Culinary Arts Career Center Excellence Initiative
Renovating the CHS Foods Room: Building the Future of Cedarburg Culinary Arts
Status: Fundraising Phase
Proposed Renovation Date: Summer 2026
Contact: Casey Bowe, CHS Principal
Career and Technical Education at Cedarburg High School
At Cedarburg High School, we believe learning should mirror the world our students are about to enter. Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and industry-standard practice.
Culinary Arts Classroom
Cedarburg High School has a proud history of adapting to student needs. While our 2018 renovation successfully expanded our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) facilities, our Culinary Arts space was left behind due to budget limitations.
Currently, our culinary students—about 150 annually—are training for professional careers using residential appliances in a standard 1990s-style home kitchen. To truly prepare them for the workforce, we need a learning environment that mirrors the real world.
The Vision: Authentic Instruction
We are launching the Culinary Excellence Initiative—a complete renovation of our Foods Room classroom into a commercial-grade facility. This renovation isn't just about new ovens; it’s about "Authentic Instruction" and a career pipeline.
Industry-Standard Tools: Students will train on the exact equipment used in professional kitchens, replacing residential gear with commercial-grade technology.
Career Readiness: The new lab will support advanced courses, such as ProStart I & II, enabling students to earn industry-recognized certifications, including ServSafe and the National ProStart Certificate of Achievement, and to access the ProStart Passport Program, which provides college scholarships and credits. Students master management and culinary skills critical to the hospitality industry.
Meeting Demand: Culinary courses are in high demand, accounting for 51% of all 2026-2027 Requests in Family & Consumer Science.
Additional Info: February 26, 2025 Cedarburg School Board Presentation
