A new culinary training facility opened Monday at 33-51 62nd St. in Woodside, offering free instruction in cooking techniques, nutrition, food safety and kitchen operations to hospitality workers across Queens and New York City. The Culinary Education Center opened with modern training kitchens and classrooms built to prepare workers for industry certifications and career advancement.
The center, as reported by QNS, teaches essential cooking techniques alongside nutrition and food safety, with programs designed to meet demand for skilled professionals in cafeterias, executive dining rooms, restaurants, bars, delis, airports and sports venues. The center is a nonprofit founded through a partnership between food-service employers and UNITE HERE Local 100.
Among those enrolled is Cristian Cuevas, a student who QNS reports is pursuing his dream of one day opening a family restaurant; he and his mother are both taking classes at the center. QNS's coverage of the opening also captured remarks from the institutional partners behind the project.
Union and Corporate Partners Frame the Investment
Compass Group North America, a corporate partner, says the collaboration gives hospitality professionals a place to build skills and career possibilities. Cindy Noble, the company's chief people officer, said the partnership brings labor, employers and the community together to help people succeed, per the same QNS report.
UNITE HERE Local 100, which reaffirmed its commitment to developing a skilled workforce alongside the center, represents more than 17,000 food service workers across New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Northern New Jersey — including staff at Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, corporate dining halls and airports, the union notes. Local 100 president José Maldonado called the center an investment in hospitality workers and expanded opportunities, QNS reported.
Elected Officials Turn Out for the Ribbon-Cutting
Among those at the opening were Rep. Grace Meng, Assemblymember Steven Raga, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, New York State Senator John Liu, and state Senate candidates Aber Kawas and Brian Romero. Meng said the new facility demonstrates what unions can deliver, while Kawas said the center gives workers opportunities to learn, grow and pursue long-term success, according to QNS's account of the event. Hoodline previously reported that Meng has received endorsements from UNITE HERE Local 100.
Raga said the center will connect Queens workers and immigrant communities with good-paying jobs, and González-Rojas said workers need training to obtain good-paying jobs serving their community, per the same QNS coverage.
Certification Rules and Wage Changes
The push for accessible training arrives as city regulation makes certification a baseline requirement for the industry. The NYC Health Code requires every food service establishment to have at least one supervisor on-site holding a valid Food Protection Certificate during all operating hours, according to NYC.gov, with supervisors required to complete an approved health academy course and pass a food safety exam to earn it.
New York City's minimum wage rose to $17.00 per hour on January 1, 2026, following a step-up to $16.50 in 2025, according to MinimumWage.com.
Enrollment information for the Culinary Education Center is available online at cec100.org, with courses in baking, roasting, grilling and steaming designed in coordination with food service employers, according to El Pregonero. For students like Cuevas, the Woodside classrooms represent a direct line between a city requirement that food establishments have at least one certified supervisor on duty and a personal ambition to eventually run a restaurant of his own.
