This content was published: August 10, 2015. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Southeast Campus, Community Education enjoy new kitchen
By Rebecca Olson and Katherine Miller. Photos by Vern Uyetake.
With a newly renovated space for cooking classes and food preparation, Portland Community College’s Southeast Campus now offers aspiring cooks and seasoned taste-testers alike everything and the kitchen sink!
The new space offers students the use of three stoves, a large refrigerator and separate freezer, warming oven, sinks, dishwasher, ice machine, and stainless steel preparation tables.
“PCC currently holds a variety of cooking classes all over the Portland metro area, but the kitchens are often small community kitchens that are not set up for teaching, or learning and are often difficult to schedule across multiple uses and groups,” said Rachael Pecore-Valdez, Home and Garden coordinator for the Community Education Program.
“We are thrilled to have a teaching kitchen on campus and be able to serve more students with delicious opportunities to learn about cuisines from around the world,” she added.
The 1,000-square-foot kitchen adjoins the Community Hall Annex on the Southeast Campus and has been renovated with features designed to enhance cooking instruction.
The new space offers students the use of three stoves, a large refrigerator and separate freezer, warming oven, sinks, dishwasher, ice machine, and stainless steel preparation tables. A large mirror hangs above the prep area to allow for better visibility. Much of the equipment in the kitchen – such as the refrigerator and freezer – is both restaurant-grade and used.
“Most importantly, there is a lot of counter space and a large prep area for students,” Pecore-Valdez said. “There’s enough room for everyone to learn, chop, stir—and eat!”
This fall, the kitchen will come alive with classes in Mexican cooking, Cuban cuisine, European one-pot meals, holiday cookies, Japanese Bento-making, seasonal soups, and others.
The renovation and new equipment were funded by the 2008 voter-approved bond measure. With help from it’s Bond Program, PCC renovated the space with students from the community in mind, selecting high-quality used materials to save costs and repurpose equipment formally used by restaurants for educational purposes.
When community education classes are not in session, the space will be used by PCC’s Food Services to prepare food to cater college and community meals and events.
To find cooking classes in the new learning kitchen, turn visit pcc.edu/communityed.
How exciting…hands on learning, can’t wait!
I took one look and must say those ladies need gloves and hair nets. I don’t want their “hands on” my food.!
Awesome!!! What a great addition to the PCC experience. PDX has needed this for years!!!!!
Just an fyi for folks looking for cooking classes, they are under the ‘Home and Garden’ section here: http://www.pcc.edu/community/home-garden.cfm
This is a wonderful addition to the CE rainbow of classes!
As a potential cooking instructor I’m curious about the prep and clean up times before and after class.
Can I take a tour of the kitchen to see it’s capabilities?
Do students bring their own knives? If not does PCC hire a knife sharpening service to come in?…etc…
Richard
I hope that this replaced the Aramark foods on campus!It would be great to have a food service that actually cares about the dietary needs and the welfare of the community while simultaneously teaching important skills such as cooking and nutrition.
Janice, look at any professional cooking establishment that is anything close to high end and you won’t see a hair net or gloves. By law they must only wear gloves when touch rtef (ready to eat foods.)
So that classes are only one session(one day), correct?
There is no Aramark Food Service on any PCC Campus. Food Service is run by PCC which employs students.