Lifestyle changes brought on by workplace demands and a societal shift following the COVID-19 pandemic have led to increased demand for chefs in the hospitality industry – with Ferris State University Hospitality Management alums thriving as entrepreneurs or professionals in leading resort destinations.

Kathryn Wolfer is an associate professor in Hospitality Management whose educational background includes Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management and the culinary arts.

Wolfer said Ferris State can support those who want to focus on the food and beverage segment of the industry by completing their Associate of Applied Science or Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management programs.

“There are alumni who are purchasing food trucks and trailers so that they can take their products to the street, sporting events or other gatherings,” Wolfer said. “We also work closely with Grand Rapids Community College and its Secchia Institute for Culinary Education as a resource to those students wanting to complete their Bachelor of Science degree.”

Hospitality Management is housed in Ferris State’s College of Business. The focus on business management allows the graduates to utilize the accounting, marketing and finance courses in their day-to-day operations.

A recent finding by the American Association of Retired Persons cited chefs bringing average hourly wages of more than $27, with a 15.4 percent increase in the number of jobs available. An outgrowth of the pandemic in 2020 saw those who were forced to stay home had mastered baking and cooking, and recent growth in the number of restaurants has presented new career opportunities for those with culinary and management skills.

Rock Dandeneau of Grand Rapids is comfortable serving customers through the Taste Buds-Kitchen Connects array of outlets, which includes his Pressed In Time food truck. Dandeneau attended GRCC for Culinary studies and the Johnson and Wales Culinary School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from Ferris in 1993.

Rock is also the president of the Grand Rapids Food Truck Association, which boasts more than 30 members. Dandeneau said he leans on various experiences when speaking to current Ferris Hospitality Management students.

“Being a chef is my love and daily avocation, but that has taken me many places in various roles,” Dandeneau said. “I was a corporate chef for Herman Miller for a decade, then spent 15 years with Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids, helping those with special needs find their place in the industry. When I talk with Ferris Hospitality students, we explore how the industry has grown to consider production from in-home chefs as a potential avenue so those with the skills can stay in the field they love. With the right people, you learn to manage and tackle the obstacles of this industry. It is a business that involves much more than the restaurant or kitchen.”

Tiffany Beckmann earned her Bachelor of Science in Hotel/Restaurant Management from Ferris State in 2010, then added a Master of Science in Career and Technical Education from the university in 2013.

Along with those achievements, she is certified in food safety as a sous chef by the American Culinary Federation and is accredited in dietary management.

“I began as the head cook for Ferris’ Dining Services operation shortly after I earned my hospitality degree,” Beckmann said. “I followed that with a variety of institutional and resort roles, which finds me currently serving as a culinary supervisor with the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant.”