Culinary School Graduation!

Congratulations to the graduating students

of Stone Soup Culinary Institute!

Left to right: Christina, Scott, Chef Instructor Aimee, Chef Instructor Brandon, Dan, Wiley, and Marie!

We're so proud of the five students who successfully completed their 12-week coursework at the Stone Soup Culinary Institute.

Students gathered with their families and friends this week at Hope and Olive to celebrate their graduation. Certificates were awarded, parting gifts were shared, and thanks were extended to all the people who supported students and teachers over these past few months.

The students showcased their incredible culinary talents and collaborative efforts with a stunning Capstone Luncheon last week (see the pictures below!).

We will miss seeing the students Dan, Christina, Wiley, Marie, and Scott at the Café every week. We wish them all the best in all the places they go from here. We hope they will stay connected as volunteers and guests at the Café.

"The Culinary Institute has been a light in my life for the past twelve weeks. Working with Brandon brought joy to each day. The cohort was an incredible group of students that really dug-in, bringing a great balance of fun and seriousness to the glorious local ingredients we used to cook with each week. It was a beautiful time of growth for all of us." ~ Chef Instructor Aimee Francaes

"This program was an uplifting, rewarding experience with wonderful people and food... one of the highlights of my life! So glad I could be a part of the food community and hope to continue to." ~ Scott R Jackman, Culinary School Graduate

"My experience was amazing. It was far more challenging than I had anticipated and, for that reason, all the more rewarding. I enjoyed the routine of the day-to-day work and the communication with everyone on the team. As I became more familiar with the tools and the space I gained a higher level of competency in a working kitchen. I appreciated Brandon and Aimee, our co-instructors for how prepared they were for each day's lessons, how thoughtful and present they were - providing clear instructions and lessons for each day. It was a fantastic experience and I would recommend it to anyone."

~ Dan Butler, Culinary School Graduate

Help us continue this incredible work!