The Culinary School

The next culinary class in Milford and Newark begins July 6! Due to COVID-19, the class will meet remotely and in a small in-person group setting.  

Students must be available Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for the training. 

Apply today!

The Culinary School at the Food Bank of Delaware provides valuable job training to adults. The 14-week program includes 12 weeks (daytime hours) of hands-on training in basic and high-end kitchen skills, safe food handling and life skills. For a list of frequently asked questions or information about the student funding process, please click here.

The 12-week training culminates with a two-week paid work experience at a food servicecompany, restaurant or catering company. The school is a certified trade school by the Delaware Department of Education.

The mission of The Culinary School is two-fold. First students are taught skills that are highly desirable to employers in the food industry and second, these newly developed skills have the potential to lead to jobs in the industry that provide job security and economic sustainability.

Under the direction of the Food Bank’s Executive Chef Tim Hunter and Chef Instructor Tish Badamshin students are introduced to a commercial kitchen, learn culinary mathematics, basic cooking techniques, presentation and baking skills, knife handling basics, ServSafe® food safety skills and more.

A Business Advisory Council made up of restaurant owners and food industry leaders helps to implement new programs, advises on curriculum matters and its members serve as expert speakers on culinary and life skills topics

Since the school’s inception, The Culinary School has graduated more than 800 students!

To learn more about The Culinary School, please contact Lisa Grinnage at lgrinnage@fbd.org (302) 292-1305 ext 265 (New Castle County) or contact Ruthann Messick (Kent and Sussex Counties) at rmessick@fbd.org or (302) 424-3301 ext 107.

Interested in sponsoring a student or donating to the program? Please click here!

Thank you to our generous funders: Delaware Department of Labor, Delaware Vocational Rehabilitation, Delaware WONDER, USDA, Barclays, Capital One, Comenity Bank, Chase, Delmarva Power, Matt Haley Trust, State Farm and Wells Fargo

Thank you to our employment/work experience partners!

2 Fat Guys
299 Old School Grill
2 Stones Pub
Abbott’s Grill
Amuse
Applebee’s
Aramark
Arby’s
Astra Zeneca
Au Bon Pain @ Christiana Hospital
Baywood County Club
Boulevard Grill
Brazilian Steakhouse
Brick Works
Buffalo Wild Wings
Café 67
Catherine Rooney’s
Checker’s
Cheesecake Factory
Chef Services/Comcast
Chic Fil A
Christiana Hilton
Cocina LoLo
Cool Springs
Crooked Hammock
Crust & Craft
Delaware Park
Del Pez
Denny’s
Desserts by Dana
DiFebo’s
Dogfish Head
Double Tree
Dover Downs
Drip Café
El Diablo
Embassy Suites
Glass Kitchen
Grain H20
Grandpa Mac’s
Green Turtle
Grotto’s
Harrington Raceway & Casino
Harry’s Hospitality Group
Harry’s Savoy
Hartefeld Golf Club
Homegrown
IHOP
Ingleside
Iron Hill Brewery
Ivy Gabes
Jesus House Conference Center
La Fia
Lefty’s
Lofland Park Center
Maiele
Mariachi Restaurant & Bar
Market Street Bread and Bagel
Milburn Orchard
Milford Elk’s Lodge
Milford Veteran’s Hospital
Outback Steakhouse
Restaurant 55
Rosehill Community Center
Ruby Tuesday
Saladworks
Schafer’s Canal House
Shake Shack
Sheraton
Shop Rite
SoDel Concepts Restaurants
Sodexo (Chase Center)
St. Michaels Daycare
Stewart’s Brewing House
Stitch House Brewery
Stone Balloon
Texas Roadhouse
The Greenery Catering
The Lorelton
Touch of Italy
Touch of Learning
Twisted Soul
WAWA
Wegmans
Westin
Wild Quail Country Club