By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

North Central Kansas Technical College’s culinary arts program is coming to the Hays campus.

The program has been offered on the Beloit campus since 1997 but, with the retirement of the current instructor and the lease agreement with the Beloit County Club expiring in May, NCK Tech President Eric Burks said now is a good opportunity for the program to expand to the Hays campus.

“(It) allowed us the opportunity to really open it up and look for candidates both in Hays and Beloit,” Burks said, “and we found a good candidate and found a place with the Rose Garden Steak House.”

Hays native Philip Kuhn was hired earlier this year as the new culinary arts instructor and that, according to Burks, allowed them to relocate the program to Hays.

Kuhn most recently served as executive chef at Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City and graduated from the Colorado Culinary Arts Institute.

Burks said he expects Kuhn will be an asset to the program.

“He brings just a ton of experience that he is going to be able to impart to our students,” Burks said.

NCK Tech has signed a one-year lease with the Rose Garden Steak House, and Burks said the one year allows everyone to get a feel for how everything will work. Preliminary concepts suggested NCK Tech could use the kitchen at the proposed Hays convention center as a practical classroom, but Burks said there are no plans to relocate.

Burks said the partnership with Rose Garden can help the restaurant, but it will also give students an opportunity to work with them in various ways.

“I know that they really take delivering quality food — but also safe food — very seriously and that’s something we definitely want our students to leave our program with as well,” Burks said.

NCK Tech will begin offering the program this fall. For more information visit www.ncktc.edu.