Essence Bakery Café Announces Arizona's First Baking Apprenticeship

New partnership with Arizona's Careers through Culinary Arts Program will give graduating culinary students the opportunity to advance their skills in a working bakery

(PRESS RELEASE) - Essence Bakery Café is proud to announce Arizona's first-ever Baking Apprenticeship. Developed in partnership with Arizona's Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), this innovative, internationally-recognized two-year program will offer graduating high school students the opportunity to advance their culinary skills in a working bakery, providing aspiring chefs with the hands-on experience necessary for a successful baking career.

Led by Essence Bakery Café's Chef/Owner, Eugenia Theodosopoulos (aka Chef Theo), the advanced culinary training by will cover breads, pastries, cookies and laminated doughs. Apprentices will also gain critical business skills beyond the kitchen, including enticing product displays, sourcing and handling fresh produce from local suppliers, and the fundamentals of managing a restaurant. Graduates of the two-year program will receive a certificate from the Arizona Apprenticeship Office that is internationally recognized.

Chef Theo grew up in her family's Greek restaurant and received her formal culinary training in Paris. In 2011, she was inducted into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame and awarded Pastry Chef Extraordinaire. Founded in 2007, Essence Bakery Café offers dishes inspired by American, French and Greek cuisine, enhanced with local flavors. Chef Theo has a deep passion for mentoring aspiring chefs. She has mentored C-CAP students individually, developed culinary programs for Free Arts for Abused Children, and serves on the boards of three local college culinary programs. Chef Theo explains, "This apprenticeship gives aspiring chefs a great start on their career without racking up overwhelming student debt."

C-CAP partners with 150 public high schools to support 15,000 students nationwide each year. 6,600 of the students served reside in Arizona. C-CAP members receive guidance and support throughout their careers and are eligible for significant scholarship opportunities. Jill Smith, the Phoenix Program Director for C-CAP, says, "This is just the beginning of all types of apprenticeships in the hospitality industry."

Essence Bakery Café is located at 3830 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018.