Class 74 Graduates with 100% Retention

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04.21.2009 --

On Tuesday, DC Central Kitchen celebrated the graduation of our 74th Culinary Job Training Class. The graduates stood proud and tall in their brand new chefs coats as they walked on stage. The ceremony featured guest speaker Carla Hall, longtime friend of the Kitchen, and recent star of Bravo’s “Top Chef” television show.

“Expect more from 74” was the class motto, and never before has a class lived up to its motto so well.  For the first time, 100% of the trainees who started the 12 week curriculum graduated from it.  Our training staff has worked hard to improve our retention rate, but this success also comes from the constant support that the members of this class provided for each other.

The class also set a new high standard on the ServSafe exam, with 100% passing the test, and a 94% average score.

The majority of the graduates are now employed, after having completed our rigorous 12 week curiculum. During the training program, the students received solid education not only in the culinary arts but in computer literacy, job hunting, and life skills.

During the course of the program, the class helped produce over a quarter of a million meals for social service agencies in the city; giving important service to the community at the same time they worked to better their own lives.

Their successes were also a great introduction to the program for the students of the incoming class, who were present at graduation to see "the joy on the other side" of the difficult endeavor they have begun.