Presented by Chef Christopher Koetke
Vice President, Strategy and Industry Relations, Kendall College

New meeting location: Weiss Memorial Hospital

For the last 5 years, Chef Koetke has been criss-crossing the globe, visiting 20-25 countries annually. In 12 of these countries, he set up culinary programs or worked with local culinary schools. Additionally, he works on sustainability issues as the Feed the Planet Chairman for World Chefs were he routinely is talking to people around the world. Through all of these travels, he has learned much and seen many ideas, concepts and just plain interesting culinary things that are a true source of culinary inspiration. Many of these ideas could be easily introduced in the USA where diners are increasingly looking for interesting and authentic culinary experiences. Join Chef Koetke on a delicious and culinary journey of internationality.

Biography: Christopher Koetke is a professional chef, having worked now for over 37 years in the culinary field. In the last 20 years, he has devoted his professional life to culinary education at Kendall College and at 48 other campuses in 12 countries. An expert on international education, Koetke also has his finger on the pulse of global food, beverage and hospitality trends. Chef Koetke earned his MBA from Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., a bachelor’s degree in French literature from Valparaiso University in Indiana, and a Certificat de la Langue Française from the Sorbonne in Paris, France.

Chef Koetke has cooked professionally since 1982 in some of the finest kitchens and pastry shops in France, Switzerland and the United States. Prior to starting to work in culinary education in 1998, he was executive chef of Chicago’s critically acclaimed Les Nomades. An expert in sustainability as it pertains to the foodservice industry, Chef Koetke serves on many boards, writes for numerous publications, and is a frequent international presenter. He has won many awards including: the nonprofit Chefs Collaborative’s inaugural Pathfinder Award in 2010, Chef of the Year for 1996-7 by the Chicago Chapter of the International Wine and Food Society, and Cooking Teacher of the Year in 2009 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). His cooking show, “Let’s Dish” which ran for 5 years in the USA was nominated for a Midwest Emmy.

Cost of the lecture program is $5, $3 for students and no charge for CHC members, Weiss staff and faculty, and Kendall students and faculty.

Saturday, January 13, 2018
10 a.m. to noon
At Louis Weiss Memorial Hospital
Auditorium, lower level
4646 N. Marine Drive (at Wilson), Chicago

FREE PARKING: USE OPEN LOT ON SOUTH SIDE OF HOSPITAL. ENTER ON MARINE DRIVE. NO TICKET REQUIRED.
FREE STREET PARKING ALSO

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: CTA BUS #146 STOPS DIRECTLY IN FRONT

To reserve, please e-mail your reservation:Culinary.Historians@gmail.com