SGTC Culinary Arts students gain valuable experience catering the Foundation Donor Dinner

April 20, 2018
Shown above are SGTC Dean of Academic Affairs over Culinary Arts Dr. David Finley and Culinary Arts Instructor Ricky Watzlowick with the Americus and Crisp County Center Culinary Arts students who helped prepare and serve at the South Georgia Technical College Foundation Donor Appreciation Dinner recently.
Shown above are SGTC Dean of Academic Affairs over Culinary Arts Dr. David Finley and Culinary Arts Instructor Ricky Watzlowick with the Americus and Crisp County Center Culinary Arts students who helped prepare and serve at the South Georgia Technical College Foundation Donor Appreciation Dinner recently.

The South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) Culinary Arts students from the Americus and Crisp County Center campuses gained valuable practical experience by catering the South Georgia Technical College Foundation annual Donor Appreciation Dinner in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the Americus South Georgia Technical College campus recently. Approximately 200 guests attended the event.

“On behalf of South Georgia Technical College and the South Georgia Technical College Foundation, I would like to thank Culinary Arts Instructors Ricky Watzlowick and Dean of Academic Affairs over Culinary Arts Dr. David Finley as well as their staff, and students for providing an excellent meal and service for this very important event,” said SGTC President Dr. John Watford.

Dr. Watford then revealed that the South Georgia Technical College Culinary Arts degree program had been singled out by Schools.com as the top ranked Culinary Arts program for two and four year colleges in the United States for 2017 – 2018. This was based on graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio, flexibility, cost of tuition and fees, institutional spending and the size of the program. After he made that announcement he asked the Culinary Arts instructors and students to come out and be recognized for this accomplishment.

Each year, the South Georgia Technical College Culinary Arts students under the guidance of their instructors cater the Foundation Donor Appreciation event. This year’s menu included: a tossed salad, slow roasted prime rib with au jus, Rosemary mashed potatoes, fried green beans, rolls, and ten different desserts. The deserts included: Bacon Maple Cheesecake, New York Cheesecake, Bete Noire, Red Velvet Cake, Banana Pudding Cake, Mexican Chocolate Cake, Mirror Glazed Cake, Key Lime Mousse, and Blueberry Mousse.

Former Culinary Arts Instructor Dr. David Finley, who is now the Dean of Academic Affairs over the Culinary Arts program, announced the menu prior to the meal and introduced each of the instructors to the guests.

The students and their instructors prepared the menu, recipes, created a budget, purchased the food and supplies, prepared the food, and then served their guests at the Donor Appreciation Dinner.

“Our culinary arts department did an outstanding job of overseeing and preparing our culinary arts students for this showcase event,” said Su Ann Bird, Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for the college. “This is just one example of the quality of students that our instructors educate and train for our workforce. We certainly appreciate the instructors and their students for allowing the Foundation to showcase their skills in this manner each year.”