MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Marion County culinary arts students are in for a treat this Friday when four nationally-known celebrity chefs will show off their skills and share their experiences with Marion County middle and high school culinary arts students.

Marion County Public Schools (MCPS) says the chefs are in Ocala to participate in the World Equestrian Center’s (WEC) food and wine festival which runs Friday through Sunday. Proceeds from ticket sales to the event benefit the Public Education Foundation of Marion County.

The idea is that the celebrity chefs will inspire students to pursue careers in the culinary and hospitality industry.

The top chefs and the schools they will visit include:

  • Lorena Garcia: Native Venezuelan and Latin flavor specialist whose appearances on “Top Chef Masters” and “America’s Next Great Restaurant” put her in the international culinary spotlight. Her global take on Latin cuisine fuses classic technique with Latin ingredients. Visiting: Lake Weir High School & Marion Technical College
  • Timothy Hollingsworth: LA-based chef and restaurateur who spent 13 years at the critically-acclaimed and three-Michelin-star-rated restaurant, The French Laundry. His contemporary restaurant Otium is a globally-inspired, west-coast hotspot serving eclectic vibrant flavors inspired by wood fire. Visiting: Osceola Middle & Forest High Schools
  • Rashad Jones: MCPS graduate and national award-winning pitmaster who calls Ocala home and operates Big Lee’s BBQ. Jones graduated from Lake Weir High School in 1996 and is host of the hit Food Network show “Eat, Sleep, BBQ” and earned the title of “barbeque king” with first-place finishes in season three of Food Network’s series, “BBQ Brawl,” and “Guy’s Big Project.” Visiting: Belleview Middle & High Schools
  • Yohann Le Bescond: Leads the pastry program at Ocala’s World Equestrian Center and recently appeared on Food Network’s “Summer Baking Championship” program. Recently, Restaurant Hospitality named him to its 2023 Power List of notable chefs around the world. Visiting: Dunnellon Middle & High Schools

“These celebrity chef visits bring real-life experiences and face-to-face interactions to students considering culinary careers,” said MCPS in a release. “With hundreds of MCPS students involved in Culinary Arts programs, the visits reinforce industry growth and the need to provide graduates prepared to fill positions within the culinary field.”

Tickets to the food and wine festival at WEC range from $95 to $345 and can be purchased here. A pricier event on Friday night is sold out.