Arlington, VA — The DMV region has been plagued by a shortage of restaurant staff. Maria Kopsidas created a state-approved solution to this problem in the form of the Metropolitan Culinary Arts Institute (MCAI)’s culinary arts program. MCAI’s culinary program is approved by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), meeting its standards to advocate and promote the development and operation of an educationally and economically sound, vigorous, progressive and coordinated higher education system in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
According to Kopsidas, it has always been Cookology’s mission to bring people together to teach them how to cook and join in fellowship and community over food. Kopsidas and her team began creating the curriculum for MCAI in 2018. The lack of affordable training opportunities strained the food industry, as fewer people chose to work in restaurants. Such was the case for their working chefs who struggled to pay their culinary school tuition loans from CIA and Johnson & Wales, effectively preventing them from living within their means. Through MCAI, Maria Kopsidas has created a local, affordable solution that will give aspiring chefs the training they need and connections to employers immediately.
MCAI’s program is scheduled to start on January 16, 2023. Applicants can select between two different programs that best suit their schedules. MCAI offers a 14-week program that runs from Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $15,500; and a 24-week program that runs from Monday through Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays for $18,800.
MCAI’s courses has been designed using the National Restaurant Association textbook guide and are all recipe-based and hands-on which includes:
– Safe Operation and Hygiene
– Garde Manger and Sauces
– Cooking Methods
– Meats and Poultry
– Eggs, Dairy and Starches
– Food Service Operations
– Baking and Pastry
– French Cuisine
– Asian and Middle East
– Americas
– Sustainability, Nutrition and Dietary Restrictions
– Open For Business
All of MCAI’s classes will be held in the Ballston quarter Mall, location 4238 Wilson Blvd., Suite 3110, Arlington, Virginia, 22203
For more information, visit Metroculinaryarts.com or call (703) 433 – 1909
About MCAI
Since 2019, MCAI has been providing professional culinary training for the restaurant and food service industry. Facebook, Instagram
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