As if Austin soccer fans weren’t excited enough over their new Austin FC team, they also have unique food and beverage options at the club’s Q2 Stadium to look forward to when it opens later this month.
512 Food Co., the new hospitality team at the stadium, will get help from Austin campus students of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Escoffier students will provide complete BOH support of the “Austin Table”, a rotational food offering focused on showcasing local minority-owned businesses. These businesses, along with local chefs, will be able to incubate new food concepts at the stadium, while providing on-the-job training for our students.
While the stadium was still under construction at the time, Austin Table Executive Chef Sam Boisjoly contacted Escoffier about a potential partnership back in late 2020, and the initiative has been underway ever since. The ultimate goal with this venture is to have students provide meal preparation assistance leading up to and including event days as a way to obtain hands-on experience in real-life situations, and learn to manage and adapt to fast-paced kitchen operations.
Director of Career Services at Escoffier’s Austin campus, Ann Derrick, is extremely excited for this opportunity. “Austin Football Club is the first professional sports team in Austin! I’m elated that our students have the opportunity to gain industry experience working at Q2 Stadium while pursuing their education. It’s definitely a resume builder!”
According to Chef Sam, students working at Q2 Stadium (Levy Restaurants) gain premium experience from the concessions side of the sports and entertainment industry by working in a high volume, quick service environment.
The venue opened recently with a soft launch and Ann checked in on her students. “The opening went well! Although only a few students worked the soft opening, the feedback that I received from Chef Sam was that Escoffier students did exceptionally well!
Austin Campus President Marcus McMellon is also delighted by this tremendous opportunity for his students. “The ability to provide a positive and professional working environment for our students only enhances their educational experience. We look forward to providing this service to the Austin FC, Q2 Stadium, and our students for years to come.”
For more information on the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Austin campus, check out our website. To inquire about enrollment, you can reach out to an admissions advisor at 833-443-0618 or [email protected]. Our summer block is just around the corner.
