The Clemente Culinary Arts program strives to be the best in the city. To that end, we are committed to having our graduates thoroughly versed in not only basic cooking skills, but employability and citizenship skills as well. We endeavor to have our students be college- and/or career-ready when they leave our program. We offer opportunities for job shadows, internships, scholarships, and job placement. The program boasts two industry experienced chefs, each with teaching awards from the National Restaurant Association.

Course name and description

Introduction to Hospitality and Culinary Arts (10th grade)
This course is designed to give an overview to the hospitality industry while beginning the students’ preparation for college and career after high school. Students are taught the fundamentals of cooking, customer service, and job readiness training, as well as career and college interest with portfolio creation.

Advanced Culinary Arts I (11th grade)
During this course, the students will continue work on their career portfolios while delving deeper into college preparation by looking at cost, fit, and feasibility. They will also draw on lessons learned in the intro course to begin using fundamental cooking methods, techniques and flavor profiles to create more complex dishes. They will also begin preparing for competitions, job shadows, and internships.

Advanced Culinary Arts II (12th grade)
Students will fine-tune the portfolios they have created and finalize their post-secondary plans, whether or not they relate to the hospitality industry. They will also utilize the cooking techniques and knowledge they have acquired to create their own menus while exploring various cultures from around the world. During this course they will also be exploring more advanced techniques in baking and pastry as well as the culinary arts. They will participate in a city-wide capstone project and be given the opportunity to explore and obtain internships.

Facilities used:
• 2 full, professional-grade kitchens
• Dining room
• Two computer labs

Partnerships with:
• Career through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP)
• National Restaurant Association
• Illinois Restaurant Association
• Healthy Schools Campaign

Recent awards, honors, scholarships, etc.
• Culinary Scholarships totaling over $300,000 over the past three years
• Job placements with Kasia’s Deli, Rick Bayless, Stephanie Izard
• 3 seniors awarded full or partial tution scholarship through C-CAP competition in 2015

Past C-CAP Scholarship Winners Class of 2015
• Shantel Lane (Culinary Institute of America)
• Erica Hernandez (St. Augustine)
• Hannia Vidals (general education funding)

Class of 2014
• Bianca Huerta (Kendall College)
•Christina Rivera (Joliet Junior College)

Admissions Information: Culinary Arts – CTE Lottery Academy
Eligible students can apply online at apply.cps.edu. Students will be randomly selected by computerized lottery.Class of 2021 application process open on October 3rd and closes on December 9th.

Note: Attendance-area students who wish to reserve a seat in Culinary Arts should formally apply for the program, even if they have automatic admission to general education at Clemente.