A collaborative solution to culinary career challenges

One of the best parts of any town is its local food. But in the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdowns, keeping local restaurants alive and thriving requires a new approach.

In partnership with the City of Fairfax, Town of Vienna, and the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging, and Travel Association Foundation (VRLTAF), George Mason is working on a solution: the Culinary Careers Collaborative (CCC) is a  workforce development project to get restaurant workers the foundational skills they need to succeed.

Jai Girard, director of education and workforce development for the VRLTAF, explained that the restaurant industry has often struggled with recruitment and retention. “The challenge has intensified in recent years,” she said. Hospitality employees who were laid off during the lockdowns found jobs in other industries. Business travelers, who were a significant market for Northern Virginia restaurants, have not returned to the pre-2020 numbers. And with growing competition from the gig economy, restaurants are struggling to recruit and retain their staff.

As restaurants face growing challenges, the City of Fairfax and Town of Vienna wanted to find a solution.

“This is a challenge that transcends jurisdictional borders,” said Ashley Curtis, marketing and business engagement specialist for the Town of Vienna. "Hungry diners aren’t thinking about where the city starts and the town begins: They’re just enjoying the food. We have a shared goal to support the places our residents and visitors love to eat.”

“We knew we needed partners who could bring expertise in hospitality and restaurant management, so we looked to George Mason and VRLTAF,” said Tara Borwey, assistant director of programs for Fairfax City Economic Development. George Mason has one of the only hospitality degree programs in the area.

“We’re all in such close proximity to one another, and therefore we all have a vested interest in maintaining a strong relationship and improving our shared community,” she said.

Using feedback from restaurant owners around Fairfax City and Town of Vienna, the team developed three tracks: beginning culinary skills, beverage skills, and advanced management. Each track totals 24 credit hours taken over four days. Fairfax City and the Town of Vienna fully funded the programs so they are completely free for participants.

“Partnerships between universities and local communities are essential for creating meaningful workforce development,” said Min Park, associate professor in the Tourism and Events Management program in the College of Education and Human Development. “These partnerships ensure that training programs are academically sound and aligned with workforce demands.”

The beginning culinary skills track and beverage skills track are designed to build foundational skills for industry newcomers. Culinary students learn fundamental cooking techniques and knife skills; beverage students learned how to mix cocktails and pair wines; both tracks include instruction in hygiene and sanitation protocols, service management skills, regulation compliance, and operational strategies.

Students learn skills that will put them in a stronger starting position and get the chance to see if this industry is the right fit without risk for either the student or the restaurant losing a job or an employee.

“Retention is just as important as recruitment,” said Girard. “These tracks remove some of that steep learning curve barrier of these entry-level positions that could scare some people away. They can see if the industry is a good fit for them, while gaining skills that will make them more confident in what can be a stressful environment for someone new and untrained.”

George Mason alumna Sophia Tran, BS Tourism and Events Management ’22, a current graduate student pursuing a master's in management with a certificate in human resources in the Costello College of Business, took the beverage track and earned the ServSafe certificate and the Beverage Arts certificate. The ServSafe certificate, administered by the National Restaurant Administration, demonstrates an individual’s knowledge of food safety protocols and procedures. “I would highly recommend the track. I learned a lot about the wine and cocktail industries,” she said.

The third track—advanced management—is the only track specifically for current industry employees, designed to upskill current or potential leaders with instruction on managerial theories and practices. The inaugural module ran in July 2024 with 13 participants, taught through a collaboration between a professor of the Tourism and Events Management program and leading industry practitioners.  

“Many of our restaurants are locally owned small businesses, and they don’t usually have resources like this. It’s a DIY mentality, training people on the job,” said Curtis. “But small business is the heartbeat of our region, so being able to support them makes this really special.”

The locations of the tracks vary based on the needs of the curriculum. Dolce Vita Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in Fairfax City hosted the beverage class, which concluded its first session in January. The beginning culinary track, which will run its inaugural session in June 2025, will use the College of Public Health Nutrition Kitchen in Peterson Hall.

Said Curtis, “Collaborations like this make this region a great place to work, play, learn, and live.”

To register for upcoming tracks, visit the CCC website.