About LA Plaza Cocina Culinary Youth Training Program

LA Plaza Cocina Culinary Youth Training Program provides young people from under-resourced communities with job-ready skills to enter the restaurant and hospitality industry. The ten-week bilingual course for high school and young adults (16-24) offers hands-on cooking classes that introduce students to the basics of kitchen safety and recipe execution. Students complete the course with a current resume and an opportunity to take the California ServSafe exam to better prepare for the workforce.

During the initial 12-month period beginning June 2023, a bilingual ServSafe training provider, certified through the National Restaurant Association and ANSI (American National Standard Institute) Culinary Chef will teach ten cohorts of 10-15 students. The Program will consist of ten in-person sessions held at LA Plaza Cocina. All ten sessions will include a hands-on cooking lab.

This program is free of charge and includes a transportation stipend (Metro TAP Card), ServSafe test fees, and printed course materials. Students can also participate in Culinary Events with restauranteurs, chefs, culinary schools and culinary schools and access to professional development resources.

The first 12-month period of LA Plaza Cocina Culinary Youth Training Program is made possible by The PepsiCo Foundation.

Program Schedule

The first five sessions will include asynchronous interactive online courses focused on preparation for the ServSafe exam. The online lesson plan and exam are in English and Spanish.

The final five sessions will focus on professional and career development, making cultural connections with guest speakers, along with a two-day resume-building course and recipe-execution session.

Classes will take place at LA Plaza Cocina on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.

Application Process

Applications are open year-round, but with deadlines for submissions. Please see below for the deadline applications. All applications must be submitted before 5pm PST.

The current deadline to apply is on September 13, 2023.

Once you have submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation assuring that we have received it. If accepted into the program, you will also be receiving an acceptance letter.

If you have any further questions, please contact us by email at cocina@lapca.org or by calling us at (323) 397-8365.