WESTFIELD — On Sept. 8, Chef Eric Rogers, Westfield Technical Academy culinary department head, visited the transition services program at its new home at 390 Southampton Road to discuss the commercial kitchen with students and staff.
Special education teacher Carolyn Busiere said there are 24 young men and women in the program this year, and 390 Southampton Road is a great new location. “It’s quite the upgrade,” she said.
The transition program is part of the Westfield Public Schools. It gives students ages 18 to 21 who are still entitled to services the support and opportunity to achieve their goals by offering continuing education opportunities, assistance with employment and workplace readiness, and community-based opportunities and support.
390 Southampton Road is also on the bus route, and several participants said they took the bus to get there. Outside, one student was waiting for a bus to Westfield State University, where he is taking classes.
“Today, Chef Rogers from WTA has been nice enough to train our clients and staff on individual appliances,” Busiere said on Tuesday.
She said many of the students in the program are interested in cooking and have taken culinary courses in high school. Several also work or have worked in kitchens at Shaker Farms, Noble Hospital and Westfield State, and two are in the culinary program at Holyoke Community College and are ServSafe certified.
“We are very into health and wellness. We also have a membership at the YMCA,” Busiere said.
Rogers reviewed kitchen equipment, including safety, cleaning and the purpose of each. He said the commercial gas range was in very good shape. “You can have this looking brand new. The stovetop is working 100%.” He recommended replacing a couple of thermal couplings in the oven before using it.
Rogers asked everyone about the difference between the conventional oven and the electric-powered convection oven, saying the convection oven circulates hot air through the cooking cabinet by using a fan. He recommended leaving the convection oven on auto all the time, because the fan blowing hot air will go off when the door is opened
“Anything stainless steel will be hot when the appliance is on,” Rogers said. “Always take your time, no rush. Always say the oven door is open, so people around you know.”
Rogers took note of supplies he could share from WTA, such as extra sheet pans and gallon jugs of detergent. He said he would forward teaching videos to Busiere and could teach ServSafe himself.
Rogers said safety comes first. “When working with a gas or electric range, think safety. When you’re working with a gas range, you have to always be prepared,” he said, going over the two different fire extinguishers in the kitchen and which one to use for a grease fire.
Rogers told staff they needed kitchen signs available to download from the National Restaurant Association website; the signs can then be laminated and posted, such as caution signs, handwashing guidelines and internal cooking temperatures. He said they also needed soap and sanitizer buckets.
Special education supervisor Darlene Fernandez said Rogers did not hesitate when she asked him to come.
“So many of the students are interested in cooking. It’s a perfect collaboration,” said Westfield High School Principal Charles Jendrysik.
Besides the commercial kitchen, new touchscreen displays for visual learners are being installed. There is an on-site apartment for mastering life skills and budgeting. There is also a community room, a meeting room, a technology room for studying and a recreation room in development.
“We’ll be gardening; we have a large backyard,” Busiere said.
Another great new addition is a van. “We got them a van so they can go out and visit in the community. We worked with Westfield Technical Academy to work that out; it’s one of theirs that wasn’t being used. They saw the importance of the transition program and made it happen. We’re very grateful to them,” Jendrysik said.
“It’s a great facility. The kids are excited. They’re going to have a recreation room. There are so many different opportunities,” Jendrysik said.
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Dining and Cooking