Cincinnati State graduates first culinary bachelor's: 'There's a lot behind the scenes.'

All it took was one taste of a third-year student's barbecue sauce, which was part of their final exam project, to transport chef Grace Yek from her classroom kitchen lab to a picturesque picnic scene in her mind. When she closed her eyes, she could see the checkerboard tablecloth and smell the fresh cut grass.

That's what food science is about, Yek said. It's emotional, specific and − these days − in high demand.

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Today's food consumers are needy, niche and have a higher "food IQ" than ever before, Yek said. They want food products that are sustainable and that meet their gluten-free, keto or vegan dietary needs. That's why she's proud to lead Cincinnati State Technical and Community College's culinary and food science bachelor's degree program, which graduates its first class this May.

"Consumers demand authentic experiences," Yek said. "They demand food that resonates with their values, with their diet, with their lifestyle ... by companies that resonate with who they are."

Cincinnati State, an open-access college with locations in Clifton, Harrison, Evendale and Middletown, has offered mostly two-year associate degrees and certificates since 1969. But recently the Ohio Department of Higher Education started approving bachelor's degree programs in fields with strong workforce needs, including nursing and land surveying.

Ten students will graduate with their bachelor's in culinary and food science this spring, and another 60 are currently in the program. While the majority of students in the department's two-year associate degree program go into restaurant work, graduating students from the bachelor's degree program are already employed at regional food, beverage and flavor companies working in product development, food safety and food production.

These jobs and the classes in Cincinnati State's new program focus on the intermolecular makeup of food. Students explore what ingredients add thickness, flavor, protein and color to products. They work to tackle problems like shelf life and efficiency in the wake of food labor shortages.

Nicole Hatfield, who graduates in May, said she learned at Cincinnati State how to keep ingredients in soup from separating or sinking to the bottom of a container. She also learned how to keep salad dressings fresh, so they don't smell like spoiled oil. It's about formulas, she said − not recipes.

"It's still making delicious food, but there's a lot behind the scenes that makes that happen," Hatfield said.

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Yek said Cincinnati is "making its mark" in the food world, especially since it is home to brands like Kroger and SugarCreek (where Hatfield works) and branches of other large food and flavor companies like Givaudan and Archer Daniels Midland.

Alicia Manley, who also graduates in May, works for Archer Daniels Midland. She had already chosen to attend Cincinnati State for its two-year program when the school launched the bachelor's degree. Her professor encouraged her to go for the bachelor's degree because Manley "had too many questions."

"I would just ask her questions about different ingredients and how food worked," Manley said. "So, here we are."

Manley said she's "not a science person" and didn't realize how technical her classes would be when she chose the bachelor's route. It was difficult, she said, but worth it.

Now, when Manley looks at a food's nutrition label, she understands nearly everything that's inside the product. Even if she doesn't know a particular ingredient, she likely knows its family or functionality by its name. Manley and Hatfield said they both surprise family and friends with fun facts about food on a regular basis.

Hatfield said she's enjoyed the small classes and close-knit cohort the bachelor's program provided during her time at Cincinnati State. She's especially grateful for Yek, who she said has been her "biggest supporter from day one."

"It's just pure joy," Yek said of seeing the program's first class graduate this spring. "Because I see it in their faces, what difference it's made to them. It's opened up new avenues for them and that is an emotion that exceeds words for me."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati State graduates its first class of culinary bachelor's