When students arrive for Tim DeRossette’s class, they come hungry for knowledge.

By the time they leave, they’re often full, said DeRossette, a culinary arts instructor at Hinds Community College.

“I do it because I love seeing the students become successful throughout the community,” he said. “I love seeing them get excited.”

DeRossette started working in the food industry 30 years ago when he was in high school.

In the 20 years he spent working in the industry, he spent time at the Duff Green Mansion, Wendy’s, Harrah’s Entertainment, Isle of Capri and Rainbow Casino.

DeRossette started his work at Hinds 10 years ago teaching high school culinary arts classes.

“This year I’m not a high school culinary teacher for the first time in 10 years,” he said. “I’m a college culinary teacher.”

The college program started in the summer and currently there are two cohorts with 30 students total. Students attend classes two evenings per week from 5 p.m. to midnight and can earn an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts Technology in a year and a half.

“We have placed a couple with the casinos and a couple with the Corps of Engineers and a couple with local bed and breakfasts,” he said. “We have more to come that could go to hospitals, schools or restaurants. We’re just beginning.”

DeRossette’s colleague Matthew Campbell teaches the high school curriculum and half of the college courses.

The high school program has about 45 students who undergo a two-year program backed by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation.

“We hired Mr. Campbell when I started as the career pathways experience coordinator,” he said. “I help high school seniors in culinary and welding and automotives get internships.”

The students get Carnegie Units for taking DeRossette’s internship class, which counts toward their credits for graduation.

“Right now I have about 25 high school students in the career pathways experience program, and we’re hoping to see that number rise once students know that we’re here and doing this,” he said.

The culinary arts program helps local organizations with several fundraisers throughout the year.

“Earlier in the year we helped Junior Auxiliary by pumping out over 800 meals before noon,” DeRossette said.

“This is our fifth year with the Child and Parent Center, and we just did 350-400 meals for them. All of that takes a lot of planning and a lot of hard work.”

The fundraisers cost Hinds no money, and DeRossette said the experience is what’s known as live work.

Both high school and college students are involved in the service learning projects.

“This is where the pavement really meets the road,” he said.

“We’re in the service industry, and we’re here to serve.”