Miami-Dade
County Public Schools (M-DCPS) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning at
Miami Beach Senior High School to unveil a newly renovated $2.4 million
Culinary Arts Lab.
"This is
really an exciting day not only for us in the District, but for the community
and more importantly for the students who are the future talent in this
industry," said M-DCPS Administrative Director of Career Technical
Education Lupe Ferran Diaz, who called the event especially meaningful because
she taught at the school for 17 years.
The new
culinary lab’s amenities include a new chef instruction station with gas ranges,
broilers, ovens, a griddle and commercial exhaust hoods. Additionally, there
are five new student cooking stations with gas ranges, undercounter
refrigerators, prep sinks, a walk-in freezer, two stainless steel sinks, as
well as a professional dishwashing station.
To aid in their
cooking lessons, students will also have a smartboard as well as a
closed-circuit camera and television system for cooking instruction.
“I feel so
honored being part of this amazing project,” said Saydel Laskar, a senior in
the Culinary Arts program. “I love that before I graduate, I get to experience
this amazing kitchen and that I’ll learn from an amazing chef who can teach me
and help me with my future career in cooking.”
The Culinary
Arts Program, part of the school’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, currently has 170 students who will benefit from the new
state-of-the art lab. Carivon Construction was contracted to do the renovation
of the professional-grade kitchen. This project was a partnership between
M-DCPS and the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, which provided the kitchen
equipment.
These school
bond projects resulted from voter approval of the $1.2 billion General
Obligation Bond in 2012. Funds from the bond are being used to modernize and
construct school buildings throughout the District, expand student capacity,
enhance facility safety, and provide technology upgrades at all schools.
For the most up-to-date information, please download the Dadeschools Mobile App to your iPhone or Android device. Follow us on X @MDCPS and @SuptDotres, on Instagram @miamischools and @suptdotres, and on Facebook at MiamiSchools.
TOP CAPTION: Certified Executive
Chef Patrick Syka (left) and Culinary Instructor Rowan Jacobs (far right) are
joined by students enrolled in Miami Beach Senior High School’s Academy of
Hospitality and Tourism to celebrate the opening of the school’s newly
renovated Culinary Arts Lab.
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