Restaurateurs, educators back study of a Vermont culinary institute to build hospitality pipeline

Restaurant owners and hospitality industry representatives urged the Senate committee to explore a Vermont‑based culinary institute that would pair craft cooking with sustainability, business management and mentorship to create local career pathways.

Aaron Warrenstead, who described growing a multiunit restaurant group in Vermont, said a single facility that combines culinary craft, hospitality management and sustainability training could give students applied skills and create a pipeline into local businesses. "The craft of cooking is the easy part," he said, arguing that leadership, legal and business skills are the harder barriers for people who want to run or own hospitality businesses.

Several witnesses and legislators noted that career and technical education centers already run culinary programs in parts of the state and that community partners such as Champlain Valley Community College (CCV) and CTE centers could collaborate on a phased approach. Representative and public commenters expressed particular interest in placing programs in regions with restaurant vacancies and empty buildings to attract young adults.

Committee members said the topic will feed into a task force the chamber and committee hope to convene to study re‑establishing a culinary institute, apprenticeships and stronger links with CTE centers. No funding or legislation was proposed at the hearing; members asked staff to include the idea in further workforce development planning.