Discover Our Students’ Experiences Through Their Own Words: Janice Provost

“I was attending El Centro when I was hired to work at Parigi, and three years later I bought the restaurant! In addition to my passion for cooking, I am dedicated to the education of future generations interested in the culinary arts. That is why I created the Parigi Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to students from the Food and Hospitality Institute. I am very active in several other organizations, including the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association, Les Dames d’Escoffier, Café Momentum, Latat Girls Residential Treatment Center, Promise of Peace Community Garden, Dallas Farmers Market Friends and Chefs for Farmers. Building a sustainable future through education, mentorship and community is what I hope to achieve.

“El Centro taught me things I use every day. From the basics of the mother sauces to conversions of recipes, the classes gave me real, usable information that allows me to create menus with balanced flavors and execute dishes with confidence. The Parigi Scholarship Endowment Fund is a way for me to show my appreciation for the school that taught me so much.”

Janice was hired to work at Parigi while a culinary student at El Centro, and three years later she bought the neighborhood bistro on Oak Lawn. Janice and fellow chef Chad Houser also co-founded Café Momentum, a Dallas-based nonprofit restaurant and culinary training facility for at-risk youth. Café Momentum partners with Dallas County Youth Village and the Dallas County Juvenile Justice Department to teach adolescent men and women that it is possible to break the cycle of violence and crime that many have faced. Parigi is located at 3311 Oak Lawn Ave., 214-521-0295.

A student with a red jacket poses for a photo in a downtown setting

Stephanie Gutierrez

Culinary Student

“At El Centro’s Culinary and Hospitality Institute, I’m learning how to plan a menu and use time management in the kitchen. Now with SkillsUSA, it’s teaching me to get where I want to go.”

Culinary and Pastry Arts

Albert Pantoja III

Senior Accountant American Home Mortgage Servicing

“My experience was really good; I learned a lot about different types of loans, underwriting and loan origination. The program gave us a broad overview from the get-go. I didn’t have any previous experience in mortgage banking at all, so it really helped me to prepare for changing jobs into the industry.”

Banking and Finance

Tammy White

Project Manager Verizon Telecom

“The most important thing I learned in my education was a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and that nothing is impossible as long as I am willing to expend the effort to reach my goals. I have been promoted a number of times in recent years, into positions of more and more responsibility as a direct result of my education.”

Business, Business and Management