Powered by Pasta: Aspire’s First Food Service Trainees Put Their Skills to the Test

Serving the First Course of What’s Possible

Ten weeks of learning, practicing, and preparing culminated in one very special lunch service.

The tables were set. Orders were ready to be taken. Food was cooking in the kitchen. And for our first cohort of Food Services Employment Training Program trainees, it was time to put months of hard work into action.

Their challenge? Serve a three-course lunch from start to finish.

Their guests? Aspire team members and friends from Aspire Academy’s Life Enrichment program in Hillside who were more than ready to cheer them on.

Welcome to Powered by Pasta, a mock lunch service designed to give trainees the opportunity to experience the pace, teamwork, and connection that come with working in food service.

And judging by the smiles filling the room, this was about much more than what was on the menu.

From Practice to the Plate

Throughout our 10-week Food Services Employment Training Program, trainees have been developing the interpersonal and hands-on skills needed for both front- and back-of-house careers. Developed in partnership with industry leaders such as Lettuce Entertain You, Home Run Inn Pizza, and The Buona Companies the program prepares trainees for roles including servers, bussers, hosts, greeters, food runners, and cooks.

The training takes place in a simulated kitchen and restaurant space at Events by Cibula, Aspire’s Career Academy, and through on-site internships at partner locations that introduce trainees to what restaurant workplaces look, feel, and sound like.

Powered by Pasta brought those lessons to life.

From the moment guests walked through the door, trainees were responsible for creating the complete dining experience. They greeted and welcomed guests, took drink and food orders, engaged with diners, prepared and cooked food, served each course, and practiced turning tables for the next guests.

A Room Full of Pride

What made the afternoon especially meaningful was who was sitting at each of the tables.

The guests for the afternoon came from our Academy in Hillside, turning the lunch into a celebration shared across the Aspire community.

As plates made their way from the kitchen to the tables, the room filled with conversation, laughter, and plenty of smiles. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal while trainees had the opportunity to demonstrate just how much they had learned.

There was pride on both sides of every table.

For the trainees, Powered by Pasta was a chance to see weeks of practice come together in a real dining experience. For their guests, it was an opportunity to cheer on friends, celebrate their accomplishments, and experience firsthand what they had been working so hard to achieve.

Ten weeks of preparation were suddenly visible in every little moment; a warm greeting at the door, a carefully taken order, a conversation with a guest, a plate leaving the kitchen, and teammates stepping in to help one another.

Preparing for the Next Course

Powered by Pasta was an incredible milestone, but it is not the finish line.

After successfully completing their training, our trainees are matched with a two-month paid internship with an employer partner, where they can continue developing their skills in a working restaurant environment with support from a part-time job coach.

That next step matters, for both trainees preparing to pursue meaningful careers and for an industry facing a persistent need for reliable talent.

According to industry research, employee turnover in food service is 79.6%, the average employee tenure is 1.15 years, and the average cost per churn is estimated at $5,864. At the same time, people with disabilities continue to face a significant employment gap, despite having skills and talents businesses need.

That creates an opportunity to address both challenges together.

The contents of this article were developed under grant H421F240008 from the U.S. Department of Education (Department). The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this article may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this article does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by any Federal agency. (EDGAR 75.620)