College of the Canyons is fast approaching breaking ground on the new culinary arts building as soon as August.
College of the Canyons is just $1 million short of its goal of $6.7 million to fund the new culinary arts building program.
“In the course of the next six months we’re doing a major push both in the college, in the college family and the [Santa Clarita Valley] community to get that last million dollars so, we can break ground in August,” Doris Marie Zimmer, Chair of the Foundation Board of Directors, said.
The new culinary arts building program will be a 12-month project and is expected to be open sometime around 2014.
The new culinary arts building will be located behind Mentry Hall were the Village is currently is located. It will 12,000 square feet and one story high.
“Well, the students will benefit from having this program on campus because they have to pick up their other requirements to get their AA Degree, “Murray Wood, Chief Foundation Development Officer/COC Foundation & Culinary Capital Campaign Chair said.
“So, instead traveling from Castaic to the campus they will be right on the campus. And they will be part of the campus community which is something that has been missing for them for six years now.”
The new building will feature: a sweets kitchen, a savory kitchen, a demonstration kitchen, culinary lab space, herb garden, an area for wine studies, a large dining area and instructor office spaces.
“Well, several afternoons a week the culinary arts facility cafe will be open for both the campus community and people from the outside who wish to come for lunch and pay for it,” Wood explained.
The new culinary arts building will be able to accommodate approximately 700 students, double the amount of current student enrollment. It will eliminate a long waiting lists for classes.
During the culinary arts conception six years ago, COC’s culinary arts have been honing their skills outside of campus. The previous kitchens used for COC’s culinary arts program were located in COC’s cafeteria, Westfield Valencia Town Center and Castaic.
“I will be using the [culinary arts] program to recruit chefs for my El Cholo restaurant, Pasadena, Calif,” Brian Salisbury, Co-Chair Culinary Capital Campaign, said.
COC looking to break ground on new Culinary Arts Building by August
