Applicants wanted for Fairfax City and Vienna culinary jobs training program | FFXnow

Reinforcements are on the way to bolster Fairfax City and the Town of Vienna’s restaurant industry.

The two localities are seeking applicants for a new Culinary Careers Collaborative program intended to train future chefs, bartenders and other food service workers for potential jobs with local businesses.

The program will offer classes along three different tracks — culinary skills, beverage skills and advanced management. The advanced track is scheduled to start its first classes on July 25, but start dates for the other tracks are still being determined.

Applications for all three paths remain open.

Vienna and Fairfax City economic development officials began discussing a joint workforce training program at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic after learning that their restaurants were experiencing similar hiring challenges.

Hoping to increase the initiative’s potential impact by combining resources, the economic development teams enlisted George Mason University and the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association (VRLTA) as partners. They also surveyed local business owners to get more insight into their needs and concerns.

The resulting program is designed to equip students with important food service skills, from kitchen safety and basic cooking methods to food presentation and inventory management.

“The Culinary Careers Collaborative program is an investment in the community’s culinary talents and creates a quality customer-centric dining experience for the Town of Vienna and Fairfax City,” Vienna Economic Development Director Natalie Guilmeus said in a press release.

Developed with support from VRLTA, which helped secure instructors, the three available tracks consist of specialized courses provided through GMU’s Public Health Nutrition Kitchen. They take four six-hour days to complete.

Upon graduating, students will get a certificate and a chance to participate in a “matchmaking” day with prospective employers.

“Whether starting the food service journey, aiming for bar management and beverage creation, or exploring advanced hospitality management, the Culinary Careers Collaborative program helps students advance careers in the community,” Fairfax City Economic Development Programs Manager Tara Borwey said.