PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The aroma of fresh-baked blueberry muffins wafted from Room 408 at Pennsauken High School Wednesday morning. That's where 59 students are attending a new four-year bakery program established through a partnership between the school and Pennsauken-based bakery supplier Puratos USA.
It's the seventh baking school worldwide and the first in the U.S. opened by Puratos, a Belgian manufacturer of bakery ingredients. Pennsauken Schools Superintendent Ronnie Tarchichi said Puratos has invested about $400,000 to establish the bakery school.
"We're a Title I district. A lot of our students are students in need," Tarchichi told KYW Newsradio. "It's nice to see our students in need getting these types of opportunities."
"Part of our purpose is delivering on commitments to the next generation," Puratos Vice President of Marketing Jaina Wald told KYW Newsradio. The bakery school, she explained, is a way to build a pipeline of prospective employees.
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"We want to ensure a sustainable future for baking," she said, "and right now it's hard to sometimes find skilled bakers."
Some graduates land jobs at Puratos and others work in other sectors of the industry, said Wald. "We certainly take on a number of students. Other students go on to form their own either bakeries or patisserie shops," she said.
Students donned red aprons and stood among the state-of-the-art ovens, mixers and baking equipment in the newly-renovated classroom. They listened intently as their instructor, chef Kendall Elliott, taught them about the parts of a grain of wheat.
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In the first year of the program, Elliott said, students learn the art and science of baking breads and rolls. Cookies, pies and pastries are taught in the second year. "By year four, these students, these students will know how to make wedding cakes," he said.
"Some of our students have already completed two years in the culinary – the hot foods. And now they want to do a year or two in baking," he added.
High school senior Mariangelica Navichoque already works at Panera Bread, and she wants to expand her skills. "My mama wants to make a restaurant, so I want to help her out too," she said."
The bakery school joins welding, carpentry and other offerings in Pennsauken's career and technical education program.
