In a stunningly brutal political move shrouded in secrecy, Yavapai College’s president unilaterally shutters Sedona Culinary Institute, bypassing local leaders and the public
The news of the Sedona Culinary Institute’s demise surfaced in May thanks to an exclusive report by Sedona Red Rock News journalist Tim Perry. In an article in that paper, Mr. Perry publicly revealed that an internal Yavapai Community College memo he obtained dated April 28, 2025, contained the news of the closure.
As word of the decision gradually seeped into the community, Sedona and Verde Valley residents reacted with widespread shock and disappointment.
Residents may recall that the Culinary Institute was established in 2017 after the College stumbled headlong into failure trying to continue the acclaimed Zaki Gordon Sedona Film School, once a beacon of local creativity and national fame. The Culinary Institute, billed as a long-term investment in local and regional culinary education, was built with significant community input and at a taxpayer cost ranging from $3 to $5 million—depending on who you ask.
Last year, however, Yavapai Community College struck a deal with Prescott High School to construct a new culinary training facility on the Prescott campus. This decision set the stage to pull the rug out from under the future of the Sedona Culinary Institute. Now ready for the fall, the Prescott facility effectively siphoned off the Sedona Culinary Institute’s classes and resources — sending them to the new Prescott facility.
According to the internal memo obtained by Sedona Red Rock News, the College stated:
“The College is relocating the academic culinary program to the Prescott campus for the fall term. Sedona School of Culinary is closed. Recreational cooking classes will no longer be offered. If the public wishes to pursue further information, they should contact John Morgan, Career and Technical Education Dean, and Irina Del Genio, Clarkdale Campus Dean.”
The lack of transparency surrounding this decision has sparked sharp criticism. In a Sedona Redrock News Facebook post, Third District Representative Payne voiced his disbelief at the abrupt closure:
“The Board has not had any presentation or discussion on this. There has not been any presentation or discussion on the possibility of selling the Sedona Center or shutting down the facility. My understanding is that $5 million of taxpayers’ money was spent to create the culinary kitchens at this facility.”
Fourth District Governing Board Representative William Kiel echoed Payne’s frustration in an interview with Sedona Red Rock News:
“I don’t recall that being on any agenda. I don’t know who made the decision. I don’t feel that the people on the other side of the mountain are getting adequate fairness in how much money we spend there versus how much we spend on this side of the mountain.”
At the May 27, 2025, District Governing Board meeting, Dr. Rhine defended her cloak-and-dagger handling of the decision, painting it as a routine closure of low-enrollment classes—an action she claimed fell squarely within her authority, no matter how much the community had invested in the facility. According to her, she had no obligation to discuss the matter with anyone.
It is noteworthy that she also tried to deflect some of the responsibility for the closing by pointing to the Valley Academy for Career and Technology’s decision to discontinue its culinary offerings.
In response to inquiries, a college spokesperson issued a brief statement via email to Sedona Red Rock News on May 14, asserting that Yavapai Community College “is not exploring selling the Sedona Center” and vaguely promising that “new programs that will fit the culture of Sedona” would be introduced at some unspecified future date.
It is anticipated that the College will attempt to paper over its development debacle by installing a patchwork of exercise classes and, for now, keeping the Osher Lifelong Learning program limping along at the Sedona Center.