ORLANDO, Fla. — The culinary training program at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is helping adults who have an interest in the food industry become the next generation of chefs.
What You Need To Know
- Second Harvest Food Bank offers a free 16-week culinary program training program for adults
- In its 10th year, Second Harvest officials say the program has graduated 455 students so far
- The program recently received a $40,000 grant from Bank of America
Celebrating its 10th year, the Bank of America recently awarded the program a $40,000 grant to support people who want to advance within the food service industry. The program’s 50th class will be graduating soon, including aspiring chef Dezmond Siracusa.
Siracusa said he found his love of cooking during the pandemic.
“Honestly, I really enjoy food. That was a big part of it," he said. "I enjoyed making new things, looking at my family’s face when they tried things that I would make, that I hadn’t made before. It just made me happy.”
He said he decided to follow his dream of cooking for others in a commercial kitchen after a friend of his mom’s told him about Second Harvest’s culinary program.
The free 16-week continuing education course helps train eligible adults to become the next generation of chefs.
Chef Israel Santiago has led the program since the beginning.
“Chef is great to work with," Siracusa said. "He always takes the extra step to help us out and teach us new things."
Santiago says he already sees the potential Siracusa has, even at his young age.
“He has a great path here in the kitchen," Santiago said. "I think he could be successful anywhere he goes, especially in the kitchen."
Siracusa said program goes beyond the kitchen, teaching students essential skills that serve them in all aspects of their lives.
“We had a financial literacy class that helped me out a lot, learning how to budget, things that they don’t do in regular school, that they do here,” he said.
According to CareerSource of Central Florida, the number of jobs available in the food industry are projected to grow more than 10% from 41,000 openings in 2022 to almost 46,000 jobs in 2025.
So far, Second Harvest officials say 455 students have graduated from the program, helping develop the culinary workforce in Central Florida.
Siracusa, who will be graduating as part of the program's 50th class, says he would like to hit the ground running in his first job.
“I’d like to get started with a theme park or something like that, a little more on the fast-paced side, so I am getting that experience,” he said.
He recently interviewed with potential employers as part of the program and will hear back from them in the upcoming weeks.
“I can see myself working through all my life, working an honest full-time job until I am a decent age and retire,” Siracusa said.
The Second Harvest Culinary Training Program has two more sessions available this year — one starting in August and another one in October.
Anyone interested in applying for the program can find directions and eligibility requirements by visiting Second Harvest’s culinary training program website.