Fresh from the Kitchen: Highlighting Culinary Grads

Allie’s Place Center for Culinary Education & Employment is thrilled to share a new series highlighting our culinary job-training program graduates.

“We are proud to be working with such motivated students and to help support members of our community find meaningful opportunities in the culinary world,” said Program Outreach Specialist Derrick Holman.

Miriam originally applied for and completed the Barista job-training course after seeing an ad about the Center for Culinary Education & Employment in the news. She went on to take both Culinary Essentials and Pastry Arts courses at the Center. Miriam was then referred to a job fair at Citi Field by our Culinary Employment team where she was offered a position as a Kitchen Assistant. She returned to the Center to help prepare for the job and to study for the NYC Food Protection Exam to earn her Food Protection Certification—which the Center covers the cost of.

Lucas joined the Center in summer of 2023, bringing a positive energy to the program and an eagerness to improve his skills. He was among the first students to take our newly launched Pastry Arts course and has since completed numerous advanced culinary workshops—including the Breadmaking and Mystery Basket Workshops. Lucas also became one of the first graduates to have completed all three culinary programs—Culinary Essentials, Barista, and Pastry Arts—then earned his NYC Food Protection Certification, and attended the Center’s Employment Workshop. Through assistance from the Culinary Employment team, he recently accepted a position as a Cook at Citi Field.

Jaime completed over 150 hours of culinary classes at the Center, including Culinary Essentials, Barista, and Pastry Arts. His quiet demeanor should never be underestimated as his determination and focus are evident to all who work with him. Always learning and ready to execute the commands of the kitchen or lend a hand to his fellow line cooks, Jaime showed exceptional awareness and foresight as a cook during a recent luncheon hosted by the Center, always thinking three steps ahead. According to Lead Chef Instructor Gregorio, “[Jaime] is the kind of cook that allows the Executive and Sous Chefs to carry on with the tasks at hand because there is no doubt in our minds that [he] is taking care of business.” He was recently hired as a Cook at Parrilladas Sunrise, a Mexican restaurant in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Kristin is a triple graduate, having completed Culinary Essentials, Barista, and Pastry Arts, as well as several advanced workshops. During her time at the Center, Kristin’s confidence and extroverted nature have translated into a strong leadership skill set. The Center’s instructors note how she is able to successfully manage her own tasks while also guiding others. Kristin’s ability to learn from her mistakes with resilience and composure is also a valuable skill in the culinary world. “Her ability to be redirected when something was done wrong is a classic example of a good cook: understand the error, learn the correct way, don’t panic, and carry on,” said Chef Gregorio. She was hired as a Line Cook with OTG Management at La Guardia Airport and has returned to the Center for support earning her Food Protection Certification in preparation for her new job. “When I applied to Allie’s Place, I actually was unemployed … Using the skills that I learned [at the Center] is very important because I am able to bring that to work and show the staff there that I learned from an amazing team,” said Kristin.

Tamika is also a triple graduate of the Center for Culinary Education & Employment who scored a 98% on her NYC Food Protection Exam—which the Center helped her prepare for. She is a team player—always working collaboratively to ensure tasks are completed efficiently. Tamika embodies the qualities of an exemplary coworker—she is determined, communicative, and uplifting. She was recently hired as a Line Cook at a restaurant in the Bronx Zoo.