For the primary time, Lengthy Seashore Metropolis Faculty's culinary arts program had a student-operated meals truck on the 2024 Acura Lengthy Seashore Grand Prix. College students skilled and discovered drive and work a meals truck. (Picture by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The road of meals vans on the Acura Grand Prix of Lengthy Seashore has one thing for everybody, together with, for those who're an LBCC culinary arts pupil, work expertise.
That's proper, Lengthy Seashore Metropolis Faculty's culinary arts program debuted its meals truck at this weekend's Grand Prix, providing banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich sometimes served on a baguette. It’s a comparatively easy dish for college kids to organize, however it is usually a unique kind of meals than what is often provided at festival-type occasions.
“We simply needed to do one thing easy so college students may get an concept of what it's wish to work at a meals truck,” stated Alex Lopez, a former pupil in LBCC's culinary program who now helps educate lessons. “It additionally will get them used to working with folks, particularly in a small area, and interacting with prospects.”
Lengthy Seashore Metropolis Faculty provides a number of profession technical education schemes that present college students with the educational and technical expertise, information and coaching wanted for careers equivalent to hospitality administration and, after all, culinary arts.
The idea of the meals truck was for college kids in LBCC's culinary program to get actual work expertise. However making that concept a actuality was not a straightforward activity. It took chef Haley Nguyen, head of LBCC's culinary arts division, 4 years to get the thought off the bottom, with assist from different LBCC school and workers as nicely.
“We’ve got a fantastic program at Lengthy Seashore Metropolis Faculty, from hospitality to culinary, and it's superb to carry this idea to life,” Juan Herrera, an LBCC workers member who helped supervise college students this weekend, ensuring the truck It could work with out issues. , he stated on Saturday afternoon, April 20. “Additionally it is a possibility to advertise our CTE applications.”
Alumni of LBCC's culinary program stopped by the truck this weekend, purchased a sandwich and shared with present college students what their journey has been like since graduating from this system, Herrera stated. This additional inspired the scholars who volunteer on the truck, she stated.
“I've been capable of find out about meals vans and that rising enterprise, and it's been nice to be at this occasion and see the races,” stated Adam Maley, a pupil in LBCC's hospitality administration program. “It's been quite a lot of enjoyable to this point.”
The scholars have been making banh mi with three protein choices: pork, hen or vegetarian. The protein is served on contemporary baguettes that the scholars additionally baked.
“We thought we must always do one thing completely different,” stated Lopez, who graduated from the culinary arts program in 2022, “as a result of everybody else is making burgers, sizzling canines, and we needed to supply one thing refreshing.”
Prospects had been impressed with the pace of service and complimented the meals. In addition they thought the student-operated meals truck was an attention-grabbing idea.
“It's good and really scrumptious,” stated Jordan Chu, 10, of Redlands.
“Coming from a 10-year-old, meaning rather a lot,” stated his mom, Vanessa Vargas.
“We normally like these sandwiches and we walked in and my husband stated we must always get some,” Vargas added. “They seemed scrumptious and we will't wait to attempt them. “It’s superb that college students are doing them.”
For Jennica Magarro, this semester is her first time in this system, in addition to her first time within the Grand Prix.
“I've all the time beloved cooking,” he stated. “In a method I inherited that love for cooking from my mom, she taught me all the things I do know.
“I believe that is an incredible alternative for college kids,” Magarro added about being a part of the meals truck. “It's a fantastic volunteer alternative and for those who had been focused on opening your personal meals truck at some point, you’d positively be taught rather a lot from this expertise.”