National Park College (NPC) student Jason Hunt is pursuing his degree in Hospitality
and Tourism Management.
Hunt spent most of his working career in the business industry, but he was not happy.
He decided he wanted to pursue his passion for cooking. He said advertising for NPC
and the hospitality division first caught his attention. His mother Deborah Hunt,
an NPC faculty member, also told him about the program at NPC. After attending a webinar
that was hosted by hospitality instructor Eve Victory, he decided to enroll at NPC.
Currently working as the pastry cook at Home Plate Café in Hot Springs Village, AR,
Hunt would like to learn more and be certified as a pastry chef in addition to earning
his Associate Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
The owners of Home Plate Café decided to have a cook-off between Hunt and co-worker
Nico Carroll from The University of Arkansas Pulaski Tech. Each cook sold his meal
one night over a two-week period. Hunt served calamari, lasagna, and tiramisu. The
results of the competition will be announced by the restaurant soon.
“The best thing about the contest, working at Home Plate and the hospitality program
have shown me that someone who is middle-aged can start over and follow their dream
at any point in their life,” said Hunt.
Victory said, “Jason has a natural affinity for hospitality and an entrepreneurial
spirit. I am looking forward to being one of his first customers at what will surely
be a French bistro.”
