In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we caught up with Benjamin Dircks, our former Kitchen Steward student. Well-loved by many at CALV for his friendly personality and sense of humor, Ben found the same support from his team at the Bronze Café. “They’re very nice people. They treat me with well respect,” Ben said. After graduating from CALV, Ben interned at the café, quickly moving up to take on more responsibilities. Ben’s mom, Madeleine, says she’s proud to watch him grow on this journey. “He’s really come far. I mean, he graduated from the program at the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, and h ..read more

Culinary Academy of Las Vegas Announces Dr. Bobbi Damrow, as Chief Executive Officer North Las Vegas, NV — After an extensive, nationwide search, the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas Board of Trustees named Bobbi Damrow, Ed.D., as the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Damrow comes to CALV from Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin, where she served as Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Relations. Dr. Damrow has an established reputation developing new programs and initiatives to drive enrollment and satisfy stakeholder employment needs, relationship building ..read more

Ingredients Mocha Biscoff Cookie Ice Cream Base: 397g Condensed Milk 9g Vanilla Paste 1g Salt 453g Heavy Cream (cold) 100g Biscoff Cookie Crumbs 20g Coffee Extract 30g Cocoa Powder Pecan Ice Cream Base: 397g Condensed Milk 9g Vanilla Paste 1g Salt 453g Heavy Cream (cold) 150g Pecan Pieces Directions Mocha Biscoff Cookie Ice Cream: Whip the cream to a firm peak. Whisk together condensed milk, vanilla, salt, coffee extract, and cocoa powder (keep cold). Fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream. Add the Biscoff cookie crumbs and fold in. Pour the mixture into a cold pan and fre ..read more

This Veterans Day, we pay tribute to Joseph Guerin, one of our cook apprentices who served in the Air Force. Veterans Day for Jo is more than just a date on the calendar; it’s about showing respect to those who’ve made sacrifices. “The military is diverse and full of people with different views and cultures trying to support their families and country, so have an open mind about what a veteran may look like or what their experiences or views could be.” Post-military life presented challenges, but Jo’s passion for cooking emerged during the pandemic. “I spent a lot of time at home and decided ..read more

Ingredients Seafood Curry Chowder Base: Yields 1 1/2 gallons 2 lb unsalted butter 1 lb onions (rough chopped) 1 lb fennel (rough chopped) 1 lb celery (rough chopped) 1/2 cup garlic cloves 2 lemons (halved) 4 oz curry powder 4 oz corn oil 2 qts unsweetened coconut milk 1 small head fresh ginger 1 tsp dried ginger 1 tsp dried cardamon 1 tsp dried coriander 1 lb seafood shells (based on availability) 1 gal fish stock Salt and pepper to taste Directions Place all ingredients in a large pot, apart from the stock and coconut milk. Sweat all ingredients over medium heat until the onions start to s ..read more

September is National Food Safety Education Month! At CALV, we take food safety seriously with students and staff. “We are a school and it’s our responsibility to teach the students coming into this building the basic foundation of food safety, so that when they get a job, they understand all the basics. It’s such a simple thing, but getting people to wash their hands is so challenging. It’s something that you have to constantly remind people of,” Janeen Rozat (Director of Food & Beverage and Logistics) said. Kirsten Considine (Food and Beverage Instructor) is a proctor for ServSafe certif ..read more

Ingredients Watermelon Gazpacho: 24 oz diced watermelon 1 lb fresh tomatoes (plums-Roma), core removed 1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped 1 white onion, peeled and chopped 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar 1 tsp minced garlic 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups watermelon water/Vodka reduction – see recipe watermelon relish – see recipe cilantro garnish Vodka-Watermelon Reduction: 1 cup vodka 2 each star anise 4 each cloves 2 cups watermelon juice 2 tbsp cornstarch 2 tbsp cold water Watermelon Relish: 4 oz cucu ..read more

Ingredients Part 1: 5 ounces whole garlic, peeled 2 cups olive oil Part 2: 2 tomatoes, diced 2 ounces white balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon honey ¼ teaspoons salt Part 3: 3 avocados 5 ounces roasted garlic, minced (from Part 1) 1 ounce fresh basil, chopped Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon oregano, chopped ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper Equipment/Tools Small bowl Mixing bowl Measuring cup Measuring spoons Potato masher or fork Directions Part 1: Combine peeled garlic and olive oil in a small roasting pan, cover the garlic with oil. Cover pan and roast in oven at 275°F for 2 hours, remove a ..read more

Updated: June 1, 2021 We are proud to be the exclusive food and beverage provider for Clark County’s 2021 Jazz in the Park Concert Series. 500 Grand Cafe, located inside the Clark County Government Center, is part of our restaurant group and one of our applied learning classrooms where students gain hands-on experience serving high-quality food and delivering excellent customer service. Tickets are free but must be reserved for each date through the Jazz in the Park event page. In addition to our on-site menu available during the show, we also offer a preorder Picnic in the Park package that ..read more

Ready to whip up some exciting sugar cookies? Follow the recipe below to make your very own holiday cookies! Once you’re ready to step up your baking game, get in touch to start your new career! Ingredients 1 c whole butter 1 ½ c granulated sugar 3 whole eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 ½ c all-purpose flour 2 tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp iodized salt Directions 1. Pre-heat oven to 350ºF 2. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside 3. Place butter in mixer and whip it into a cream 4. Add sugar gradually (mixture should be light and fluffy) 5. Mix eggs and vanilla together 6. Add ..read more