Downtown Raleigh café A Place at the Table has been known for feeding those who cannot afford a meal. Now, thanks to a partnership with Wake Tech, the café's kitchen will help train workers for a food industry that is desperate for help.
As restrictions to protect against the spread of COVID-19 have been lifted, demand for a night out has soared, and many in the industry are finding it difficult to fully staff their businesses.
We know that our restaurants were hit especially hard during the pandemic, and we want to rally around them in their comeback.
In the partnership, Wake Technical Community College will offer basic culinary and baking instruction in the kitchen of A Place at the Table, which is led by executive director Maggie Kane.
"We know that our restaurants were hit especially hard during the pandemic," Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls said during an announcement of the partnership. "And we want to rally around them in their comeback. We appreciate Maggie Kane opening the kitchens of A Place at the Table for our classes, which will help bring more skilled workers into the hospitality industry."
Just as meals are free to those in need, these courses will be offered free of charge. During the pandemic, the downtown café gave away thousands of meals, including 15,000 in the first three months.
"The pandemic was wild for us, but our team is awesome and held strong," said Kane. "We are so excited about our partnership with Wake Tech and can't wait to meet these awesome culinary students."