Quinn signs 'sip and spit' bill for culinary students

The legislation Gov. Pat Quinn signed Friday didn’t have the prettiest name, but it’ll mean cooking school students under the age of 21 can sample alcohol tied to their coursework without running afoul of state underage drinking laws.

The measure, pushed by several colleges with culinary schools like Kendall College in Chicago, passed the General Assembly last spring would permit culinary students 18 years or older to sample alcoholic beverages during cooking projects so long as they are supervised by an instructor who is 21 or older.

The law Quinn enacted also states that students can only be given alcohol during regularly scheduled and required courses, and any alcohol provided would have to remain in possession of the instructor afterward.

The purpose behind the push, backers said, is to teach students under 21 how to cook with wine and spirits and how to pair the right drinks with appropriate meal offerings.