BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — West Virginia University Institute of Technology has announced a partnership with Chef Paul Smith in connection with the university's two-year culinary arts program.
The partnership will be in conjunction with the school's two-year culinary arts program, which opened in 2020 and will be held at WVU Tech's Beckley Campus and offered through Potomac State University.
Developing and building a broader network of West Virginia culinary and hospitality workers is essential for West Virginia to become a hospitality-driven state. It has great restaurants, is a designated national park, and has an increasing number of tourists. We need to ensure we have the workforce and infrastructure necessary for this.
chef paul smith
Paul Smith is the first West Virginian to be a finalist for a James Beard Foundation award, according to WVU Tech. He operates a variety of restaurants in Charleston, West Virginia, including his Ellen's Ice Cream, The Pitch Sports Bar & Grill, and 1010 Bridge Restaurant & Catering. He is a chef partner at his Barkadas in Charleston, West Virginia, his Humble Tomato in Lewisburg, West Virginia, and Retro Hospitality, a hotel management group based in Richmond, Virginia.
The partnership with Chef Paul Smith furthers and fosters the goal of increasing community involvement through improving student culinary skills, diversifying the curriculum, and enhancing hospitality opportunities across the state. Chef Paul brings not only enhanced culinary skills, but creativity, dedication, and passion that will greatly enhance the student experience at WVU Tech.
Chef Devin Noor | Program Director and Assistant Culinary Professor
The opportunities that Chef Paul brings to culinary students, which also offer community partnerships with local restaurants and the hospitality industry, continue to set our program apart and provide students with real-world readiness. Masu.
Dr. T. Ramon Stewart | WVU Tech President
Mr. Smith's connections and his network of restaurateurs across the state and nation help provide work and study opportunities to students and graduates. The official launch will take place on January 24, 2024 at 410 Neville Street, with Chef Paul Smith and other culinary partners expected to be in attendance.
