HCC Culinary Arts Program to Host Open House, Free Tasting Event on April 15

HOLYOKE — Holyoke Community College (HCC) will host an open house and free community tasting event on Wednesday, April 15 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke.

Visitors will be able to tour the state-of-the-art kitchens at the college’s culinary arts facility; sample dishes prepared by culinary arts students and faculty; learn about the college’s culinary arts certificate and associate degree programs, non-credit job training, and personal enrichment classes; and play Food Bash Bingo for a chance to win prizes.

“This event highlights the work happening across all of our kitchens, giving the community a chance to experience the talent and training our students are developing here at HCC, while also showcasing other HCC programs and our community partners,” HCC Culinary Arts Instructor and Facilities Coordinator Alex Torres said.

Visitors will have the opportunity to talk to representatives from HCC programs, including the Marieb Adult Learner Success Center, the HCC Foundation, Alumni Relations, Thrive Center and Food Pantry, El Centro, ALANA Men in Motion, and Jumpstart, as well as personnel from area community groups, including Tech Foundry/Tech Hub, United Way, and Holyoke Medical Center. Staff from the HCC Admissions office will also be on hand to discuss enrollment options, including MassEducate and MassReconnect, the state programs for free community college.

In 2021, HCC placed 50th among the Best Culinary Schools in America, a list that also includes such esteemed schools as the Culinary Institute of America. HCC’s culinary program ranked third in New England after Johnson & Wales in Providence, R.I. and Southern Maine Community College in Portland. Best Choice Schools cited HCC for the quality of its one-year certificate and two-year associate degree programs in culinary arts, as well as its 20,000-square-foot culinary arts facility, which opened in downtown Holyoke in 2018. The HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute is equipped with four modern kitchens, a bakery, a hotel lab, and a student-run dining room.