The Hospitality, Culinary & Tourism Institute (HCTI) program at Frederick Community College’s (FCC) Monroe Center recently cut the ribbon on its new Baking and Pastry Lab. 
 
The $400,000 investment in grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and Maryland Department of Commerce, and an investment from FCC, funded the Lab’s almost 700 square feet. With no other culinary arts or baking and pastry arts programs in Montgomery, Carroll, and Washington counties, this facility attracts students from around the region to benefit from the features of state-of-the-art advanced cooking and A/V technology equipment.
 
Accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, the certificate and associate of applied science (AAS) degree programs provide students with a solid foundation to enter the workforce well-trained and with professional industry certifications. Such outcomes better position HCTI students to complete work-based internships in a variety of foodservice and hospitality settings, supporting Frederick County’s local tourism industry.
 
HCTI Manager Elizabeth DeRose stated, “The addition of the Baking and Pastry Lab allows us to better accommodate the increasing demand of this growing program so that we can offer more classes and better flexibility for our students’ busy schedules.”
 
Recently, the Baking and Pastry Lab, in place at the beginning of the fall semester, played a significant role in being selected for a high-profile project with the Willard InterContinental Hotel (Willard) in Washington, D.C. FCC’s HCTI students and select Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) Career and Technology Center (CTC) students were selected to design and build the infamous annual gingerbread display, described as the oldest continuous gingerbread display in the District. The intricate display will be exhibited December 9-31, 2024 at the Willard and is open to the public for viewing. DeRose noted that, “Without the new Baking and Pastry Lab, HCTI would not have had the resources to accommodate such a large-scale undertaking or afford such a uniquely valuable experience for students.”
 
For more information, contact Elizabeth DeRose at [email protected] or 301.846-2404. To learn more about FCC’s Baking and Pastry Arts program offerings, click here.
 
Learn more about the Monroe Center here.