MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM PREPARING OUT-OF-SCHOOL, OUT-OF-WORK YOUTH WITH CAREERS IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY

Stage NYC to meet restaurant sector’s growing demand for qualified kitchen employees by connecting young adults to paid, on-the-job training

   Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Department of Small Business Services and its NYC Food & Beverage Hospitality Council today kicked off NYC Restaurant Week by announcing a new three-month program connecting out-of-school, out-of-work youth with rewarding careers in the New York City restaurant industry. Stage NYC, pronounced “stazhje,” is a partnership with the hospitality industry that will help meet the restaurant sector’s growing demand for qualified culinary employees while creating new career pathways for New Yorkers. The program will cover technical skills and life skills to ready young adults, aged 18-24, for careers in the restaurant industry. Participants will receive paid, on-the-job training with an industry partner in order to gain hands-on experience. The culmination of both skills and experience training will provide participants with the tools needed to successfully fill positions in a growing industry.

“Through Stage NYC, we are investing in the young adults of New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Thanks to leaders in the restaurant industry, we are allowing young individuals who find themselves out of school and out of work to gain the skills and experience needed to begin a successful career in the culinary field.”

“Stage NYC provides out-of-school, out-of-work youth with the comprehensive training and skills needed to embark on a rewarding career path in the hospitality industry,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “By working with industry leaders, we are helping restaurants succeed in our City while providing New Yorkers with access to career opportunities involving in-demand skills.”

About Stage NYC

Stage NYC will target out-of-school and out-of-work young adults, ages 18-24, across all 5 boroughs. The three-month program will first provide participants with a week of classroom training that encompasses both in-demand, technical skills training and soft skills training, such as how to interact with potential supervisors, coworkers and restaurant guests. The remainder of the program will involve students participating in on-the-job training with a local restaurant to gain on-the-job experience. Following the program, participants will have the skills and experience needed to build a successful career in the culinary field.

Stage or Staging originates from the French word stagiaire meaning trainee or intern. Restaurants across Europe and in other parts of the world commonly use Staging to build a pipeline of talent by bringing novice cooks into the kitchen to learn and be exposed to new techniques and cuisines in a systematic way.

Those interested in participating in this program may emailtraining@sbs.nyc.gov, or call 311 for more information on how to apply.

Partners

SBS has partnered with the following organizations to create this program. All partners are part of the NYC Food & Beverage Hospitality Council, an alliance overseen by SBS of more than 30 leading NYC industry professionals and businesses to promote the sustained growth of the local food and beverage industry.

• The Tao Group
• Quality Branded
• Altamarea Group
• Eataly
• Batali & Bastianich Hospitality group
• Le pain Quotidien
• Union Square Hospitality
• Esquared Hospitality Group
• Crafted Hospitality Group
• Hornblower
• Momofuku