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Patrons enjoyed the meals prepared by the students in the Culinary Arts Program during
the grand opening of the Arbor Restaurant.
Main Street, in Newton, NJ, is bustling with activity with the addition of the Sussex County Community College Culinary Institute at the McGuire Technical Education Center.
Passersby can enjoy the irresistible aroma of freshly baked goods as they step inside the new Arbor Bake Shop. Students from the Baking and Pastry Arts program show off their talents as they prepare a mix of fresh pastries and freshly brewed coffee and tea throughout the semester. The Bake Shop is open to the public on Friday mornings during the semester from 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Along with the Bake Shop, the College held the Grand Opening for its new Arbor Restaurant on Friday, November 10th, to a packed house. Students from the Culinary Arts program held center stage as they prepared delicious lunch selections for patrons to enjoy.
The students will cook international cuisine from different regions, such as Italian, French, Middle Eastern, and American. Seating for the Restaurant is by reservation only at sussex.edu/arbor.
The Restaurant and Bake Shop are run by the Culinary Institute, which opened in the fall of 2022. Program Supervisor Martin Kester was instrumental in the planning and preparation of the Institute. His experience as a chef helped him bring his vision of the space to life.
"We are able to bring the public to the Culinary Institute for cooking demonstrations, the bakeshop pastries, and now for lunch and dinner at the Arbor Restaurant,” Kester remarked. "This will allow students in the program to gain the hands-on experience they need to be successful in these programs."
With a limited number of schools that offer a Culinary Arts program in New Jersey, Kester felt this would be a great opportunity to advance the program's enrollment. Students in these programs can also benefit from internship programs at restaurants in the area.
Kester works with Baldor's 250 program and closely with the Agricultural Business and Horticultural Science programs on the SCCC campus for his food supply. Erin Shroll, faculty supervisor, provides fresh herbs, potatoes, vegetables, and some greens that are used at the Institute. The student farm also produces food for consumption. The restaurant then returns the scraps of produce to the horticultural program for a working composting project.
The Sussex County Economic Development Partnership (SCEDP) recently presented the McGuire Technical Education Center with the Economic Innovation Award. The award is given to a business or entity that has successfully created new and innovative solutions to support economic development efforts.
The SCCC's Culinary Institute offers A.A.S. degrees and one-year certificate programs in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, and Hotel/Restaurant Management Programs to prepare students for the next step in securing a career.
To learn more, please contact SCCC admissions@sussex.edu or 973-300-2223.
