New partnership announced between MUW and ECCC culinary programs

Charlie Benton

Reporter

A partnership between the MUW Culinary Arts Institute and East Central Community College’s Culinary Arts Technology program was announced on Monday, Feb. 3.

The partnership, which makes for a “seamless” transition between ECCC and MUW’s programs, was made official by a Memorandum of Agreement signed by MUW President Jim Borsig and ECCC President Billy W. Stewart at a ceremony on ECCC’s Decatur campus.

Because of the new partnership, career and technical credits earned at ECCC will transfer completely to MUW. Current ECCC students are now allowed to attend the MUW Culinary Institute’s guest chef program as well. The guest chef program brings in leading chefs to do demonstrations for students. Also included in the partnership are additional technical development opportunities for ECCC faculty.

“Any (ECCC) student who is getting the Culinary Arts Technology (degree) or the Hotel and Restaurant Management (degree), if they get an associate’s, they can transfer to MUW and get their Bachelor’s of Technology in culinary arts,” said Alexei Huguley, an assistant professor of culinary arts at MUW.

The ECCC Culinary Arts Technology program, which began in 2008, gives a solid foundation in the culinary arts, as well as baking and pastry techniques. The hotel and restaurant management technology program teaches hotel operations, restaurant and catering, hospitality marketing, hospitality supervision and culinary principles.

Established in 1996, MUW’s culinary program provides culinary arts instruction with an emphasis on classic cooking techniques and small quantity food preparation.