‘It’s a floating restaurant’: Coast Guard chef pays a visit, gives demonstration at COCC’s Cascade Culinary Institute

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- At COCC's Cascade Culinary Institute, students had a special guest chef Wednesday, focusing on desserts. It's part of an effort to recruit students to train and learn for future roles as a cook for the U.S. Coast Guard, and there are benefits.

"They would come in, they would be eligible for a $75,000 signing bonus that would be paid upon completion of training," Coast Guard Chief, Brock Davis said Wednesday. "They would also skip some of the training that people off the street would have to do because CCI trained them to do the job of culinary."

Students who sign on with the Coast Guard also get an annual salary and housing benefits. 

Davis, said, "It's a floating restaurant that they would be getting all over the Coast Guard benefits, with a little bit less hours (compared to what) a civilian restaurant would be."

Jay Basurto is the president of the Culinary Club and is in his second year at CCI and is open to  joining the Coast Guard.

"I like the idea of the benefits, of course are great," he said. 'But just, I think the idea of travel, getting to go to new places, cook with new ingredients, try different dishes, meet new people."

While learning about the Coast Guard program students learned  how to make sour cream peach pie and Texas "chewies." 

Culinary Specialist Matt Shaw said, "I speak with the students about my experience and what the Coast Guard is offering me, because I've done two different jobs in the Coast Guard -- all the great benefits and the travel benefits, the education benefits, and just showcase the Coast Guard."

Similar arrangements also exist for COCC's baking and pastry arts graduates.