New culinarily program facilities open at Texas School for the Deaf

AUSTIN - A school has just opened new, state-of-the-art facilities to give their students a leg up in the culinary field.

On Friday, the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) showcased its all-new culinary program facilities, allowing high school students the opportunity to develop their skills in the pursuit of a career in the food industry.

The facilities include a full commercial kitchen, a prep and teaching area, a walk-in refrigerator and freezer, a dry storage pantry, a full dining room with a service area, and a "Grab & Go" cae offering students a revolving menu of fresh breakfast and lunch items.

"This new culinary facility and Grab & Go" café is the culmination of many hours of planning and hard work, and is a testament to the collaborative spirit of our community which reflects a collective commitment to empowering students with the skills and opportunities to thrive in their future careers," saidTSD SuperintendentPeter Bailey.

This program, which proved highly successful and very popular with students in its original single-room home economics kitchen, can now serve twice as many students.

The school also plans to host the next Deaf Culinary Bowl, a "Top Chef" style competition with teams from several deaf schools across the country.

The TSD has placed at three of the nine culinary bowl competitions since 2012, taking fourth place in 2024, and a first-place win in 2019.