Burkett Supports Culinary Education With Equipment Donation

Burkett Restaurant Equipment & Supplies, a FEDA distributor member based in Perrysburg, Ohio, is donating a commercial Convotherm combi oven to The Maritime Academy of Toledo to support the school's culinary program by providing students with hands-on learning opportunities.

The donated unit, a Convotherm C4eT 10.20 EB electric boiler combi oven, gives students access to commercial kitchen equipment used in professional foodservice operations. The oven offers steam, combi-steam, and hot-air cooking methods, allowing culinary students to learn a variety of cooking techniques on a single piece of equipment. In a news release, Burkett said it selected the school because the oven could make an immediate impact on its culinary program.

“This is exactly the kind of opportunity we look for when we talk about supporting our community,” said Jameel Burkett, president and CEO of Burkett Restaurant Equipment & Supplies. “The Maritime Academy of Toledo is preparing students with real-world skills, and we’re proud to play a small role in giving its culinary program another resource to help students learn, train, and grow.”

Burkett is donating the oven and coordinating delivery at no cost to the school. The distributor also acknowledged Zink Foodservice, which originally provided the Convotherm oven, for helping make the donation possible. The Maritime Academy of Toledo purchased the required equipment stand to ensure the unit can be safely and properly installed in the school’s kitchen space.

“We are incredibly excited and grateful for this generous donation and partnership,” said Misha Stredrick, superintendent of The Maritime Academy of Toledo. “This opportunity allows the students in our state-approved culinary arts program to gain hands-on experience using professional-grade commercial equipment. This helps them prepare for careers in the industry while serving our school and community with some of the highest-quality tools available.”