40 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY July 25-31, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com Nathan Ortega stands at a silver metal prep table in the center of the kitchen underneath the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa, making deft work of slicing kernels off of a cob of fresh corn with a large kitchen knife. The recent graduate of the Drummond Culinary Academy at Rancho Cielo has already diced red onion and red pepper perfectly to the exact size of the kernels, what will become a corn succotash for the night’s menu at the hotel’s fine dining Coastal Kitchen restaurant. Ortega has worked in other kitchens, but this summer he’s working in Chef Michael Rotondo’s kitchen for eight weeks as part of a paid internship program that pairs Drummond Academy graduates with high-end restaurants around Monterey County like Coastal Kitchen, Sardine Factory and The Club at Pasadera, along with several others. “Out of all the kitchens where I’ve worked I’d rather work here,” Ortega says as he’s mixing together the succotash ingredients. He checks briefly with Rotondo on his progress, who approves of his work. Ortega’s favorite part of working there is the bakery shop, or plating dinners. “That’s fun,” he says. Graduates like Ortega are not only paid, they are given transportation through Rancho Cielo and a job offer at the end of the eight weeks. Rancho Cielo subsidizes the interns’ pay, but some restaurants decline to be reimbursed, says Joshua Cash, Drummond Academy’s case manager. The intern program is done in partnership with the Monterey County Hospitality Association, which assists in pairing up interns with restaurants. Rotondo says the Plaza Hotel chose to participate out of a philanthropic desire. “It’s less about us and more about Rancho Cielo,” he says. “If it turns into long term employment, that’s good for both of us.” This summer there are nearly 15 interns working at up to seven restaurants, according to Cash. It’s the biggest class of graduates the academy has experienced since the internship program’s 2013 inception year. “This year we had a lot of students who showed a lot of potential,” Cash says. Many of Drummond Academy’s students are there not only to earn a certificate in culinary arts but also to simultaneously earn a high school diploma through Rancho Cielo, launched in 2000 as a nonprofit by retired judge John Phillips and volunteers. Besides the culinary school created in 2010, Rancho Cielo features programs in agriculture and mechatronics, auto repair, welding and construction for students from age 16 through 24. Kaitlyn Davis, 19, graduated from Salinas High School and joined the Drummond Academy in September last year. She focused her studies on working the back of the house baking pastries and desserts and is now working at the Sardine Factory as an intern. “I love it there, it’s so much fun,” Davis says. “The chefs are really funny, they make a lot of jokes. Sometimes they sing songs that make no sense and they are all just talking together and it makes it feel like a family atmosphere.” Tony Campos, 20, is interning at Pasadera, where he’s also working back of house, although he originally wanted the front of house. It’s giving him a perspective on how the restaurant business works from both angles. At Pasadera he works the salad line, or prepping food for weddings and special dinners. Campos was drawn to Rancho Cielo and the culinary academy to take a different path from the family automotive styling business. “This is something I see myself doing long term throughout my life,” he says. The interns say that the kitchens they’re working in have been welcoming and willing to mentor them. “They’ve been really patient with me,” Campos says. Davis says the chefs featured one of her own dessert creations on the menu, a mini croquembouche with raspberries and blueberries, edible flowers and spun sugar on top. They also believe the skills they’ve learned at the Drummond Academy have prepared them well for professional kitchens. “Being here [the academy] is a great set up for being actually in the kitchen,” says Davis. Had she not had the training, “I would be a little unprepared and a little confused” moving to a fast-paced kitchen like the Sardine Factory, she says. Thanks to her training, “it’s been an easy transition.” First course Nathan Ortega readies a succotash before service starts at Coastal Kitchen in Monterey. The Drummond Culinary Academy graduate is part of an internship program. Welsh Wine…Helena Welsh has been named the executive director of the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association. Welsh comes to MCVGA after six years as head of the Lake County Winery Association, so she has experience with wine regions equal to Napa but without the name recognition. MCVGA is responsible for promoting and providing other support for the county’s wine industry. She replaces Kim Stemler. montereywines.org. Class Act…Pearl Hour is launching a new monthly tasting series, the first of which takes place on Thursday, July 25 at 6pm. Taste your way through a series of Sicilian amara with light bites. Learn all about what makes this herbal spirit so special. $20. 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 657-9447, pearlhour.com. Summer Break…Stunned that summer is somehow halfway over? Head to California Seltzer Co. on Saturday, July 27 from 4-7pm for their MidSummer Fest. Enjoy local seltzer and beer and shop for goods from local vendors while enjoying live music. 631 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. 717-3827, californiaseltzerco.com. Last Class…The last of Chef Todd Fisher’s class series at The Meatery takes place on Monday, July 29 at 3pm. Learn all about the wide variety of products offered and taste them for yourself. Enjoy wines paired with each and stock up on meats, wines, recipes and more. $135. 1534 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. 656-8810, themeateryseaside.com. Rosé Day…Is there anything that says summer more than drinking Rosé at the beach? Nope. And you can do just that with Tira Nanza on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 2-6pm. Sip their 2023 Malbec Rosé at Carmel Beach. $35. Meet at 13th Street in Carmel. 250-0584, tirananza.com. Lemon Aid…Chef Sal Tedesco at Paluca Trattoria has plenty of ideas for what to do with lemons: summery spritzes, lemony dishes like the pasta al limone or the preserved lemon panzanella. 6 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. 373-5559, palucatrattoria.com. Shell Shock…Commercial shellfish are fine, but the California Department of Public Health is telling people to avoid consuming mussels, clams or scallops sport-harvested from the waters of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. A potentially deadly toxin has been detected. 800-553-4133, cdph.ca.gov. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “This is something I see myself doing long term.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Yes, Chef Paid internships for Rancho Cielo culinary grads offers experience and a promise of jobs. By Pam Marino
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