Story provided by Meridian Technology Center
Meridian Technology Center’s newest Culinary Arts Instructor, Dustin Charter, will bring extensive industry experience and culinary knowledge to the classroom when he welcomes students in a few weeks.
Charter graduated from Oklahoma State University with a mechanical engineering technology degree and moved to Las Vegas. While there, his wife encouraged him to follow his passion of culinary arts and make a career change. He went on to complete a certificate at Le Cordon Bleu in Culinary Arts, graduating summa cum laude.
Over the years, Charter climbed the ranks from line cook, to supervisor, to sous chef, honed in on his skills and learned the ins and outs of the restaurant industry. From cooking for professional golf tournaments at the TCP Las Vegas golf course to creating menus for 600 sorority and fraternity members at Upper Crust Food Services in Stillwater, he gained industry knowledge he is excited to pass on to students at Meridian.
“By the time they are 18, they will have a good foundation to start with.” Charter explained.
Between his position as a chef at TS Fork in Stillwater and teaching kids culinary classes at the Prairie Arts Center, Charter discovered a passion for teaching.
While working at TS Fork, Charter built relationships with local producers and found joy in communicating with customers about the weekly menu items. “I got to go out in front of customers.” Charter said. “I really liked talking to them and teaching in a way. I liked telling them about the means and methods behind the dishes.” He’s excited to bring that same interaction to the classroom.
To get an inside look at Charter’s passion for cooking and great recipes, check out his Facebook page, @loklahomachef.
Culinary Arts at Meridian
Students in the Culinary Arts program learn cooking processes, workplace safety, sanitation, knife skills, correct utilization of kitchen equipment, customer service, communication and job seeking skills. Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn ServSafe and ProStart Foundation of Restaurant Management and Culinary Arts 1 certifications.
For more information about the Culinary Arts program or any of Meridian’s 20 plus career training programs, visit meridiantech.edu/programs. Applications are still being accepted for fall enrollment in programs that have space available. For more information or to enroll, visit meridiantech.edu or contact a career counselor by phone at (405)-377-3333 or toll-free at (888)-607-2509.
Meridian Technology Center has been a driver of economic development since 1957. With a mission to educate, enrich lives and secure economic futures, Meridian offers full-time career training programs, short courses, business and industry services and entrepreneurial support to residents from the Agra, Carney, Glencoe, Guthrie, Morrison, Mulhall-Orlando, Pawnee, Perkins, Tryon, Perry and Stillwater school districts.
