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National School Accepting Applicants to Explore Colorado’s Bounty

Culinary School of the Rockies is recruiting students nationwide to participate in its newly created “Farm to Table” Culinary Arts Program, an industry-pioneering opportunity for aspiring cooks and chefs to combine culinary know-how with a deep understanding of ways to source and use local ingredients. This innovative and environmentally sensitive program responds to the growing demand from restaurant consumers who are asking for more locally grown menu items.

Anyone interested in pursing a culinary career can apply online at www.culinaryschoolrockies.com for this six-month intensive Culinary Arts Program, which includes a five-week immersion on the farms and in the kitchens of both Colorado’s North Fork Valley and Boulder County.  Only 16 students will be accepted into the groundbreaking program, scheduled from July through December 2008.

“The farm-to-table concept is not a passing trend in the culinary arts. It is a lasting cultural shift,” said Joan Brett, director and founder of Culinary School of the Rockies. “We want our students to respect and understand the intricacies and challenges of sourcing and serving local food, while savoring the freshest ingredients available.”

To build the Farm to Table curriculum, Culinary School of the Rockies’ faculty has incorporated their long-standing relationships with Colorado producers to give students hands-on experience with the source of their ingredients. Through an internship, students will learn the essentials of cooking with seasonal ingredients and, just as importantly, will develop intimate working partnerships with producers.

The Farm to Table Program is new to Culinary School of the Rockies, but the program’s philosophy is a natural extension of the school's values. Since its founding in 1991, the school has kept a “green commitment” by sourcing local, fresh products and ingredients when available for its programs and recycling and composting its waste products year-round.

The Farm to Table Program complements Culinary School of the Rockies’ current offerings including the school’s Culinary Arts Program to France, the only program nationwide to require a four-week intensive study in France. The school also features a part-time Chef Track Program and a Pastry Arts Program.

“France is a traditional choice for culinary education,” said Brett. “But Colorado’s Western Slope offers a bounty of ingredients and an amazing educational opportunity. Most of us, including Coloradans, don’t realize we live in the ‘bread basket of the West.’”

For more information about Culinary School of the Rockies and its Farm to Table Culinary Arts Program, visit www.culinaryschoolrockies.com.