Great Plains Culinary Institute

Congratulations Great Plains Culinary Institute 2024 Graduates!! We are so incredibly proud and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you! 🎉

Ah Shucks, the semester is almost over!

💛Student Spotlight: Sophie Thompson

Banquet theme: In The Garden

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“Working with everyone to make all of my dishes.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“My salad and entree.”

What have you learned through this class or experience?
“How to work in groups and make new foods.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“I loved creating new friendships and doing what I love with great people.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Be willing to try new things and prepare for challenges along the way.”

What are your plans after graduation?
“I plan to continue working at DISH and eventually travel to Europe.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Sophie’s passion for the industry, keen eye for detail, and strong work ethic will play a successful role in her future career as a Chef.” -Chef Mike Vandenberg

We appreciate you, Sophie!

💛Student Spotlight: Ashlyn Kaup

Banquet theme: Beauty and the Beast

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“Seeing my friends and family and showing them what I’ve been doing during my time here.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“Baked Alaska”

What have you learned through this class or experience?
“Trust your classmates’ abilities and work together to get the best outcome.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“Making a great group of friends who make every adventure more enjoyable and hardships easier to overcome.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Be confident in your skills and listen to your instructors. Cooking and baking is never a bad skill to learn.”

What are your plans after graduation?
“I plan on moving to Omaha and working in the industry until I’ve gained enough experience and knowledge to start something on my own.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Ashlyn sets the bar for reliability and teamwork. Along with her natural cooking ability, I have no doubt she will become a great chef in the near future.” -Chef Mike Vandenberg

We appreciate you, Ashlyn!

💛Student Spotlight: Isidro A Lopez-Aguado (L.A.)

Banquet theme: Titanic

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“I am most looking forward to having people taste food that was served on the Titanic.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“Foie Gras Crostini because I never use duck liver and it tastes better than I expected.”

What have you learned through this class or experience?
“How to work better as a large team.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“I have many, but my favorite was my time in the Cake Decorating class.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Brush up on math if you aren’t confident.”

What are your plans after graduation?
“Look for work here locally, and save money to move and find better work elsewhere.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“L.A.’s spontaneous and whimsical demeanor create an easy-going yet productive atmosphere in the kitchen.” -Chef Mike Vandenberg

We appreciate you, L.A.!

💛Student Spotlight: Graci Edwards

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“I am most looking forward to seeing the final product of my menu items.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“My entree”

What have you learned through this class or experience?
“Always anticipate and be prepared for something to possibly go wrong no matter how ahead you are.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“Just working with a great group of people who make every class enjoyable.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Go for it!”

What are your plans after graduation?
“Hopefully working at a high end restaurant within 2-3 years outside of Nebraska.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Graci is a natural leader, has great presence, vision, and reliability.” -Chef Mike Vandenberg

“Graci is a hardworking future leader in our industry. She’s very detailed oriented and has the skills to create an awesome banquet experience.” -Chef Abby Hoch

We appreciate you, Graci!

💛Student Spotlight: Tristan Kyhn

Banquet Theme: Japanese Festival

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“Seeing how it will all turn out.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“Hanami Dango”

What have you learned through this class or experience?
“It’s not always a competition and everything doesn’t always have to be perfect.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“The day I won a sun hat and flip flops in International Cuisine.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Don’t get a big head. Meet new people. And enjoy everything you get to do!”

What are your plans after graduation?
“Work until I have enough money to travel.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Tristan’s passion, drive and work ethic fuel his love for the culinary field.”- Chef Mike Vandenberg

“Tristan is full of talent. He’s doing both culinary and baking/pastry and is good at both.” -Chef Abby Hoch

“It’s been so fun watching Tristan grow in his culinary knowledge and kitchen confidence. We love seeing his enthusiasm for the industry grow and his fun personality is appreciated.” - Chef Amber Pankonin

We appreciate you, Tristan!

We are proud of our faculty, staff and students!

🔆 Student spotlight: Alizae Martinez

Banquet Theme: Mexican

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“Seeing my family and friends there and making them proud of my progress here.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“Churro dessert”

What do you hope to learn through this class or experience?
“Lots of great teamwork and time management skills.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“Overall the whole experience of working with my peers and becoming a better baker.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Have fun, always be prepared and focused.”

What are your plans after graduation?
“Short term – work as a baker and do some travelling. Long term – own a bakery!”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Alizae brings a level-head and calm demeanor to the normally chaotic kitchen atmosphere.”Chef Mike Vandenberg

🔆 Student spotlight: Quan Nguyen

Banquet Theme: All Things Japan

What are you looking forward to the most about your banquet?
“My team that works with me.”

What menu item are you most proud of?
“Charsiu Pork Ramen”

What do you hope to learn through this class or experience?
“Time management and leadership.”

Do you have any favorite memories from this class or your time here at SCC?
“Creating the menu for my banquet and spending 8 hours writing recipes.”

What advice would you have for future students?
“Follow your dream and enjoy your time doing the program.”

What are your plans after graduation?
“Continue working at DISH Restaurant.”

What others are saying ⬇️

“Quan is very detail-oriented and has great vision regarding his menu and recipes.” -Chef Mike Vandenberg

We appreciate you, Quan!

