Meet The Future Of Culinary Greenville

Want to know where you can find sushi making and mixology courses,knife skills trainings, and continuing education all in one place? Well, look no further because Poe West’s newest tenant does it all, and then some.

Three years ago, this was just an idea. Now, it’s a reality,thanks to Alan Scheidhauer and his team over at Greenville Tech Foundation. We sat down with Alan to get the inside scoop on the new institute, and yes, ice cream was definitely mentioned.

In a foodie town, and particularly one that’s in the middle of a pandemic, jobs in this industry are hard to find. According to Alan, it’s also hard to find enough people to teach and hire, particularly with the once crazy low unemployment rate (keep in mind that this interview was held prior to the COVID-19 crisis). That’s why they decided to build at Poe West, Alan says, to bring education and skills to three main groups: those already in the service industry, potential new hires, and people like you and me, looking to sharpen our sub-par sushi making skills.

Customized to fit the community’s needs, Alan has used his open canvas to develop a number of programs that are sure to make change happen. With an August 2020 opening, some things you can expect are:

* Job training and placement

* Continued education to strengthen the foodie culture here in Greenville

* Partnering with local schools to teach healthy choices to students, including partnering with USC School of Medicine Greenville with a new Culinary Medicine Elective (CME)

* Quick courses (this is where the sushi making and mixology classes come in). Can you tell I’m excited about this? Look for “Learning Options” here.

* Long-term courses

* Low-cost opportunities with single classes ranging from $45.00 (Demonstration tasting classes) – (Hands on Classes and meal consumption at $119 at the moment)

When asked what he is most excited about being a part of the Poe West neighborhood, Alan is more than ready to provide team building exercises through food for the other tenants. Collaborative efforts of food and beverage pairing. From grill outs and brews with Carolina Bauernhaus, to health and wellness concepts with Junkyard Fitness, there are no limits to the connection between tenants.

Though Alan’s passion lies with pastries and baking, he has made his culinary mark in the community thus far with his innovative creations and drive to make a difference.

So grab your aprons, people, you’ve got some classes to take.   

*** As noted earlier, this interview was conducted prior to theCOVID-19 crisis, so some things have changed.

- The Poe West Team