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Practical Experience For Culinary Students

Career opportunities
Our academic partners
Tuition reimbursement
Internship positions
To Apply

Publix offers students in culinary arts programs an opportunity to get on-the-job experience in baking, cake decorating, meat cutting or deli preparations. Culinary internships are provided to students who:

are actively enrolled in the culinary arts program at any of the schools listed below,
have completed certain courses,
are recommended by their Culinary Arts Program instructors
seek experience in a skill area needed by one of our stores, and
seem promising to store managers who interview them.

Culinary interns usually work part-time since they are in school. The internships last between 10 and 24 weeks, depending on the academic needs of the student.

Career opportunities

Interns who excel are almost always offered employment at Publix once the internship ends – and nearly all of them accept that offer. By then, the interns understand the earning possibilities in our skilled positions, the tremendous benefits of being owners of the company, and the management opportunities that await.

Our academic partners

Publix closely evaluates schools that want to participate in our culinary internship program. We want our academic partners to hold the same high standards we do. For that reason, we prefer to work with schools that have culinary arts programs accredited by the American Culinary Federation. However, we are open to working with other programs if they have an accredited sanitation program such as Serv Safe and teachers certified by the American Culinary Federation.

These are our current academic partners:

School Name	City	State
Atlantic Technical Center	Coconut Creek	FL
McFatter Technical Center	Davie	FL
Lee County High Tech Center Central	Ft. Myers	FL
Sheridan Technical Center	Hollywood	FL
Florida Community College	Jacksonville	FL
Keiser College — Melbourne	Melbourne	FL
Le Cordon Bleu — Miami	Miramar	FL
Orlando Culinary Academy	Orlando	FL
Sarasota County Technical Institute	Sarasota	FL
Keiser College — Tallahassee	Tallahassee	FL
The Atlanta Collaborative Kitchen	Atlanta	GA
Gwinnett Technical College	Lawrenceville	GA

Other schools that want to become one of Publix's culinary internship partners should contact one of the following Retail Staffing Specialists:

For schools in Alabama, Tennessee, and the bulk of Georgia and South Carolina, contact nick.collins@publix.com.
For schools along the West Coast of Florida from Marco Island to Crystal River and inland to Lakeland, Kissimmee, and St. Cloud, contact mercedes.kosbab@publix.com.
For schools in Central Florida from Orlando to Daytona Beach, in North Florida from the Panhandle to Jacksonville, and in South Georgia, contact allan.romano@publix.com.
For schools in the Southeast Florida counties of Broward, Dade, Indian River, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie, contact sue.ward@publix.com.

Tuition reimbursement

If a culinary arts student completes a Publix internship and accepts a job offer with our company, he or she may apply for tuition reimbursement for any remaining courses needed to complete a culinary certification or degree. In some cases, tuition assistance is available during the internship.

Internship positions

Culinary students may apply for any of these positions:

All interns are paid at least $9 an hour.

To Apply

If you would like to apply for a culinary internship at Publix, speak with your instructor to determine if you have completed the required courses. If you have completed those courses, you will need a recommendation from the department head of your school's Culinary Arts Program. Your school will know how to contact Publix once that recommendation has been written.

Our first Publix GreenWise Market, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, opened in September 2007 with three other locations in Florida to follow. There will be plenty of opportunities for those with culinary expertise. Click here to learn more about employment possibilities in this exciting new shopping environment.

Why I Love Publix

Luz,
Prepared Foods Clerk

My decision to join Publix was easy. I had known the people who worked here from having shopped at Publix. The team seemed very concerned for customers and at the same time displayed an attitude of enjoying what they were doing. I also knew that Publix had great opportunities for growth. Even so, I was surprised that the entire management team at my store is so glad to work with me and other associates when we need assistance.

I’m in my first year with Publix, but my goal is to someday go into management, perhaps eventually even as Store Manager. In the meantime, I love what I do now because I enjoy assisting customers with the finest customer service available in the prepared foods industry.

I also am excited about what I learn from my co-workers, but I had already learned a lot about food and cooking from my Mother and husband. Being one of the oldest of 13 children growing up, I helped, learned and eventually prepared some of the meals for my family. I then married a Chef and for 29 years learned the trade and many delicious receipes from him.

I hope Publix continues to expand the Prepared Foods setting for our customers in the future. I’m glad to be part of the first store to try this concept in a big way.