The Cerritos College Culinary Arts program reopens its doors this semester to the newest sit-in restaurant style cafe in the Student Center at Cerritos College.

The Falcon Room opened its doors back in October of last year and is in what used to be a classroom for the Culinary Arts Program.

The project took nearly a year to plan its renovation along with complete construction, the concept and the design of the menu.

Cerritos College President Dr. Linda Lacy was the mastermind behind the concept which allows the campus’ faculty and staff a place to relax and communicate in a calming environment with well prepared food.

The Falcon Room is strictly for campus staff and faculty, as students on campus already have a café ran by Culinary Arts students where students may order food and eat it in the Student Center.

Michael Pierini who is the chief instructor of the Culinary Arts Program for Cerritos College said, “We have the cafe which is in the Student Center. The objective with that is (to prepare) food a little lighter and quicker where we make everything from scratch.”

Pierini added, “The restaurant we just opened last fall is called The Falcon Room and that’s available to faculty and staff.”

The food, the cafe and the restaurant itself is operated and ran by the culinary arts students under a controlled educational environment.

All the student waiting staff and chefs are not paid employees like in other restaurants, but receive educational benefit.

The Falcon Room will allow current culinary arts students to not only learn the basics of food preparation, but also teach them the “in-front of the house” aspect of a restaurant such as being a host and/or waiter.

Given the fact that The Falcon Room’s food is prepared by students, it gives them a really good hands-on experience for any culinary arts major.

The Falcon Room features similar menu items that are found in the student café such as gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads, and pasta dishes.

“Its nice to know that faculty (members) will now be able to dine in a separate area from students,” said culinary arts alumna Iris Herrera, “they need their separate space and it’s good to know they have it now.”

The cost of the food and operation of the restaurant is all run through the Culinary Arts Program, which funds the needed items that are used throughout the semester.

The Falcon Room and the student cafe inside the Student Center are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and remain closed on Friday.