Kendall College celebrated 80 years of providing postsecondary education to Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond with a gala reception at its downtown campus Oct. 16.
Started as a junior college in 1934, Kendall has grown to become the leading school in Chicago for preparing students for careers in culinary arts and hospitality management as recognized by leaders in the Chicago restaurant and hotel industry. The reception brought together students, alumni, industry members, faculty, staff, and community representatives.
Kendall relocated from its original campus in Evanston to Chicago’s Goose Island neighborhood in 2005. Today, it houses fully modern classrooms and kitchen labs, a 150-seat auditorium, student facilities and a Michelin Guide-recommended Dining Room, which is open to the public for lunch and dinner. Kendall College offers bachelor’s degrees in all four schools—Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Business and Education.
“We’re thrilled that after 80 years of helping students pursue their passions, we’ve now opened our doors to the public with our new TASTE of Kendall membership program,” says Emily Williams Knight, president of Kendall College. “This exciting program will offer exclusive benefits to anyone who wants to experience why we’re one of the nation’s top culinary institutions.”
The brand new TASTE of Kendall membership, geared toward local food and beverage enthusiasts, provides a range of benefits, including discounts on the fine dining restaurant, culinary and beverage classes, culinary camps for teens, an exclusive newsletter, and recipes. The program’s introductory subscription rate is $80.
The Founding Members of the TASTE membership include many influential industry professionals, such as Choose Chicago president and CEO Don Welsh, Illinois Restaurant Association president Sam Toia, Biz Bash CEO and founder David Adler, Charlie Trotter’s Culinary Education Foundation executive director Rachel Trotter, Mindy’s Hot Chocolate and Kendall alumna Mindy Segal, and “Check, Please!” host and Kendall College Trust executive director Catherine DeOrio.
“The food and hospitality scene in Chicago is one of the world’s finest and Kendall, with its leading academic programs, fine dining restaurant, and now, TASTE membership, continues to be a leader in the industry,” says Don Welsh, president and CEO of Choose Chicago.
