NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Culinary students at McCann Technical School are serving up delicious meals for the community while learning essential skills.

 

The McCann Tea Room opened for its 64th year this fall. It offers a lunch menu to the public twice a month during the school year. Offerings range from baked stuffed shrimp and chicken Parmesan, to soup and salad, and grilled sandwiches. 

 

The students learn essential skills that will aid them in a career in the food industry.

 

"Our students are learning a lot of sanitation and safety skills that they'll carry throughout life. They're learning a work ethic by being in a shop every other week. So they're working almost 30 hours a week. They're working in the restaurant. They're preparing food for a reason," said instructor Melissa King. "So there's deadlines every day that we have to get our production done, so that we have orders like today's restaurant and tomorrow's restaurant, so we had to do double prep for two days in a row. It's important for the students to learn these skills." 

 

King said there are around 40 students currently in the culinary program. Not only does this experience help them prepare for a job but also with the SkillsUSA competition they will have in January.

 

"They practice customer service. They practice waiting. They have to serve with their left hands, clear with their rights, it's strict because in January, they're going to do a Skills competition on it. So this has helped them to practice for it," she said.

 

Patrick Cariddi has been an instructor for more than 30 years and said the program also helps support the local economy.

 

"We're pretty much a tourist-based area, so many of our students that stay in the field go out into the area, and there's plenty of work for them," he said. So it's a good support system for the local restaurants and industry that we have to support the area."

 

Students were serving and preparing meals last week. Fifteen-year-old Bella Jenquin said this is helping her prepare her for owning her own bakery one day.

 

"I would like to do this, because when I grow up, I would like to own a bakery of my own," she said. "I would have to make my own specials, just something I can share with my family recipes out to the public."

 

Another student, 16-year-old Pamela Shute, said working the tea room helps her communicate better.

 

"I feel like I'm doing that because I like it, because it helps me get out of my comfort zone talking to strangers," she said.

 

Fran Heidel was visiting the tea room for the first time with a friend and thinks this is a great learning experience for the students. 

 

The McCann program is the only on in the county to be certified by the American Culinary Federation. Cariddi said they are always looking to improve and recently renovated the kitchen with new equipment, like the range hoods and oven. 

 

"We try and stay on top of what's going on because out in the industry, depending on where you go, some of the local restaurants, we always still represent those with the equipment that they would have," he said. "And then you go to a place like Williams College, which is constantly upgrading, and yet they have equipment like this."

 

The tea room will be open on again on Dec. 9 and 11, and will reopen in February. The menu consists of three appetizers, two entrees, a daily dessert, two sandwiches, and two light meals. 

 

"The students that we have here, really learn a lot, and they seem to really like it and do a nice job. It is a specialty trade, because it does take some skill, and it takes patience and a process. And the students that do come into the program really do learn a lot, and I feel that they can go anywhere they would like to go with our education," Cariddi said.