League Reaffirmation - Johnson County Community College

Five students from JCCC traveled to St. Augustine, Fla.,
in January 2006 to compete in the American Culinary
Federation’s Winterfest 2006 competition. The team
returned to Kansas with a gold medal for the Student
Hot (foods) Team competition.
In September 2004 the culinary team was the overall
winner and best of show with a silver medal in the
Festival Gastronomic Guatemala. The JCCC team was
the only U.S. team invited to participate in the junior
chef team competition. Student Chris Eis was named
the American Culinary Federation Student Culinarian
of the Year for the central region at the ACF regional
conference.
In April 2008, the culinary team travels to Singapore
for its next international competition.
Sustainable agriculture
One of JCCC’s newest programs is in sustainable
agriculture (market farming) entrepreneurship.
Consumer demand for locally grown food is increasing,
spurred by concerns about food quality, safety and the
sustainability of the U.S. food system. Such demand is
encouraged by chefs who recognize the importance
of freshness and a connection with farmers and the
land. This demand is not currently met, however, largely
due to the structure of the food system, which relies
on efficiencies of scale and centralized production
and distribution.
Nevertheless, opportunities to successfully respond
to the demand for local food are on the rise with
continuing development of market outlets, including
farmers markets; farm stands; community­supported
agriculture; online cooperatives; and grocery stores,
institutional dining services and restaurants that
feature local products.
JCCC’s sustainable agriculture (market farming)
entrepreneurship program helps students realize their
dream of opening their own sustainable agriculture
business. Farmers who grow produce on the side,
depending on crops like wheat or soybeans for the
bulk of their livelihood, can learn how to develop
a sustainable agriculture business based upon that
produce.
This program is a partnership among JCCC’s
hospitality management, horticulture and
entrepreneurship programs and Kansas State
University. Three semester­long practicum courses
require the student to work at K­State’s Horticulture
Research and Extension Center in Olathe, Kan.
Culinary initiatives
New culinary initiatives for spring 2008 include a
master chef series that brings master chefs (including
JCCC’s own graduates) to campus for demonstrations
and dinners, a “Cooking with Class” series of culinary
videos shown on the JCCC cable channel, and an
“edible schoolyard” program to be piloted at the
college’s Hiersteiner Child Development Center, where
the children in the center will learn to grow the fruits
and vegetables that will be used to prepare their meals.
“Each year, JCCC’s hospitality management and chef apprenticeship programs produce well­trained
graduates who are ready and able to participate in the dynamic food, lodging and entertainment
industries in the Kansas City area and throughout the nation. Graduates work as managers in the city’s
top hotels, head chefs at local restaurants, and pastry chefs for country clubs. Their award­winning
culinary teams travel the globe to participate in – and usually win – culinary competitions, and the
competitors come home to brighten the city’s restaurant scene.”
– David Wysong, Kansas senator
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