Culinary Education Center High School Division

The Culinary Arts program located in Asbury Park, New Jersey is a collaborative effort between Brookdale Community College and Monmouth County Vocational School District. The Culinary Education Center of Monmouth County offers a comprehensive, innovative food preparation and management program of study to area high school students, adults, and professionals. The CEC houses state-of-the-art classrooms and cooking laboratories in a state of the art facility.

High school students are enrolled in Brookdale and MCVSD concurrently. The high school curriculum is designed to provide entry-level workforce skills and also allow the student to enroll in eight college courses. Students may acquire up to 15.5 college credits permitting a unique and seamless transition into the college division of the school. At the same time they are acquiring 20 high school credits per year, 40 credits total for the two years they are enrolled in our program. The Culinary Education Center in Asbury Park, along with the Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown, and Seabrook Village in Neptune, are the sites for the High School Division Culinary Arts classrooms providing yearlong experiences for over 100 secondary students.

Work-Based Experiences

Bringing the culinary student into the workplace is a goal of the Culinary Education Center. Educational collaboration with the Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown, and Seabrook Village in Neptune, resulted in the establishment of a unique and exemplary work-based Culinary Training Program. The goal of this initiative was to unite occupational training instructors and mentors to co-teach at a work-based training site for the development of high academic and workplace technical training skills for culinary students.

Prerequisites

Student must have an expressed interest in the Hospitality Industry.

Uniforms are required

Student must have an excellent attendance record (less then 15 days absent per year)

Students must have a “C” grade point average

Student & parent must tour the program prior to applying. This may be accomplished through attendance in an open house, orientation, teacher interview, and tour with counselor, or other means arranged with the principal.

An essay is required as part of the application.

After being admitted there is a mandatory orientation program prior to being enrolled.

It is recommended that students take General Biology or a food science class

Program Skills and Tasks:

Identification and use of kitchen equipment, tools, knives, herbs, fruits, vegetables, meats

Ability to prepare basic stocks, sauces, vegetables, starches, meats, dairy, fruits, and desserts

Demonstrates food preparation skills using dry, moist and combination cooking methods

Read, prepare, measure ingredients and follow recipes

Application of food preparation skills through Baking 1, Breakfast and Lunch Cookery

Ability to apply learned skills to a work based learning environment

Demonstrate American Style, and Buffet Style Service in lunch operation.

Practice Safety and Sanitation skills.

Certificate Upon Graduation:

Monmouth County Vocational School District Culinary Arts Certificate

National Restaurant Association SERV-SAFE Certificate

Monmouth County Vocational School District Culinary Arts Skill Profile

Post-Secondary Articulations:

Seamless enrollment in Brookdale Community College Culinary Arts Associate Degree Program

A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hospitality Management is available through a Brookdale Community College’s articulation with Fairleigh Dickerson University. A Bachelors degree n Hospitality Management with Georgian Court College.

Additional articulation agreements with for recognitions of culinary arts courses with MCVSD and Johnson and Wales University.

Structured Learning Opportunities:

Work-based classrooms at the Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown, and Seabrook Village in Neptune.

Structured Learning experiences in many food service operations, restaurants, and resorts in Monmouth County

Student Organizations/Activities:

Skills USA with local, state, and national competition; various club activities

Representing the CEC at different culinary activities

Community Service: arranged through the school or on your own.