Cooking with Purpose
T
he Golden Isles College and Career Academy (GICCA) will be holding their annual Evening with the Stars culinary event on March 14 at Sea Island Resort. Elegant Island Living is proud to once again be a sponsor of this benefit for the Career Academy. Students enrolled in the culinary program at GICCA will work alongside Sea Island’s professional chefs and staff to prepare a delicious dinner. The evening kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with a social hour with appetizers and drinks followed by a four-course menu featuring locally 42
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sourced ingredients that has been developed and executed by the students. Students will work in teams preparing the food, cooking the dishes, and working the front of the house to ensure their guests have a memorable dining experience. The evening also includes live and silent auctions with proceeds supporting the Career Academy’s programs. GICCA Board Member Mike Callaway, who attended last year’s fundraiser, said about the evening, “Evening with the Stars is a relaxed and enjoyable event but the highlight of the evening is the meal prepared by the students. Seeing their education and hard work come to life in a first-class venue reinforces the value of GICCA and how it’s preparing young people for our workforce of tomorrow.” To learn more about the culinary program, EIL checked in with Chef Haley Meredith, the Culinary Instructor at the school. Chef Haley is a Golden Isles native who moved back
to the area after attending Georgia Southern and Le Cordon Bleu. During her career in Atlanta, Chef Haley states “I met some amazing people and had some unforgettable experiences. Working for one of the tops allows access to well, everything really.” She oversees about 100 students from Glynn Academy and Brunswick High who take the three courses of the program (Intro, Culinary 1 and 2) each year. This year, there are even 8th grade students from Jane Macon Middle School in the program. Chef Haley tries to impress on her students the opportunities that exist in the culinary world, explaining, “That is one thing that I have tried to share with my students. Culinary arts can open so many doors if you are willing to work hard.” She enjoys her time with the students, and hopes to broaden their horizons, “I really hope that they (continues) ABOVE: Golden Isles College and Career Academy
culinary students at the 2018 Evening with the Stars.
