RCC Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center: Encouraging Hospitality

For lovers of the hit television show The Bear, Rockland Community College is offering classes that will have you saying “Yes, chef!”. These “Culinary Enthusiast” programs, which began in 2018, welcome all skill levels – including those who aren’t quite sure what end of the knife to use. 

Mark Davidoff, the Director of the Rockland Community College Hospitality & Culinary Arts Center and Foodservice, manages the facility and community programming. The more one speaks with Davidoff, however, the more one realizes how much more goes into his role. 

Perhaps Davidoff’s most important responsibility is attending each one of the Culinary Enthusiast programs. The classes take place in the aptly named teaching kitchen and kick off with premade appetizers. The gleaming silver stations immediately inspire feelings of excitement and anticipation, and, for some, the desire to slap on a dark blue apron and start calling people ‘cousin’.

Each of the ten stations come equipped with everything a budding chef needs. “We provide you with all of the mise en place for every recipe,” says Davidoff. The mise en place, which translates to “putting in place” or “gathering”, includes all of the ingredients in different stages of preparation. Davidoff provided an onion as an example – depending on the class, attendees might be given a pre-chopped or whole onion. If the onion is whole, part of the class will then be learning how to properly chop an onion. “The beautiful thing about doing it here is you get hands-on experience,” stated Davidoff. 

Atop the stations are televisions that are available as an option to display what the head chef is doing on the demonstration line at the head of the teaching kitchen. With the enthusiast classes, however, the group is small enough that attendees usually group up around the demonstration line. 

These classes run the gamut of flavors, from a Pizza Rustica Class, to Babka and Rugelach, Kreyol Catering, and a Chillin’ and Grillin’ class. Davidoff shared that many attendees come as a fun date night, with a friend, or even with their children, creating a convivial atmosphere. The fact that these classes are BYOB might also be of help in creating this merry atmosphere. 

It’s not just Davidoff that finds the classes fun. According to surveys that asked participants to rate the classes, almost all responses were in the highest ranking possible at “Excellent”, and a small number responding with the second highest rate of “Very Good”. 

The enthusiast classes take place on 70 Main Street in Nyack. This is also the host of the RCC Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center, which was rated by Chef’s Pencil as one of the top ten culinary arts programs in New York. 

Following the evening of cooking, participants are able to go home with not only newfound wisdom but a delicious meal to enjoy. The classes can easily accommodate allergies with prior notice. 

Below the teaching kitchen on Main Street is Rising Above Bakery, a bakery that works to provide developmentally delayed or disabled individuals with an outlet to grow their skills and self confidence. Rising Above currently utilizes the RCC space Tuesday through Friday. Davidoff resolutely stated that Rising Above produces “…some of the best sourdough bread you will ever have in your life!”. The bakery also makes pastries and baked goods, and is open to the public. 

What makes the Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center special for those interested in getting involved is that everyone working there, whether in the classroom or in the enthusiast program, are industry professionals. They have spent their lives in the industry, and they are eager to share their knowledge and experience with all students who walk through the green doors of 70 Main Street. 

Davidoff is currently working on attracting the younger generations to the Hospitality and Culinary Arts Center. Through his work, he has made articulation agreements with several high schools, bringing in teenagers to Nyack and RCC to learn more about the program. “I take them on a tour, and then we go up to the kitchen and we make pizza,” shared Davidoff. It certainly sounds more fun than your typical college tour, and helps to encourage students from both inside and outside of Rockland to consider RCC. 

Why are hospitality skills important? Davidoff defined it perfectly. “I think that making people feel good is what it’s all about… Whether that’s opening the door for them, or helping them with their bag, or teaching them something…it’s enabling people to enjoy themselves.”

Enjoying yourself here is certainly easier than the world the characters of The Bear inhabit. There is sure to be a lot more fun, and a lot less screaming in Davidoff’s kitchens. So; grab your wine bottle, a partner, and a blue apron if you must, and head to the RCC Hospitality and Culinary Arts website to learn more.