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IT IS MY PLEASURE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION for you to be a part of one of the premier events on the Oklahoma State University campus. As
we embark upon the 20th Anniversary of the Distinguished Chef Scholarship Benefit Series at the School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration in the College of Human Sciences, we will celebrate "The Year of the Family"! The wonderful experiences we have had together as a family over the years are certainly worth celebrating and will be the focus of our anniversary events.
For twenty years, the Distinguished Chef Series has served as an important educational component for our students' professional development. In that time, our family has grown exponentially and now extends to relationships, student experiences, and alumni throughout the globe. The significant contribution of chefs, restaurant owners, culinary experts, and our patrons to the Distinguished Chef Series have played a significant role in creating a truly world-class learning environment for our students. We hope you will join us as we celebrate a very special year in the history of the long-standing tradition of HRAD students and faculty working hand in hand with cutting edgehospitality professionals to produce an evening of enjoying great food, fine wine, and student mentoring.
Thank you, again, for being such an integral part of the family!
Sincerely,
Bill Ryan
Director / School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration
For more information on the Chef Series, please call 405-744-6713.
Click here for downloadable brochure
| 2011 / 2012 CALENDAR |
FALL 2011
MICHAEL GAROZZO
Founder & Owner of Garozzo's Ristorante, Kansas City, KS & MO
September 28, 2011 Demonstration Luncheon for Sponsors – 10:30 a.m.
September 29, 2011 Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m.
JUAN MIGUEL ROMERO
Executive Chef and Instructor at UPAEP, Mexico City, Mexico
November 10, 2011 Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m. |
SPRING 2012
RICHIE BILLINGHAM
43° North, Jackson Hole, WY
February 1, 2012 Demonstration Luncheon for Sponsors – 10:30 a.m.
February 2, 2012 Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m.
CHRIS BIARD - MATT BIARD
Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley, CA Senior Kitchen Manager, Charleston's
April 12, 2012 Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m.
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| MICHAEL GAROZZO |
Founder & Owner of Garozzo's Ristorante, Kansas City, KS & MO |
Michael Garozzo was born and raised on the "Hill" in St. Louis, famous for its great Italian restaurants. It was there he began his restaurant career as a busboy, with a dream of one day owning a restaurant. His father, Salvatore and his uncle Alfio, both waiters in fine restaurants all their lives, encouraged Michael to follow his dream.
After moving to Kansas City, Michael founded Garozzo's Ristorante in the historic Italian neighborhood, Columbus Park, on April 6, 1989. Garozzo's quickly became well known as the originators of their signature dish, Chicken Spiedini, which has become a Kansas City staple, "often imitated, never duplicated". Michael is now the owner and operator of four Kansas City area Garozzo's.
Rated by Zagat as "One of the Top Italian Restaurants in the Country," Garozzo's was described as "food so good, you will taste it in your dreams… in a Sinatra's kind of hangout." Garozzo's recently received the prestigious "Kansas City Hall of Fame Award" by KC Magazine whose readers voted Garozzo's as the "Best Italian Restaurant" for the past five years in a row.
In 2008 Michael opened Mike & Charlie's Italian Restaurant inside Harrah's North Kansas City with his cousin from St. Louis, Charlie Gitto Jr., bringing together the tastes of two great Italian Restaurants.
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| JUAN MIGUEL ROMER0 |
Executive Chef and Instructor at UPAEP, Mexico City, Mexico |
Juan Miguel Romero Rodriguez was born and raised in Mexico where he studied in the Ma. Reyna Gastronomy School, receiving the degree: Professional Technician of Administration of Gastronomic Enterprise in 2000.
Today, he is the executive chef and instructor at the UPAEP school restaurant, Quinze. He teaches Vanguard Mexican Cuisine and he is also in charge of the services in the school restaurant.
Since 1995, he has worked as Executive Chef at Hotel Fiesta Inn, in Puebla and Oaxaca; 1800 Restaurant, Ristorante Le Due Torri, and Hoteles Crowne Plaza and Meson del Angel in Puebla, Mexico and Restaurant Rocy's and Point´s in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora Mexico.
He has been certificated as Chef Instructor by Gerat Dupont, President of the Culinary Academic of France. He also is a specialist in vacuum cooking, shaker kitchen, molecular cuisine, PFI, Mexican Typical Candies, and seminars in food and beverages, including sparkling wines.
Chef Miguel enjoys preparing traditional and modern Mexican food. He loves to visit food markets to select the freshest ingredients for his creations. He credits his mother for his passion for cooking. He is a very good example of the new generation of Mexican chefs.
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| RICHIE BILLINGHAM |
43° North, Jackson Hole, WY |
 After studying Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Denver, Chef Billingham was hired by the Steamboat Ski Corporation as their first Executive Chef where he helped design and run, two new on mountain fine dining facilities. Ragnar's and Hazies both opened to national acclaim and were featured in the Chicago Tribune and Esquire Magazine.
Chef Billingham's acclaimed work with Ragnar's and Hazies was only the beginning as he has brought acclaim to numerous unique locations such as the contemporary design and eclectic cuisine of the Toucan Club in Brisbane, Australia; L'Apogee Restaurant in Steamboat Springs, which was awarded a Wine Spectator Best of Excellence Award; and Tobiano, where he and his wife, Terry, conceived and designed an open-air kitchen and contemporary feel with a continually evolving wine list in Steamboat Springs.
After moving to Jackson, Wyoming, Billingham worked with Vail Corp. to help in finishing up the new clubhouse and restaurant at Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis. Now with Great Western Lodging, a small group of lodging and restaurant properties, he is Executive Chef and Managing Partner of 43° North restaurant and oversees Cutty's Restaurant and Lounge. Located at the base of Snow King Ski Resort in town, 43° North offers casual fine dining and features a wood-fired Italian Pizza Oven on the roof.
February 1 Demonstration Luncheon for Sponsors – 10:30 a.m. and February 2, 2012 Reception and Dinner – 6:00 p.m.
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| CHRIS AND MATT BIARD |
Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, CA / Senior Kitchen Manager, Charleston's |
 Chris and Matt Biard grew up as brothers in one of the great Oklahoma restaurant families and are working to continue the great family tradition
at The Hammet House Restaurant in Claremore. Both Chris and Matt represent the great future of the Oklahoma restaurant "family." They are a perfect pair to help us celebrate twenty years of Chef Series memories and the excitement the next twenty years will bring.
Chris Biard is currently a member of the culinary team at Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, California. He was trained at the Culinary Institute of America where he began working for the Relaix and Chateaux Company and later served as an Executive Chef aboard Barron Hilton's private yacht. He has had extensive training and courses in baking and pastry arts. Chris is contemplating new ventures that will lead him to his dream restaurant.
Matt Biard chose to stay closer to his Oklahoma roots and has concentrated more on the front of the house side of the restaurant business. While earning his degree in Microbiology, Matt never strayed far from his family craft as he worked his way up in corporate training with Charleston's, a casual dining concept restaurant with the Hal Smith Restaurant Group (HSRG). Matt is currently rounding out his industry skills as the Senior Kitchen Manager at Charleston's. He looks forward to his own proprietorship in the near future with HSRG.
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Press release and photo gallery
Past Series:
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