Culinary "Pairing"

Culinary “Pairing”

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Dan Thiessen, Director of the Wine Country Culinary Institute at Walla Walla Community College, is proud of the work he and his students have done in the year and a half since he was appointed director, and they have reason to be. Together they are creating not only a world class culinary program, but a desirable “product”, in the form of well skilled culinary graduates that will go on to do great things within the food industry. Thiessen talks about what makes the college’s culinary program stand out.

THIESSEN: We’re right here in the mecca of agriculture - both commodity and grapes and everything, and so that’s kind of what we embrace. Students that graduate from here have an opportunity to work with a lot of wine makers’ dinners, get involved in the smaller community with the local growers and get an understanding of that - working hand in hand with wine makers and growers themselves.

Thiessen shares one way he and his students are “pairing” the culinary program with local producers.

THIESSEN: We’re working on a signature le vache cracker that could be featured in the tasting rooms, for example, of the wineries here in Walla Walla, and it is produced by students. So, instead of getting just a regular cracker, or what have you, we’ve got a locally student produced Walla Walla sweet onion le vache cracker that patrons can sample in between their wine tastings. And then in turn, have that be a branded product that they’re able to take home that represents our culinary program.

Tomorrow Thiessen will tell more about unique opportunities for students that attend the Wine Country Culinary Institute, as well as opportunities the program provides for locals and tourists who want to improve their culinary skills.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.