SALINAS — Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren presented a check appropriated by Congress for a community project totaling $1 million to the Rancho Cielo Youth Campus on May 10 to help expand the Drummond Culinary Academy.
“Workforce development programs matter — they help provide people with the tools they need for self-sufficiency and the chance to achieve the American dream. As such, I love seeing smart training opportunities that uplift members of our community, specifically those in underserved populations,” said Rep. Lofgren. “Rancho Cielo’s programs set students and families on paths to success to secure good-paying jobs in stable and growing industries. The expansion of the Drummond Culinary Academy, in particular, will help provide aspiring chefs with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to succeed.”
The funding comes from Lofgren-requested Community Project Funding included in Fiscal Year 2024 government funding legislation signed into law in March 2024. In total, Lofgren secured $50,095,535 for projects in the 18th Congressional District.
“I can’t wait to see many young, industrious entrepreneurs emerge from Rancho Cielo for years to come, and I vow to continue to advocate for opportunities that facilitate economic growth for people and businesses in the Salinas Valley,” Lofgren said.
This expansion aims to transform the Drummond Culinary Academy (DCA) into a state-of-the-art culinary center, providing students unparalleled opportunities. The Culinary Advisory Committee at Rancho Cielo, in conjunction with labor market data, underscores the need for pastry chefs — a specialized trade that local restaurants and hotels seek.
Rancho Cielo’s DCA students will benefit from enriched experiences, essential resources and skill enhancement by investing in these facilities. Ultimately, this investment will contribute to better living wages for the graduates.
“The impact of this funding for Rancho Cielo is enormous. It will help expand our culinary arts program, not only in the physical footprint of the pastry kitchen we plan to build, but also in our ability to offer more specialized programming opportunities and training to more students,” said Rancho Cielo CEO Chris Devers. “Looking at labor market data, we have identified a big need for students to train in the pastry arts, and having a pathway for our culinary students to gain those skills will give them the opportunity to earn better living wages and a distinct edge when entering the workforce. Additionally, a fully equipped pastry kitchen will let us focus on creating a micro-enterprise involving pastry arts in the future.”
With the support of the community development funds, Rancho Cielo plans to build a 1,200-square-foot pastry kitchen on its grounds. The kitchen will be adjacent to the central kitchen and dining room, including a lab/classroom, production room, administrative office, storage space and restrooms.
With an innovative, fully equipped pastry kitchen, Rancho Cielo aims to create a social micro-enterprise modeled after Homeboy Industries. The pastry kitchen alone will allow them to do so, and this will add entrepreneurship skills and knowledge for students to start a path toward creating their own businesses.
“This funding will allow us to offer more specialized training and continue shaping the next generation of culinary professionals,” said DCA Executive Chef Estevan Jimenez.
