Miami Beach High School Culinary Kitchen Ribbon Cutting

Описание: In April 2019, Andres Asion envisioned transforming Miami Beach Senior High’s culinary program into a top-tier facility for South Florida’s hospitality industry. Through community support, $300,000 in funds from the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, and $1.8 million from the Miami-Dade County School District, the $2.1 million project became a reality. After construction began in August 2023, we celebrated the ribbon-cutting on November 4, 2024. This state-of-the-art kitchen is now ready to empower students with invaluable culinary skills!

Timeline

April 2019 – Andres Asion attended an event at Miami Beach Senior High as a guest of Juliana Velez from the school district. While there, he saw the existing cooking program for the first time and recognized its potential to become a top-level culinary training facility for South Florida’s hospitality industry.

Next Steps – Inspired by what he saw, Andres wanted to determine if any Miami-Dade schools already had a model culinary program for high school students to replicate at Beach High. Juliana facilitated visits to various school programs, but Andres soon realized that no school had a classroom of this caliber dedicated exclusively to high school students.

October 2019 – Andres met with Mr. Jose Bueno, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Superintendent, and then-Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho to share his idea. He also proposed incorporating ProStart, a nationwide, two-year program that develops high school students into tomorrow's industry leaders.

Around this time, former Miami Beach Commissioner John Aleman stepped up as one of the first supporters, advising Andres about a matching grant available from the city. What started as a $50,000 commitment eventually grew to $100,000.

November 2019 – Andres reached out to Dr. Michael Cheng, Dean of the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, to involve him in the project, given FIU’s top-ranked culinary program and its role in the Miami Beach Food and Wine Festival. Dr. Cheng and his team agreed to assist with planning and design.

By June 2020 – The facilities team of the Miami-Dade School District provided a draft plan, marking a significant milestone.

July 2020 – Edward Don & Company joined the project to provide cost estimates, following a recommendation from Russell Galbut, who also generously donated $10,000.

Then, the project faced an unexpected pause due to COVID.

August 2021 – The project resumed, and Andres reached out to school board member Lucia Baez-Geller, who became a key advocate and quarterbacked the project’s progression with the school district.

September 2021 – FIU agreed to offer dual enrollment for students in the program, elevating the educational experience. Additionally, the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, led by then-President Jerry Libbin, joined the effort, assisting with fundraising efforts to make the dream a reality. Jerry introduced the project to Bruce Gould, who embraced the vision and donated $50,000.

Project Funding Breakdown – The entire project was an investment of approximately $2.1 million. Of this, $300,000 was raised through the dedicated efforts of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and its network of supporters. The remaining $1.8 million was funded by the Miami-Dade County School District, underscoring their commitment to advancing educational opportunities in the community.

Some other Chamber Donors:
David Wallack: $15,000
Andres Asion Foundation: $10,000
Russell and Ronalee Galbut Foundation: $10,000
Casa Tua: $5,000
In addition, the City of Miami Beach contributed $100,000.

February 2023 – Adrian Gonzalez, from Representative Fabian Basabe’s office, helped secure the final $70,000 needed to complete the project budget, bringing the total to $300,000.

August 7, 2023 – Construction on the kitchen officially began.

November 4, 2024 – The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held, celebrating the completion of this incredible collaboration. Now, students can finally begin using this state-of-the-art facility, made possible through the dedication and contributions of so many supporters.