An Italian adventure to benefit our fledgling chefs

The shortage of qualified restaurant help continues. New hires for both front and back of house are often not as skilled as they claim, and even worse, applicants for upper-level positions that require certifiable experience, such as executive chef or general manager, are few and far between. Though the problem is nationwide, nowhere is this trend more difficult than in a seasonal resort such our Cape Region.

And the fallout is obvious: Five years ago, you would not have seen job fairs here at the beach where potential workers are offered food and even signing bonuses. You need look no further than the Cape Gazette to see display ads and classifieds that include job fairs held by some of the biggest restaurant operations in the area.

But certifiable experience can be achieved. The Delaware Restaurant Association is a major player in maintaining the state’s well-regarded ProStart program, a nationwide, industry-written, two-year curriculum for high school students. This elective teaches culinary and management skills needed for a career in the restaurant and food service industry. Some of these students could continue into nationally accredited culinary schools, but that can be difficult; quality postsecondary programs can cost more than $40,000 a year in tuition and supplies.

To that end, Touch of Italy restaurants and RehobothFoodie.com teamed up several years ago to form the 501(c)(3) Culinary Scholarship Fund. The program offers tuition assistance to students who successfully complete the classroom/practical levels of DRA’s ProStart program. However, applicants may also qualify by showing actual restaurant experience or successful completion of an introductory culinary curriculum from other educational institutions.

Our scholarship fund is supported by so many generous people, and the primary fundraiser for the foundation is a raffle to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Italy. This Saturday, Dec. 9, is the culmination of our 2023 fundraising effort, when we draw the winning ticket for this year’s trip to Tuscany valued at over $7,000. Ticket sales were strictly limited to 450 in order to increase the chances of winning. In spite of that limitation, tickets sold out well over a month before the drawing. And it’s no wonder: In exchange for his or her $100 raffle purchase, the winner and a companion are treated to all airfare, accommodations in some of the finest hotels, skip-the-line access to attractions, and a cooking class where they can master the art of traditional Italian cooking, from handmade pasta to pesto and local desserts. And, of course, the best part of any cooking class is to wash down what you’ve created with local wines and beers.

The itinerary also provides lots of free time to spend the $1,000 cash that’s included in the prize. What good is a trip to Italy if you can’t buy stuff!? In the past, the scholarship fund has sent lucky winners to some of the most beautiful Italian destinations, including Rome, Florence, the Italian Riviera and Lake Como. We couldn’t pull this off without the ongoing support of our generous sponsors. Our sincere thanks go out to Cape Gazette, John Donato Art, WGMD 92.7, WUSX 98.5, WOCM 98.1, the always generous Jeff Balk at Radio Rehoboth 99.1, DelmarvaLife at WBOC-TV, and Southern Delaware Tourism for allowing us to use their Culinary Coast moniker. The RehobothFoodie.com/Touch of Italy Culinary Scholarship Fund is a component fund of the Greater Lewes Foundation.

If you are one of the wonderful 450 who purchased tickets for this once-in-a-lifetime trip, be sure to tune in to my weekly Beach Eats radio show at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 9, at 92.7FM when we’ll draw the winning ticket live on the air. Out of range? Simply stream the show on your phone or computer at WGMD.com.

And though only one couple can win, the generosity of our sponsors and ticket buyers provides support for the real winners: the future chefs, line cooks, bakers, caterers, owners and managers here in the Cape Region who, with their newfound skills, can help make our Culinary Coast an even better place to live, visit and eat.