Home cook enhances skills in SPC culinary arts program
LUBBOCK – South Plains College student Tyresha Woodruff does more than attend lectures and study for exams. At the college’s Career and Technical Center, she is turning her passion for cooking into a fulfilling career.
Woodruff is a culinary arts student from Lubbock pursuing an associate degree in the field. In SPC’s culinary arts program, she is taking her cooking skills to the next level.
In 2022, a friend encouraged Woodruff, who worked in the call center field at the time, to look into the programs offered at SPC. At first, Woodruff enrolled in the college’s real estate program and did not transition to the culinary arts program until Fall 2023.
“I love to cook. Even outside of school, everyone always comes to me for the cooking,” she said, describing her decision to switch programs. “If I can make this a career, why not do it?”
Despite having cooking experience before enrolling in the culinary arts program, Woodruff said the classes can still be challenging. Whether it be the knife techniques she has practiced or the sanitation methods she has learned, she said the program differs from home cooking in many ways. However, she does not let these challenges overwhelm her.
“With my work ethic, I know I can complete the program,” she said.
During her time in the program, Woodruff said she has received support from multiple people, which has helped her overcome various obstacles. Natalie Osuna, program coordinator of the SPC culinary arts program, is a great chef and mentor Woodruff respects.
“[Osuna] is someone I look up to and strive to be like one day,” she said.
In addition to the supportive faculty, Woodruff said she enjoys the moments when she can interact with her peers. Despite doing individual work most of the time, the workstations are set up with collaboration in mind.
“If I have a question, I can ask the person I’m next to,” Woodruff said. “I like that option of being able to communicate and help each other out.”
This year, Woodruff said her goal is to take the skills she has learned and apply them outside the classroom. Since starting the program, she said a few families have hired her to cook meals, which has been good work experience before her graduation in May.
After graduation, Woodruff said she wants to be a private chef and schedule her hours. With two daughters—Ambrielle and Azlynn—and a baby on the way, she wants to devote time to her family and cooking.
“Being able to work around their schedules and still do something that I actually like to do is the primary goal,” she said. “Being a private chef, I will be able to sit down with a family or person and come up with a schedule that will work for both of us.”
Culinary arts is not a field to pursue if one simply wants to make a lot of money, Woodruff said. People learning the craft need to have passion.
“It’s a lot of work, and you have to have patience,” she said regarding culinary arts. “You have to be really dedicated to the field.”
Culinary Arts
The culinary arts program at SPC was created to produce students with a wide range of culinary skills that will translate into employment opportunities in the industry. SPC developed the culinary arts program in response to workforce projections that restaurant and food industry employment will grow due to new and replacement workers in the Lubbock area.
The program offers students two certificates of proficiency: a fundamental skills certificate that can be completed in two semesters and an advanced culinary and baking certificate that can be completed with two additional semesters of training. The program also offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in culinary arts. Learn More