⭐️ Our student spotlight is back! ⭐️

This week our student spotlight is on Sam Silver. 😊

Hometown: Lincoln, NE

Banquet theme: Mediterranean

What are you most looking forward to about your banquet?
“Seeing my friends and family there.”

What menu item are you most excited about?
“The lamb. Definitely the lamb!”

What do you hope to learn through this class or experience?
“How to manage people.”

What would you tell a student who wants to attend this culinary program?
“Always be prepared!”

Sam’s best qualities in the kitchen according to Chef Mike Vandenberg: Patience, level-headed and respectful. ⬇️

“Sam takes time to answer questions and treats everyone with respect.”

We appreciate you, Sam!

📸 Last Friday we held a photo shoot for our staff and it was a powerful reminder of how much has changed this past year! We are thankful for all the new faces and appreciate the unique talents of our faculty and staff.

Here's a quick summary:
✔️ Chef Emma was hired full time and is now leading our baking and pastry program.
✔️ Chef Travis has returned to us from the TCA program.
✔️ Chef Christina is now leading our culinary program at TCA.
✔️ Chef Mike has joined the faculty as a Chef Instructor.
✔️ Chef Jade is now our Executive Chef at Course Restaurant.
✔️Ashtyn Flynn was hired as the manager of Course Ground Coffee.
✔️ Jared Uecker has joined our faculty and is teaching courses in hospitality management.
✔️ Chef Sam Nenneman was hired as our purchaser.
✔️ Chef Amber is back from maternity leave.
✔️ Dietitian Kyla Stark celebrated "Bring your daughter to work day" with a little job shadow experience. 🥰

We are very excited to announce we are open for Spring term this coming Monday!
Thank you for supporting our students!

Come dine at Course during our final days of 2023! No time to stay? Schedule a pick up order with our online ordering at www.southeast.edu/course

Course Restaurant and Course Ground will be closed November 1st-6th for the installation of the our new point-of-sale system. We plan to reopen on November 7th! Please email [email protected] with any questions during this closure. Thank you for your continued support!

👩‍🍳Happy International Chefs Day!

We are missing Chef Emma, Chef Jade and Chef Christina from this group but we are thankful for this talented group of Chefs and appreciate what they do for our students.

Saturday, November 11th Course will be hosting a fundraiser brunch buffet to support SCC students participating in the state SkillsUSA competition.

Brunch is from 9am-11am, tickets are $40/person. Please join us to show your support for our hardworking students!

Tickets must be purchased in advance here:

We still have tickets available for our 1st banquet of the season tomorrow! Check it out.

SCC East entrance - Order Online Order online from SCC East entrance, including Wednesday Night Dinners, Special Events, Global Education Fundraiser. Get the best prices and service by ordering direct!

👏We have 2 teaching positions that we need to hire! Both positions are for Chef Instructor. One will be staffed at TCA and the other for SCC. If you’re interested, check out the link and search for hospitality. 😉

PeopleAdmin Applicant Portal | Home Thank you for your interest in working at Southeast Community College. SCC is a two-year institution of higher education serving a 15-county area in southeast Nebraska. The College operates full-service campuses in Beatrice, Lincoln and Milford, as well as learning centers in Falls City, Hebron, Neb...

Congratulations class of 2023!!!
So proud of all your hard work! It’s been a privilege watching you grow and hone your skills.

❤️ Congratulations to Chef Gerrine Schreck Kirby on her retirement. We love you very much and you will be missed!!

Please drop some kind words of encouragement in the comments about this amazing Chef & role model 😁❤️✏️

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT📣

The 2023 Nebraska Beef Passports are here! This year's pass features new locations including meat processors. Visit participating locations and earn points toward prizes. You could even win a $250 Beef Bundle! (May 1 - Sept 30)

Sign Up ➡️ https://bit.ly/BeefPassport

Nebraska Association of Meat Processors

💙Student Spotlight👇

Drake Wiggins

👨‍🍳Who is he?
Drake is a Culinary Arts Major with concise communication skills and an exceptional amount of drive. From lighting campfires at Boy Scouts to firing up the burner, multiple experiences he had growing up ignited his passion for food at a young age.

💛What is his inspiration?
Drake's banquet was heavily inspired by French Cuisine. From the books he read to the dishes he made in class, he had a lot to work with. Growing up in a home where his mother baked and a Scout leader who was a personal chef, contributed to his culinary journey.

🔥 Drake described his banquet experience as "another day at the office" as he is currently working for Chef Wahadi Allen at the UNL Catering department. He credits on the job experience and his time at Great Plains Culinary Institute for keeping him focused and grounded in the kitchen.

💙Student Spotlight👇

Hsa Soe- Light European Banquet

👨‍🍳Who is he?

Hsa is a perceptive, detail oriented student who originated from Thailand. He moved to Indiana and then to Nebraska for his last few years of high school. He brings a fresh perspective to his menu and peers.

💛What is his inspiration?

The bounty of fresh vegetables available were a huge inspiration for this meal. He made sure there was a green element to almost all of his dishes which was essential to his vision.

How do you get your greens? 🥬

Hi there! This is a friendly reminder that Course Restaurant will be closed for a private event today, Thursday, April 13th.

Don't worry, we will be open regular hours all next week!

P.S.

Thursday, April 27th is our last day of service for the Spring 2023 semester, stayed tuned for summer hours...