There’s a new take-out option coming to Langley.
Starting now the public can pre-order gourmet takeout and meal kits crafted by Langley students in the Walnut Grove Secondary Professional Cook program.
Supported by the Industry Training Authority (ITA), the tuition-free Youth Train in Trades Professional Cook 1 (PC1) program allows high school students in the Langley School District to cook with a Red Seal chef, while operating a restaurant.
“Youth Train PC1 is the level one of the professional cook program with [Vancouver Community College], and it’s the level one of the Red Seal program to become a professional chef,” explained Laura Dawe, the VCC chef who teaches the WGSS program.
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VCC tuition is paid by the local district for Langley students registered in the program.
In addition to training alongside a professional chef, students will learn how to operate a restaurant.
“One Season is our restaurant that we’ve opened here at Walnut Grove [Secondary] to have the students do their service component of the program, so part of their teaching in PC1 is to learn cafeteria service to the public,” Dawe explained.
In past years, the public could book reservations at the school’s restaurant, giving the students a chance to interact with paying customers.
“Because we run in the evening here in Walnut Grove, we’ve opened a restaurant for the public to come-in and enjoy our food.”
However, due to current COVID-19 provincial health restrictions, the restaurant has made some temporary changes.
“So this year, instead of having the public come in and dine-in in house, we’re actually offering a fully to-go menu,” said Dawe. “We are doing two meal kits per week, and one three-course menu per week that will be prepared hot and picked up from our guests.”
Although the public won’t be able to dine-in just yet, Dawe said she’s looking forward to working with the students to provide well-rounded meals for the community.
“The meals are definitely health-conscious,” she noted, calling the take-home meal kits “on-trend.”
The week one menu allows people to purchase a three-course meal (minestrone soup, chicken cordon bleu or vegetarian option, and carrot cake) for $18 per person. Or there’s the fix at home meal kit that serves two. People can choose from either the broccoli Alfredo pasta kit, or the kung pao chichen stir fry kit for $18 per kit. The menus are posted online with QR codes.
Week one pre-orders will be ready for pick-up March 30. Payment (cash, debit and Apple/Android Pay) will be taken at time of pick-up, and credit cards will not be accepted. Questions can be emailed to oneseasonatwgss@sd35.bc.ca.
“These students are your future chefs in this industry… They are Grade 12 students that are working until 7:30 [p.m.], Monday to Thursday every week to work towards their education and to get that head start, so I think they’re the kids that need to be supported through this process,” Dawe said.
For more details visit www.wgss.ca/programs-courses/one-season-restaurant.
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WGSS Professional Cook Program students and staff set-up a pick-up counter as part of One Season Restaurant. (Langley School District/Special to the Langley Advance Times)
