When was the last time you cooked lunch? What did you make: carefully charcoaled roast leg of lamb au jus flavored with rosemary?

Didn't think so.

While the rest of us are microwaving Top Ramen, students in the TVC's Culinary Arts program are whipping up delectable lunch menus straight out of the fanciest French restaurants: crusty vegetarian baked fettuccine with tangy cheese sauce, glazed asparagus with edible flowers, braised chicken cacciatore in wine, and pepso del fornaciari del'impruneta (that's "beef stew" for those who don't live in Tuscany).

And they make it look easy.

The hustle and bustle in their state-of-the-art kitchen facilities nestled in a small corner of the newly renovated Hutchinson Institute of Technology is a well-choreographed dance. Chefs in white coats and floppy hats dice, slice, sauté, sear and serve. They call back and forth to each other, their voices mixing with the clinks and clanks of stainless steel pots, giant spoons and butcher's knives. Steaming dishes of marinated beef tips, black beans with saffron rice or duck breast with apricot mustard are passed from chefs to servers with seemingly effortless ease.

The atmosphere is intense, because everyday at 11 o'clock this show goes live.

The culinary arts dining room fills quickly as the lunch crowd streams in. Elderly women, families with toddlers, and even a few college and high school students are all eager to see what the culinary chefs have cooked up for the day.

"I want to try it all," said one man at the recent Taste of Tuscany buffet, which featured vegetable soup with eggs, braised chicken with mushrooms, beef stew with impruneta, baked fish, roast diced potatoes and green beans and tomato.

The Culinary Arts program is designed to prepare the students for a demanding industry where appearance is everything and perfection is key. The daily lunches offer a chance for the students to practice their craft for a less demanding audience.

But still, the point is to learn.

"The meat goes on the three corners, making a pocket for the vegetables in the center," said Associate Professor Jakub Esop as he demonstrated for student Ashley Dale the proper placement of the food on a plate.

But aside from such direction and guidance from their professors, the students do all the work—requiring a hefty dose of teamwork.

"Everyone helps everyone in the kitchen," said Mereille Barbaza, a student in the last semester of the program.

Culinary Arts students can choose to get a two-year associate's degree or a culinary arts certificate in about half that time. Besides a myriad of cooking classes, the students take math, communication, and human relations courses.

"In baking and cooking you have to know how to do the measuring, substitutions, and the yield factors—how much food you need for the number of people you're serving," said Barbaza.

Still, most of their time is spent in the kitchen; it's a very hands-on program, though they always wash with soap and water before they cook.

Besides cooking for their daily lunches, the students prepare meals for other university and community events and participate in "externships" with local food service employers gaining the invaluable experience they will need to sell themselves and their skills to the hospitality industry.

Barbaza enjoyed her time working at Pikes Landing. "There are so many cooks and chefs and it's such a busy restaurant," she said.

Graduates of the program, which boasts a 100 percent job placement rate, work in restaurants, mining camps, tourist resorts and even start their own businesses; Barbaza dreams of starting her own catering firm.

With the hungry public fed, the student chefs get a chance to relax and sample their own cooking, enjoying lunch now that the stress is past. But it's all worth it to them—the heat, pressure and hard work—it's all part of the recipe for the job of their dreams, all cooked up and ready to go.

Editor's Note: This article is the second in a month-long series on "real-life" experiences students get here at UAF. Because, after all, college isn't always real life.

Comment on this story...