Culinary students don’t like seeing area impacted in recent program cuts

Culinary students at Algonquin College don’t like seeing administrators target their discipline in recent program cuts.

The board of governors in March agreed with a recommendation to suspend the honours bachelor of culinary arts and food science program, one of 30 programs cut across the college.

The diploma program in culinary management and certificate program in culinary skills remain.

Culinary students worry about what the program cuts mean for future students.

“People should get to do those programs, and it sucks that they’re getting removed. And then there’s less opportunities for education here,” said Victoria Champion, a second-level Algonquin College student in the culinary management program.

Another student defended the culinary programs and students’ passion for their work.

“It’s a part of our course to get out in the industry, and most of us do that by working in the cafeteria and providing food for other students,” said Jaiydn Clarke, a second-level Algonquin College student in the culinary management program.

“It’s very important. It just shows how student-oriented our school it is. It’s very important to the other students as well, seeing their friends make their food or we know the quality of it is going to be good.”

Clarke said the culinary program is more than academics.

“At Algonquin, we have a big, friendly community with all of us and taking that away from us, it’s you’re taking away our community. You’re taking away our friends and everything else that the culinary programs bring into this college,” said Clarke.

Students aren’t the only ones shocked by the recent program cuts.

Matthew Shepherd, a culinary arts and food science professor, says the impact could go beyond the programs that have been cut.

“There is potential negative impact on students who are considering the program. If they feel like the course or the program that they’re taking is no longer offered, then they might be hesitant to sign up for it,” said Shepherd, who teaches in the honours bachelor of culinary arts and food science program.

While the situation seems negative, Shepherd offers a different point of view.

“There’s many programs within our department that have been affected by this. Our culinary department, along with the baking courses of programs, are getting a bit of a retooling,” said Shepherd.

“It’s an opportunity to protect and safeguard our programs so that they are viable and sustainable for the future, as opposed to being completely wiped off of the table.”