Are You a Culinary Enthusiast Who Wants to Be Your Own Boss? Community College of Philadelphia Will Show You What It Takes to Own a Food Truck

Contact: Linda Wallace, 215-751-8082, liswallace@ccp.edu
Rhonda L. Lipschutz, 215-751-8021, rlipschutz@ccp.edu

Six-Week Course on Mobile Food Management to Begin Feb. 14, 2018

 

PHILADELPHIA – Jan. 16, 2018 –  Classes are set to begin for Community College of Philadelphia’s innovative course serving aspiring entrepreneurs interested in the food truck and food cart industry.

Now in its fourth consecutive year, the Mobile Food Management program has provided a gateway for personal chefs, culinary arts students and graduates, and Philadelphians seeking new careers.

The Mobile Food Management: Introduction to Food Truck Entrepreneurship course is among the first of its kind offered by an accredited institution of higher education.  The six-week program will be held Feb. 14 through April 11, 2018 and includes meetings every Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the College’s Main Campus at 1700 Spring Garden Street. The cost of the course is $374.

America now has more than 4,000 food trucks. According to market-research firm, IBISWorld, revenue grew at an annual rate of 7.9 percent from 2011 to 2016. The firm also expected the mobile food sector to reach $2.7 billion by 2017; that’s quadruple what it was in 2012.

Shelby Thompson, a student in the College’s Culinary Arts program, took the six-week Mobile Food Management program this past fall. Thompson, who has more than 20 years of experience in the medical field and works full time at a dialysis center, is embarking on a second career.

“I’ve always taken care of people and what better way to do it than with food,” said Thompson.

“I want to be an entrepreneur one day. That’s my dream. The classes and instructors taught me so much about how to run a food truck and explained the 'real deal' of owning one. It’s more than just having a refrigerator and grill. The instructors explained food concepts and how we have to stand out from the rest. You can take a simple hamburger or hot dog, but you have to put a twist on it and make it special so people keep coming back.” 

Thompson, a Southwest Philadelphia native, hopes to open a food truck offering both sweet and savory cuisine some day.

Anrico Carrington, a personal chef from University City, was thrilled to hear that a local college was offering classes that would prepare him to operate a food truck. He has wanted to own a food truck since he was a freshman in college but didn’t know how to get started.

Carrington’s passion for cooking started when he was very young; he made his first Thanksgiving dinner at 11years-old. Encouraged by his parents to major in Social Work while attending West Virginia State University, Carrington never abandoned his love of cooking. In his dorm room, he would make small meals on a hot plate for other students.

“Everyone called me ‘Chef” and they all knew to come to [dorm] Room 234 for food,” said Carrington.

Now, Carrington, who has built a career as a personal chef with a steady client base, is looking to expand by opening a food truck. He won’t give away the secret to his food concept, but did say it will be something basic with a lot of tasty toppings that will entice everyone.

Students who complete the program receive a certificate of completion at the end of the six weeks. For more information and to register, visit the Mobile Food Management homepage.

 

About Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in Philadelphia and the sixth largest in Pennsylvania. The College enrolls approximately 34,000 students annually and offers day, evening, and weekend classes, as well as classes online. Visit the College at www.ccp.edu. Follow us on Twitter. Like us on Facebook.