Vol. 3, No. 5, May 2006
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AC—Dining Hub?
New expansion projects make the city the newest hot spot for culinary careers
Before they made a name for themselves in the culinary world, all-star chefs had one thing in common—they were once apprentices.
Yes, they burned food, dropped plates, cut their fingers and spent countless hours peeling potatoes before mastering the art of fine cuisine or opening their own restaurants. Being a top chef means being a lifelong student of food. Whether you are fresh out of a culinary institute or have been working the line for a number of years, the opportunity to improve and perfect your craft is part of the job.
With as many as 30 new restaurants opening in 2006, the demand for talent has never been greater. The opening of the Pier at Caesars and expansions at the four Harrah's properties and the Borgata will create hundreds of food and beverage jobs, from chefs to prep cooks to bartenders, waiters and restaurant managers. Staffing for these positions has already begun in earnest, but it is still likely that Atlantic City will suffer a shortage in personnel.
Of the 1,500 workers the Borgata will need to staff its $525 million expansion, 60 percent of the jobs are food and beverage-related. Harrah's Entertainment, which owns Caesars, Bally's, Showboat and Harrah's Atlantic City, currently has over 2,500 food and beverage positions company-wide, and the company is looking to add hundreds more as all Harrah's Entertainment properties undergo renovations.
"We need to fill about 200 jobs right now at Harrah's Entertainment nationwide," says Robert Schoell, director of food service at Showboat.
That figure does not include the ten restaurants opening at the Pier.
Casinos continue to look in their own backyards for new talent. The Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College remains one of the biggest suppliers of chefs in the area. The typical student can expect three offers of employment upon graduation. With an excellent reputation and one of the most affordable tuitions in the country, it remains a focal point for new recruits. But with the amount of jobs that need to be filled, casinos are taking it a step further.
In late March, Harrah's Entertainment hosted the deans and department heads of eight top culinary schools from across the country. Representatives from ACCC, the Culinary Institute of America, Drexel University, Johnson & Wales University, the French Culinary Institute and several others were wined and dined in hopes of attracting their students to the area.
"Atlantic City is experiencing a renaissance," says Michael Walsh, Harrah's vice president of development. "It's on the verge of exploding and reaching beyond where it has been in the past. We know right now that being gaming-centric, which is what we have been for the past 25 years, is not the way to grow into the future. We need to create additional amenities in this marketplace.We are looking for individuals to join us on this journey beyond buffets to real culinary experiences that are memorable and draw people back into the marketplace."
The dilemma, of course, is convincing talented young people that Atlantic City is the place to work. The casinos can guarantee competitive salaries. An assistant chef who graduates from a two-year program can make $30,000 to $35,000 or more depending on their expertise.
"I think one of the hardest things to contend with when dealing with recent graduates is their egos," says Jennifer Purcell, lecturing instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. "These kids think they are going to have their own Food Channel show a year after they graduate, or be pulling down huge money working with a celebrity chef. They don't understand that it's a process, that they have to pay their dues."
The lure of money and the glamour of working with the country's best chefs will continue to be attractive to students, and Atlantic City is poised to offer them both. As the city begins to grow, fine and casual dining will take center stage, and transform Atlantic City into a culinary jewel.
