Pete Moye’
Arts Button

The Cerritos College Culinary Arts program provides students with the full benefits of learning how to either become a chef or a baker.

Chef training is offered to students who wish to complete the Culinary Arts Professional Chefs Training program, and are also able to obtain a certificate of acheivement, or an A.A. degree.

The Culinary Arts program offers hands on training that prepares students for the cooking industry that teaches them the experience of how to cook for restaurants, hotels, and other culinary places.

Marcos Forresder, culinary arts major said, “This is my third semester [in the program] and I actually love everything about it.”

He added, “Students also learn how to safe serve, learn the sanitation part of cooking, and how to put the right amount of temperature for cooking food so people won’t get sick. “It’s real important to keep your area clean, yourself, and your hygiene.”

Students have the opportunity to learn how to cook and bake various kinds of foods that are challenging but are rewarding towards the student.

Culinary arts major Brian Clark said, “If you can’t handle it here you can’t handle it in the real world. You’re gonna make mistakes but the great thing here is you get to make those mistakes here instead at a restaurant.”

“It [the program] is very challenging but it’s very rewarding at the same time. You’re going to be on your feet for five hours a day but you’re going to be doing what you love,” Clark continued.

Instead of paying at least $45,000 to go to Le Cordon Bleu, students get to have the same benefits at Cerritos College.

A comfortable at-home feeling surrounded culinary arts major Daisy Zambrano, as she went through her first week in the culinary class.

“There really isn’t that stressful. You just have to watch out so you won’t cut yourself,” Zambrano said. She is taking Culinary Arts for the first time this semester.

The food these students make do not go to waste. The department sells its food, such as baked goods, soups, and sandwiches, for anyone to buy located in the student center. This gives other students and faculty the oppurtunity to try out what is made of.

“It’s probably the healthiest food on campus. It’s really good and pretty inexpensive. It just shows how good of a college it is,” Cerritos receptionist Dana Spankie said.

The ceasar chicken salad is one the popular foods that are bought from the department.

“It’s good for it [Culinary] to sell (its’ food) because it gets feedback about how good their food is,” enginerring major Miguel Butarin said. “This gives the future chefs confidence to do well.”

Culinary also offers caterring services at events that take place on campus.

A set of achievements are brought upon students so they can work, doing what they love.

“My culinary arts goal is to someday become a sous-chef or a chef at my own restaurant,” culinary arts major Verenise Medina said. It is also her first semester in the program.

Students learn on a daily basis with helpful instructors, such as Head Chef Micheal Pierini. Insructors are patient with their learning process.