Culinary Job Training

The Culinary Job Training Program (CJTP) is an eleven-week hands-on program taught by professional chefs, a job placement counselor and a case manager. Men and women with severe life challenges are prepared for careers in food service.

History and Goals

• Launched in 1998 to offer cooked food to our agencies that could not utilize raw products 
• Provide an opportunity for people in the soup lines and shelters to break the cycles of poverty
• The goal of CJTP is to help students become self-sufficient by obtaining meaningful employment in a food service position with a living wage

Job Placement

CJTP help our graduates obtain and keep meainingful employment with over 60 employer-contacts in the Triangle

Volunteers

CJTP depends on volunteers from the Triangle Chefs Association, Wake Tech's Culinary School, and certified sanitation instructors who work with the students preparing food. Wake County Human Services and similar agencies play a role in the selection process as well as aiding in the training and teaching of life skills and support. Contact terri@foodshuttle.org for more information.

CJTP Students Receive

• Instruction in knife skills, equipment identification and cooking terminology
• Hands-on cooking experience including cooking techniques, stocks, sauces, soups, salads, yeast breads and quickbreads
• ServSafe food safety and sanitation instruction
• Life and employment skills, stress management, a sexual harassment seminar and basic nutrition

Food Sources and Meal Recipients

40,000+ lbs. of food from a variety of donors are available weekly for CJTP from IFFS Food Recovery. Students learn to convert this food into hundreds of nutritious, well-balanced meals, which are then delivered to local soup kitchens and childrens programs. This helps these small non-profits target their limited funds for services rather than food.

For admission requirements and application please see links to forms on the right of this page.  If you have additional questions please contact Sharon Mitchell at      (919)-250-0043 ext 3882.