The inaugural class members of the Foodlink Career Fellowship were notified Monday of their acceptance into externships at various Wegmans stores and restaurants.

After a lengthy interview process on March 6, seven Fellows received their official acceptance letters when they arrived at Foodlink on Monday morning. They will finish up work within the Foodlink Community Kitchen in March, then begin their new roles on April 1.

The Fellows will be working at stores in Brockport (Jenna), Canandaigua (Kristen), East Ave. (Jehmel & Anthony), Pittsford (LaRhonda & Bre’Onn), and at Next Door Bar & Grill in Pittsford (Gloria).

After three months at Wegmans, the Fellows will graduate from the program and seek full-time work in the regional food industry. They began their journey in July, and have since completed a rigorous online training course (Rouxbe), and have hundreds of hours of hands-on experience preparing meals in the Foodlink Community Kitchen. Along the way, they have picked up six industry-recognized certifications to add to their respective resumes.

The interview process, which took place at Wegmans’ flagship store in Pittsford, included interviews by a Regional Chef, Human Resources representative and the Executive Chef at Next Door. Each interview lasted approximately 45 minutes. Fellows prepared resumes, cover letters and a portfolio featuring photographs and their various certifications.

Jes Scannell, Director of Career Empowerment Initiatives at Foodlink, and Clayton Waller, Career Coach, spent long hours preparing the Fellows for the interview process. They, along with the kitchen’s full-time staff members who have served as mentors to the Fellows for the past eight months, were applauded during an all-staff meeting at Foodlink Monday.