Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, has opened a $1.6 million state-of-the-art culinary lab.
The Daily Herald reports that the project, funded in part through a $750,000 grant from the village, transforms culinary education in High School District 214 by providing students with a learning environment that rivals professional kitchens.
The 2,309-square-foot lab is outfitted with six gas ranges, commercial-grade ovens, mixers, dishwashers, griddles and other industry-standard tools. An adjacent classroom will host lessons and catering events for students to demonstrate their skills.
The culinary lab is tied to a curriculum change in District 214 that will combine the school’s business and entrepreneurship career pathway with the culinary arts pathway. That will enable students to learn all facets of operating a food-related business, from making meals to managing a restaurant to running a catering service.
Besides Elk Grove High, District 214 includes Buffalo Grove, Hersey, Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling high schools.
