South Lake Tahoe Jail inmates win 17 awards at County Fair
Submitted by paula on Thu, 07/30/2015 - 10:55pm
Inmates from the Tahoe jail's culinary arts program won 17 awards at this summer's El Dorado County Fair, something they've done consistently for the past nine years. Since 2007, inmates have had food entries at the fair, bringing home a total of three best in shows, 51 first place awards, 47 second place awards, and 13 third place awards.
This year the inmates entered 18 items winning 17 awards. They received 10 first place and 7 second place ribbons. The ribbons are all posted down the walls at the jail's kitchen.
In June of 2007, a partnership formed between the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO) and the Lake Tahoe Community College. They started a culinary arts program at the Tahoe Jail that as been very successful, training those who are incarcerated with usable job skills that can help them in the job market once they are released.
The program worked so well in South Lake Tahoe it is now in place at the jail in Placerville.
Inmates who are accepted into the program become actual college students, earning college credits.
Having a college transcript has helped inmates increase their self-worth and brings pride to the individual workers according to EDSO Lt. Tom Murdoch. "Many of the inmates enroll themselves in classes at the college when they were released feeling like they are already part of the college system," said Murdoch.
Classes are offered by the amount of time they are serving in jail. They earn 100-500 hours of instruction equaling 3-14 college credits. Inmates are taught cooking methods, baking and pastry, catering, and sanitation to name a few. Those enrolled in over 300 hours can take the National ServSafe Manager Test to be certified nationally in sanitation. This is a big accomplishment and a good way to get a foot in the door with a new job. Over the past five years, 65 inmates ave passed the test.
The jail's culinary classes are involved in the South Lake Tahoe community as well. They cater several local non-profit events including some for the Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Rotary, Lake Tahoe Optimist Club, Live Violence Free and Girl Scouts. They helped out El Dorado County during the Angora Fire and the King fire. Having inmates work local events allows them to give back and be part of the community.
Inmates learn more than cooking and baking when they are involved in the Culinary Program. They learn about the importance of honesty, trust, integrity, and respect in everything they do. These characteristics help the inmates once released from jail.
The program's success can be seen in the fact that some of the participating inmates enroll in college and graduate, go to culinary school, or find jobs in restaurants, bakeries, hotels and country clubs.
"If the inmate is willing and ready to change, this program will help them succeed," said Murdoch.
- angora fire
- arts
- Awards
- best
- catering
- change
- classes
- college
- college students
- community
- community college
- cooking
- county
- county fair
- culinary
- culinary arts
- edso
- el dorado
- el dorado county
- el dorado county
- events
- fire
- food
- foundation
- free
- girl
- girl scouts
- good
- Help!
- home
- hotels
- importance
- inmate
- inmates
- jail
- jobs
- king fire
- kitchen
- lake
- Lake Tahoe
- lake tahoe community
- Lake Tahoe Community College
- Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation
- live violence free
- local
- Local events
- lt
- News
- non-profit
- optimist
- optimist club
- placerville
- restaurants
- rotary
- school
- Scouts
- shows
- south lake tahoe
- South Lake Tahoe community
- students
- Tahoe
- Tahoe Community
- tahoe jail
- test
- training
- trust
- win
- work
Related Stories
- South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates respond to #IRunWithMaud questions
- Give Where You Live this Thursday
- STPUD candidates respond to questions
- The epic giveaways on KRLT with Ricky, Howie and Lisa - $120,000 and counting
- 16th annual Drug Store Project in South Lake Tahoe
- Vail awards $2.8 million in grant support to 76 Lake Tahoe area nonprofits
- Vail Resorts gives $1.9M to 93 Tahoe-Truckee area nonprofits
- South Lake Tahoe jail inmates enrolled in culinary program win at county fair