Teatro Group offering new Culinary Trades Exploratory Program in Calgary

Jun 3 2022, 9:27 pm

Teatro is one of the best places to get some pasta in the city.

This Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in a comfortable, fine dining atmosphere is also so much more than that.

The second year of the restaurant group’s Culinary Trades Exploratory Program just finished, and it was a huge success.

This Culinary Trades Exploratory Program is the chance for high school students interested in cooking to not only learn skills but also to work in a real kitchen, meet industry experts, and make money.

This initiative and program is a partnership between The Educational Partnership Foundation and the Teatro Group.

It is hands-on culinary training for a group of Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Separate School District high school students in exchange for experience and credits.

The point of this program?

“To offer a more prosperous and robust experience to students interested in the fast-paced world of cooking.”

With well over 100 students applying for a spot in the 2022 program, just 24 were short-listed, and 12 were then selected in the end. This isn’t your average high school food class. This is a highly competitive program that allows younger kids to get a head start in the world of food.

The 2022 program totalled 130 hours, with each student receiving five high school credits and a wage for their work experience.

The results have been impressive, with graduates of the Culinary Trades Exploratory Program seeing real-world rewards.

Teatro Group was able to hire six students to stay on and work in the kitchens last summer. Of those six students last year, five have continued to stay with Teatro working in key roles.

“We have welcomed Teatro Group to the TEPF family through our Trades Careers programming,” said Barb Simic, President and CEO of TEPF, in a press release.

“These innovative Trades Careers programs at TEPF help students recognize that becoming a skilled tradesperson opens the door to respected, well-paying careers.”

“We believe students benefit from our unique off-campus education experience that addresses the significant labour shortages facing Alberta as nearly 45,000 skilled workers are needed over the next ten years,” added Simic.

This one-of-a-kind cooking program is led by the Executive Chef of Teatro Group Matthew Batey, who provides a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the high school kids in the program.

Lasting seven weeks, with six kitchen rotations and one grand finale dinner, all of the training takes place at all six of the Teatro Group establishments: Teatro, Vendome, Cucina, Alforno, Eat and Holy Cow.

At the 2022 grand finale dinner on May 26, the students made a remarkable three-course menu for a room full of people.

This menu included charred Pacific octopus, a roasted chicken breast with pommes pave and wild mushrooms, and for dessert, a hand-dipped cone, mini-tiramisu, and decorated macaroons.

Culinary Trades Exploratory Program

Dished/Daily Hive

Culinary Trades Exploratory Program

Dished/Daily Hive

Culinary Trades Exploratory Program

Dished/Daily Hive

The skills and techniques that the students learn along the way are baking and pastry, production and batch cooking, butchery, breakfast cookery, Garde Manger, and Hot Side.

“I am very excited to see the next generation of culinarians showing such dedication to the craft,” said Executive Chef Matthew Batey in a press release.

“I am honoured that we can give these dynamic young people a real insight into the industry.”

For more information, visit the Teatro website.

Teatro

Address: 200 8th Avenue SE, Calgary

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