Our Culinary Offerings Earn a Five-Star Review – September 29, 2022
This article, A Culinary Treat at Valley Tech, was originally in the September 23, 2022 edition of the Telegram & Gazette, Part of the USA Today Network, within an article titled 'Concessions are a part of football' written by Rich Garven. 
A Culinary Treat at Valley Tech
The review for Blackstone Valley Tech is five stars.
Credit that to a constantly changing menu at the concession stand — OK, athletic shed — dishing out comfort food and tasty treats created by students in the culinary arts program at the Upton-based regional school.
“I think we’re kind of unique,” longtime culinary arts team leader Matt Williams said. “We can just do whatever the kids are into.”
The home opener last weekend offered the basics, like bacon cheeseburgers, but also churros (Mexican fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar), taco fries (hand-cut fries tossed in taco seasoning and topped with a chipotle lime cream and taco sauce), and a wide assortment of giant, made-at-the-school cookies.
The chili ($4 cup) is so popular, it can be purchased in quart containers to go. A large meatball served on a slider roll goes for $2 and a made-from-scratch sausage — students break down whole pork butts, season, grind the meat and put it in casings — on a roll that will set you back $5.
As for the nachos, they’re topped with homemade queso and, if requested, chili.
“A lot of times, we’ll just run something once for fun because the kids are working on it,” Williams said.
A pulled pork parfait is a recurring, once-a-year offering. That’s pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and barbecue sauce layered in a clear cup and topped with crispy onion rings.
“Everything is homemade from scratch,” Williams said. “Then we serve it with a spoon, and people just go at it.”
Williams and the students have been serving up fabulous fare for at least 10 years. They don’t work every home game, but the majority of them, with the funds raised, are used to send graduating culinary arts students on a three-day trip in May to either Portland, Maine, or Cape Cod.
Senior Naomi Tsuda and junior Eleanor Kriston pull a cheeseburger off the grill during a recent football game at BVT.
Seniors Jessica Perrault and Makayla Dunton show off chocolate glazed donuts, football cookies, triple chocolate cookies, and taco fries, which are fries tossed in taco seasoning and topped with chipotle lime crema and homemade taco sauce.
