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Culinary Job Shadowing at BOCES
On Friday, October 18, 2007 nine high school students from Hospitality Instructor Janet Stewart's rotation in the Culinary Arts/Hospitality Academy at PNW BOCES made a job shadowing excursion to The Heights, an upscale American cuisine restaurant in Yorktown Heights.
The juniors toured the kitchen, pantry, wine cellar, and dining room with Jerry Zonghetti, the general manager. Students got a first-hand look at the skills needed to run a successful restaurant. Mr. Zonghetti spoke about his responsibilities, including those in the front of the house. The executive chef/owner, David Shakin, spoke about how to formulate a popular menu and his responsibilities as the owner and executive chef.
When fielding students' questions, both Mr. Zonghetti and Chef Shakin emphasized the importance of obtaining a strong culinary education. Both entered the restaurant industry at a very young age and have over 45 combined years of industry experience.
Students had the opportunity to observe the restaurant staff during the height of lunch hour. After speaking to the students and learning about the Culinary Arts/Hospitality program, Mr. Zonghetti considered student applications for internships at The Heights.
The visit to The Heights allowed students who are less than one year away from applying to culinary college to observe the inner workings of a successful restaurant during business hours.
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