TEENS FIND CALLING IN CUISINE COURSES.

Byline: Serena Maria Daniels Special to the Daily News

A Granada Hills High student with average grades, Raymond Alvarez had little idea when he enrolled in a home-economics class that it would shape his future.

But the class - part of a Los Angeles Unified School District partnership with the national Careers in Culinary Arts Program - propelled Alvarez into a career that has spanned upscale eateries from Odyssey in Mission Hills to Jonathan Club in Santa Monica.

``I have to say that I was pretty lucky,'' said Alvarez, now 23 and the kitchen manager at the downtown Los Angeles restaurant Ciudad. ``I happened to be in the right place at the right time.''

Alvarez is one of hundreds of area high school students who have found success through the program, which links public schools to the food service industry through classes, job training and internships. It is estimated to help 10,000 students in 200 high schools across the country every year.

This summer, about a dozen San Fernando Valley students were among 175 in the nation who received more than $2 million in scholarships from the program to continue their culinary studies at professional programs across the country.

At selected schools throughout LAUSD, students interested in taking their culinary skills to the next level are selected to participate in program classes in which they learn how to cook dishes that they can later use to compete for scholarships.

Raymond Alvarez's younger brother, Eddie, was one of them: He graduated with honors from Sylmar and earned a $32,000 scholarship to the Art Institute in Santa Monica.

That full scholarship did not come without discipline, however. While most of Alvarez's peers were shopping or at the movies, Alvarez spent his weekends practicing his culinary skills - slicing, dicing and sauteing to hone his craft.

``I really didn't know how my family was going to pay for college,'' said Eddie Alvarez. ``Once I entered (the culinary program), I really had nothing to worry about.''

And experts say demand is high for skilled workers in the culinary field. More than 10.2 million people work in the food service industry internationally, according to the National Restaurant Association.

In the U.S. alone, the number of service industry jobs has ballooned in recent years and demand for skilled workers has increased dramatically, say industry insiders.

The culinary arts program seeks to find and develop students for the field.

``For many of the students in CCAP, they are the first in the family to graduate high school, let alone go to college,'' said Mitzi Cutler, the Los Angeles program coordinator.

For Dahia De Paz, 18, her interest in cooking started while taking food classes at Chatsworth High School.

De Paz, who received a $21,000 scholarship from the program, will be attending the Art Institute in Denver next year.

``Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to bake,'' said De Paz, who hopes to one day open her own bakery. ``One day, I'd like to have students interested in culinary arts come in and volunteer at my business.

``It would be so nice to give back somehow and to surround myself with people who have a desire to work in the field.''

That spirit of giving back is familiar to Raymond Alvarez, who continues to volunteer his time in the classroom to inspire other aspiring chefs.

``What I really want students to know is that I was once an average kid ... and I was able to do something I love,'' said Alvarez.

For more information on CCAP, visit www.ccapinc.org/about.html.

Serena Maria Daniels, [phone]

serena.daniels(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Now 23, Raymond Alvarez first found his calling in the kitchen as a home-ec student at Granada Hills High School.

(2) Raymond Alvarez, a former program participant, is now the kitchen manager at the popular restaurant Ciudad.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer