OCALA, FL. – FDC culinary inmate-students will demonstrate cooking abilities in a culinary arts training competition.

Release:

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) announces the 2022 Culinary Arts Training Competition hosted by Lowell CI. Inmate-students from four culinary certification programs have formed teams to demonstrate their cooking knowledge and creative abilities in a statewide competition.

Male and female inmates from Lowell CI, Lancaster CI, Madison CI, and Quincy Annex culinary programs facilitated internal competitions at each institution which determined the team members selected to participate. Each team will showcase their preparation and presentation of a unique meal and dessert to be scored by a diverse team of industry leading judges with backgrounds in the education of culinary arts and hospitality.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs such as culinary arts provide inmates with training opportunities to assist them with obtaining gainful employment upon release, leading to a successful re-entry into their local communities. The statewide culinary arts competition aims to reinforce one’s ability to seek and receive feedback and constructive criticism, engage in a healthy activity and creatively express oneself within a set of rules and expectations.

FDC leaders and industry leading guest judges will be in attendance. Judges include Jacqui Pressinger, American Culinary Federation, Inc.; Antonio Murillo, BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.; and Justin Patrick Timineri, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.