Something Is Cooking At The WACTC

The smell of freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies wafts through the student kitchen at the (WACTC.) Something is always cooking here, thanks, in part, to Chef Suzanne Marsella.

Marsella began as a “culinary arts teacher on a cart” eight years ago, before space and equipment were allocated for the combined culinary arts and baking and pastry program that she started at WACTC.

At age 13, younger than the students she teaches, Marsella knew she wanted to be a chef. She owned Marsella’s Bakery before she started teaching.

After teaching for two years at Woonsocket High School, Marsella taught for two years at WACTC without a kitchen. “We did not have an oven. We had a refrigerator and burners,” she said. Even with limited resources, the students managed to whip up a variety of dishes.

Then generously donated gently used kitchen equipment to WACTC, and the program began to realize its full potential. That was four years ago. “We’re up and running now,” said Marsella, smiling.

2011 marks the fifth year of graduating seniors in the culinary arts program and the third year of graduating seniors in the baking and pastry program.

And just a couple weeks ago, Chef Tom Lannan was hired as a baking instructor, bringing 50 years of baking experience to the program.

“I worked around the world,” said Lannan, who worked as a chef on military bases in Japan, Korea and Spain for nine years.

Community service efforts and fundraising have become an integral part of the program. As part of the in Woonsocket, the students prepared food for the soup kitchen and the “Rice around the World” dishes.

“We cooked for 200 people in the morning and 400 people at Stadium Theatre,” said Marsella.

The program also recently became accredited by the American Culinary Federation, which involved an extensive application process and site visits.

The accreditation means that the program has achieved industry standards “as a quality culinary arts program,” said Marsella.

“We will follow a lot of their guidelines,” she added. Students will now be required to complete a certain number lab hours and theory hours.

While most of the 500 students who attend WACTC live in Woonsocket, others come from Burrillville, Cumberland and North Smithfield to complete a two year certificate of participation or the full three year certificate of completion. The programs include automotive technology, biotechnology, child students and human services, construction technology, digital media, graphics and printing, health careers, culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, hospitality/tourism and information technology and game design.

After graduation, “a lot of [the students] have gone onto Johnson and Wales University (JWU),” said Marsella. Other students have chosen to enter the armed forces or a two year community college.

Not only does the WACTC’s program teach the culinary and baking basics, it teaches “good work habits and communication skills,” said Marsella. Working in teams to complete a common goal is a skill the students will use for the rest of their lives.

“In a real life hotel or kitchen they have to work together,” added Lannan.

Aminata Diallo is a senior in the culinary arts program. Her favorite project was when each student had to research and design a menu for a different country. Diallo was assigned Sweden, and made salmon, Swedish slaw and a cucumber inspired dish. Professors from JWU judged the students’ creations.

As to why she chose to study culinary arts, Diallo said, “I grew up around it.”

Her father owned two restaurants in Guinea, Africa, before the family moved to the United States in June 2003.

Another student, Linda St. Germain, transferred to WACTC from Burrillville High School and is currently in her second year in the baking program.

“I was always the girl that would bake cookies and bring them in,” said St. Germain.

Her goal is to attend JWU after graduation. “I want to stay in this field. It’s something I like,” she said.

Time will tell which kitchens or bakeries WACTC’s students will find themselves working in. Though the program is fairly young, the infectious energy and enthusiasm from instructors and students bodes well for the future of the program and its graduates.