West Boca Raton Community High School

Culinary Academy hosts
“Chef’s Apprentice” Competition
Showcasing Advisory Board & Student Chefs

On Thursday, April 8, 2010, West Boca Raton Community High School hosted the first “Chef’s Apprentice” Competition featuring 10 Culinary Teams. Each team was comprised of one Community Academy Advisory Board (CAAB) Member and one Culinary Arts Academy Student. CAAB is a group of local business, industry and education leaders whose mission is to offer its experience, expertise and resources to prepare Academy students to succeed in a global economy. The Culinary Arts Academy has been designated a “Model” Academy by the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC).

Each of the following CAAB Members prepared their favorite Appetizer/Salad, Main Entrée or Dessert with the assistance of a Culinary Arts Student: Troy McLellan, J.C. Perrin, Vice President, J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, Tim Snow, President, George Snow Scholarship Fund, Joe Pores President, Call4Health, Barbara Weiss, Director of Community Relations, Johnson & Wales University, Brenda Coto, Managing Director of Technology & Innovation, FAU College of Engineering & Computer Science, Craig Heiser, Vice President, Whiting-Turner Construction, Tom Hellyer, Instructor, WBRHS Drafting & Design Academy, Greg Rawling, Instructor, WBRHS Medical Sciences Academy, Gracelyn Stuart-Tuggle, Accounting Instructor, Palm Beach State College and Russell Spadaccini, President/Owner of BocaRaton.com.

Celebrity Judges include Angela Sachitano, Reporter, WPTV-TV News Channel 5; Marie Speed, Editor, Florida Table Magazine; Bill Citara, Food Writer, Florida Table Magazine; Jan Norris, Food Writer, Sun Sentinel Newspaper; Chuck Gittleman, Executive Chef, Bogarts Restaurant; Kareem Lakchira, Beverage Specialist, Cielo Restaurant, Boca Raton Resort and Club; Frank Barbieri, School Board Member.; and Mark Stenner, Principal, West Boca Raton High School. Exciting prizes were given to the top three winners. Prizes to be announced.

Russell Spadaccini, President of BocaRaton.com, is a proud member of the Community Academy Advisory Board (CAAB). BocaRaton.com sent our Video Production Team to capture the enjoyable moment! Enjoy…

West Boca Raton Community High School’s
Academy of Culinary Arts A National Model

Question: Where can you find over 300 future culinary stars under one roof?

Answer: At West Boca Raton High’s Academy of Culinary Arts!

Move over Iron Chefs and face the competition! In the spring of 2007, West Boca High’s Academy of Culinary Arts was awarded “Model” certification by the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC) and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). The Academy’s evaluation process was based on the National Standards of Practice (NSOP) for career academies developed by a consortium of national career academy organizations.

Over 300 students are enrolled in the Academy of Culinary Arts learn the foundations of this art form under the tutelage of professional chef instructors. Core academic subjects support the academy by integrating workplace competencies into their curriculum.

Throughout their four years of study, our young chefs are mentored by professional chefs from the American Culinary Federation, as well as by guest instructors from the Florida Culinary Institute, Johnson & Wales University, Lynn University and the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. The students apprentice in area restaurants, supermarkets, caterers, hotels and country clubs, including Bistro Zenith, Café Lux , Fridays, Villa Rosano, Publix, Albertsons, Catering By David, the Breakers Hotel and Boca Lago Golf Club.

The Academy’s Culinary Arts Competition Team won the distinction of being the first high school to win the prestigious Palm Beach County American Culinary Federation Competition held at the Florida Culinary Institute. The Team defeated post-secondary competitors to capture the title. Two of our top student chefs have won regional and national honors at the Best Teen Chef Competitions sponsored by the Art Institute.

Our culinary students are in high demand. They give back to the community by volunteering their time and talent at local events, such as the George Snow Scholarship Fund’s annual Caribbean Cowboy Ball and the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce’s Golden Bell Fashion Show. Our students have also been recruited by a local food purveyor, US Food Service to assist them at their annual “Food Show” at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

The American Culinary Federation is the sponsor of West Boca High’s Junior Chapter of this professional organization. Our culinary students have also earned membership in the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS), the premier organization honoring excellence in career and technical education. The NTHS West Boca High Chapter is sponsored by the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce.

West Boca High School’s motto is “Preparing Students Today…For The Careers Of Tomorrow.” Recognizing the need for a highly skilled workforce over 30 local business, industry and high education leaders formed a dynamic collaboration with West Boca High’s Principal Mark L. Stenner. The mission of the Community Academies Advisory Board (CAAB) is to offer its experience, expertise and resources to prepare Academy students to succeed in a global economy. They are a “driving force for career direction.”

Taking the lead in volunteering this support is J.C. Perrin, CAAB Chairman, Senior Private Banker, Private Client Services, JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Dominick Laudia, CAAB Vice Chairman, Executive Chef, Boca Rio Golf Club.

-Dr. Bernadette Russell, Provost, Palm Beach Community College, Boca Raton Campus; -Barbara Weiss, Director of Educator Relations, Johnson & Wales University