Holmes offers new culinary courses
As the fall semester draws near, Holmes Community College in Ridgeland is looking forward to their first semester of a brand new culinary arts program.
Chef Alexei Harrison will be the instructor. She has spent much of her career in culinary education since she graduated from the Mississippi University for Women in 2003. She said she looks forward to starting class on August 17.
“As far as I know the program is full steam ahead for the fall,” Harrison said.
This will not be Harrison’s first startup class, she helped East Central Community College start their culinary arts program after she got her masters at the University of Alabama. She has also worked at MUW for the past ten years teaching culinary classes, commuting to Columbus from Ridgeland.
“We really want to build a strong program here and feed students directly into the food scene surrounding the capital,” Harrison said.
Recently, Harrison said she had six students signed up and knew of several in the registration process. She said they hope to have about 10 students in their first semester. Harrison’s supervisor, Holmes Community College Director of Professional Studies Larry Webster, said they could accommodate a full class of 20 students.
“This program will aim to provide a foundation in the methods and the science of cooking,” Webster said. “This will include exposure to a variety of national and international cuisines as well as courses on baking and pastry making.”
Class will be held across the street from the Holmes CC Ridgeland campus at Sunnybrook Children’s Home. Classes will be held Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The 60-hour program will offer intermediate certifications at 30 and 45 hours respectively. Students will also have the opportunity to complete their Serve Safe certification.
Harrison said she is looking into offering other certifications. Harrison said she has been researching kitchen procedures for dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have done some research and have found a bunch of good resources online,” Harrison said.
The program hopes to be able to expand into hotel and hospitality management offerings as well.
“I think these programs at the community college level are wonderful and really make culinary arts accessible to everyone,” Harrison said.
Webster said that they saw a need for culinary instruction in the area. Harrison said that she hoped students would benefit from the vibrant culinary scene in the area and hopes to have a variety of chefs, bakers and restaurateurs in the area do demonstrations for her class.
“There are so many great restaurants in the metro area,” Harrison said. I would be willing to have anyone that wants to come do a demonstration. Anything to connect my students to some real experience.”
Harrison said that she wants her classes to be hands-on.
“I really hate just giving a lecture,” Harrison said. “Even if the class that day is theory-heavy I want to have something the students can do or something we can show them while I am talking.”
Other opportunities to offer hands-on experience will be Skills USA competitions. Holmes students already compete in Skills USA competitions in other fields.
“I hope we have a competitive team within our first year or two,” Harrison said.
Harrison’s students will also have to cook and serve food for a number of events on campus like the Welty Gala and school homecoming reception.
Registration for the fall is still open at the Holmes Community College website.