Central Virginia Community College will break ground on its new culinary arts school, a $2.4 million project aimed at meeting the growing need for trained chefs and food service managers.

The General Assembly appropriated $1.4 million for the project, a modern brick and glass building that will include classroom space and a teaching kitchen. Later this month, the Virginia Tobacco Commission will review a $250,000 grant proposal that would cover equipment costs.
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Four years ago, a group of local business leaders approached CVCC about adding a culinary program, citing a lackluster employment pool for high-quality chefs and restaurant managers.

The executive chef from the country club, said that in six years of hiring experience, the majority of applicants had little more than fast-food experience. "We need more chefs who are trained to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients," he said.