with
The Windham Foundation which owns and operates Grafton Village Cheese Company, three participants will be selected for the cheesemonger training and apprenticeship. Successful completion of this training provides selected participants with a Cheesemonger certificate.
- Food processing skills: Basic food preparation, knife safety, and techniques, kitchen safety, commercial dishwashing, culinary math skills, customer etiquette, nutrition, plating, and presentation, expediting, minimizing food wastage.
- Introductory management skills: Including inventory and cost control.
- Commercial food basics: Sanitation, cooking science, nutrition information, sourcing.
- ServSafe food handler training: Successful completion provides ServSafe food handler certificate.
- Local food systems and the value of maximizing use of local food.
- Job readiness skills: Timeliness, cleanliness, grooming and appropriate dress, personal finance, time management, being supervised, resume building.
- Paid work experience: Participants spend more than half their time gaining experience in local commercial kitchens. They will be PAID for that time through the Vermont Department of Labor’s workforce development programs.
Enrollment is limited to 12 persons.
Apprenticeship Partners
Participants in the first two graducating classes have apprenticed and secured full-time permanent positions at the following local restaurants, institutional kitchens, and food manufacturers: Against The Grain, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro Food Coop, Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Senior Meals, Duo, Entera Catering, New England House, Sidehill Farm, Superfresh Cafe, The Marina, The Porch, The Restless Rooster, The Works, Thompson House, True North, Vermont Country Deli and Whetstone.
Program Success
To date, 20 highly-motivated but underemployed individuals have successfully completed the program and have been placed in permanent full-time positions at participating restaurants, institutional kitchens, and food manufacturers. The program effectiveness is underscored by our 83% graduation rate and 100% placement rate for graduates.
Click here to view our 2016 Program Report.
Program Sponsors
This year’s program is sponsored by: Sandy River Charitable Foundation, Windham Foundation, Vermont Department of Labor Workforce Development Division, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brattleboro Retreat, Voc Rehab Vermont, Creative Workforce Solutions, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs & C & S Wolesale Grocers