The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Culinary Arts program at the Southern Indiana Career & Technical Center sent Sam Wagoner onto a career at local high-end restaurants. He’s thrilled now to have come full circle, taking over for Chef Ed Ellis as culinary arts instructor with the EVSC.
With the COVID-19 crisis having eased, the culinary arts program has reopened its student-run restaurant, The Lunch Box, at SICTC’s campus on 1901 Lynch Road. The community is welcome for lunch Tuesday-Thursday during the school year. Evansville Living visited The Lunch Box recently and enjoyed a tasty smoked pork chop marinated with spiced apples, plus a garden salad, stuffed pepper soup, baked beans, buttered corn, and rolls. Dessert choices included chocolate pie or snickerdoodle cookies.
Plates are $8 each, carryout is available, and reservations are allowed. At this time, only cash and check payments are accepted. The menu changes daily and is posted on SICTC’s Facebook page and website. Wagoner says the fried chicken day is popular with diners, but the restaurant is seeing good lunch crowds whenever it is open.
Wagoner works with about 50 high school juniors and seniors. Juniors spend their mornings at SICTC preparing the food, while seniors arrive in the afternoon to work the buffet. As part of their class grade, seniors also have internship opportunities with local food service providers.
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