How much does the training program cost?

Nothing. The Sow Project charges no tuition and provides uniforms, textbooks and equipment.

How long is the program?

26 weeks. Students attend three days a week for six hours a day, for 470 hours in total.

Do I need kitchen experience to apply?

No. You fill out the online application, and the team reaches out to qualified candidates about next steps.

Can I take a single class without enrolling?

The project has offered a live online pasta class for $10 per person that you cook along with from your own kitchen.

What happens after training?

Students move into paid apprenticeships and job placement with employer partners, and support continues after placement.

Community kitchen · Memphis

Sow Project CCC

Free 26-week culinary job training in Memphis, plus occasional online cook-alongs

5.03 Google reviewsRanked #3 of 4 cooking schools in Memphis

About Sow Project CCC

The Sow Project is the training program of the Center of Culinary Cultivation, a Memphis nonprofit founded by chef Ben Vaughn. Its main offering is a free, 26-week culinary job training program for unemployed and underemployed adults. Students attend three days a week for six hours a day, 470 hours in all. After training they move into paid apprenticeships and job placement.

The curriculum is classical and practical. Recent lessons cover egg cookery, the mother sauces, risotto, dried and fresh pasta, brioche and bagels. The breakfast practical calls for a French omelette, rösti potato, hollandaise and a blueberry scone. The program provides uniforms, textbooks and equipment. You don't need any experience, but you do need to apply.

This is not a drop-in cooking school. For the general public, the project has run a live online pasta class at $10 per person. It also hosts fundraiser dinners cooked by students, such as Wine & BBQ on South Main Street. It holds a 5 rating from 3 Google reviews.