In 2024, Middlesex Community College’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts program received a grant from the Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation. The funding offered free ServSafe training and certification exams to 50 students who would not have otherwise had the opportunity.
“I am 100 percent sure that I wouldn’t have taken the ServSafe exam if it wasn’t for free,” said Rakshika Chelly Muthuraman, an MCC Culinary Arts and Business Administration student. “I gained a lot of confidence in maintaining a safe kitchen. I learned valuable information about kitchen safety, and I can now confidently remember all the necessary guidelines for cooking, cleaning and sanitizing properly. Everybody who is in the kitchen trusts me with almost everything and the ServSafe certification makes me trust myself more so that I promote a much safer environment in the kitchen.”
From India and now living in Lowell, Muthuraman enjoys learning hands-on in MCC’s Culinary Lab. Under the ServSafe certification, she is able to complete the dishwashing and prepping items, among other tasks in the kitchen. Along with her certification, the combination of theoretical and hands-on learning in her classes at Middlesex allows Muthuraman to learn different skills and better understand techniques that will set her up for success when working in the field.
“The education I am receiving now will help my career, and I feel confident and prepared,” Muthuraman said. “We gain practical experience by preparing food, working in a professional kitchen, learning cooking skills and proper sanitation methods which are important for maintaining hygiene and safety in both food preparation and the surrounding environment of the kitchen.”
Kim Morrissey, MCC’s Hospitality and Culinary Arts Program Coordinator, believes Middlesex and the Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation share a mission of supporting the professional development and academic advancement of the hospitality industry. Aiming to help underserved communities, the grant assists students in MCC’s hospitality, culinary arts and entrepreneurship programs who are interested in the restaurant and catering industries.
With the funding, the college has trained students in food sanitation practices and provided course materials and the exam for free. In 2024, 25 ServSafe books and exams were purchased with the funding, while 25 additional materials will be available in the Spring of 2025.
“The grant has allowed us to train students in food sanitation practices and provide the course materials and exam for free to our students,” Morrissey said. “The cost of exam was prohibitive for many students, so this has allowed more students to take the exam than in the past. Our students are becoming ServSafe certified and are well-prepared to enter the restaurant industry.”
Learn more about MCC's Hospitality and Culinary Arts program.