LEWISTON – As Green Ladle patrons were seated for lunch on a recent Wednesday, students were busy in the kitchen.

George Foster, wearing a chef’s hat, had his hands in flour.

“We have veal cordon bleu,” said Foster, 18. “I’m dipping it in egg and flour with Italian seasoning.”

The Green Ladle is a student-run caterer and restaurant open January through May. It is housed next to the National Guard armory on Goddard Road, and teaches Lewiston, Edward Little, Leavitt, Oak Hill, Poland and Lisbon high school students about the restaurant business. The students are locally known for their annual spring chili chowder at the Ramada.

Foster is a senior at Lewiston High School, where he’s enrolled in Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s culinary arts program. Next year, he plans to attend the University of Akron, Ohio, where he’ll major in hospitality management. After college, “I would like to own a restaurant,” Foster said. “I like Italian food.”

Lewiston High senior Rebecca Holden, 17, was chef for the day. She was cutting chicken, her cheeks pink from the warmth of the kitchen.

“I love it, the heat from the kitchen and everything,” she said. “There’s nothing else I want to do but work in a kitchen.”

In the dining room, the buffet featured clam chowder or chili, two salads, breads, veal, baked pecan catfish with Dijon mustard sauce, Rosemary leg of lamb, summer squash with ricotta cheese, chicken in a beurre blanc with vegetables and capers, and finally, the dessert table.

The price: $7.

“We just cover costs,” said instructor and chef Dan Caron.

The Green Ladle serves lunch by reservation from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Because the facility is small, the program has to turn away students and patrons.

But it could grow next year.

If approved by the Lewiston School Committee, the program would move to a new building on the Lewiston High School complex in the spring of 2008. The number of students could go from 36 to 60; seating from 60 to 150.

“We want everybody to see what these kids can do,” said instructor and pastry chef Katrina Liguori.

Eric Agren already has.

He’s opening a French bistro restaurant, Fuel, in late March on Lisbon Street. He was at Green Ladle to recruit.

“My executive chef hired a graduate of this program, Anthony (Samey). He’s excellent,” Agren said. “His knowledge of food and prep for his age is real good.”

Agren plans to hire LRTC students and he wants his new restaurant to have an intern program. “They know what they’re doing and they love what they do. We want them to work for us.”

A table of four women from Wayne, Readfield and Mount Vernon also praised the students’ work.

“It’s delightful,” said Veronica Clauss. “I would come again,” Holly Dumaine agreed. She smiled and added, “But I can’t make a final judgment until I’ve had dessert.”

She was looking at the creations of Alex Szczesny, 18, who stood near the dessert table featuring Boston cream pie, pistachio cheesecake, key lime cream torte, mocha angel food cake with raspberry topping and sugar-free parfaits.

The Poland High senior said his interest in cooking started as a hobby and grew.

“It’s a lot of fun creating things that other people enjoy,” he said.

Go and eat

What: Green Ladle Restaurant

Where: Goddard Road by Exit 80, Lewiston

When: 11-12:30, Wednesday through Friday only

Reservations required: 777-3199

How much: $7