Metro Magazine / October 2009 / The Missing Ingredient

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The Missing Ingredient

An Interview with James Trebbien

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James Trebbien has an entertaining view of the restaurant industry’s evolution, as seen through the prism of television. He recalls Mel’s Diner in the sitcom “Alice,” where Mel cooked with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Today, an entire channel is devoted to the art of food preparation.

In keeping with that evolution, Metro Community College’s Institute of Culinary Arts has led the way in training tomorrow’s chefs and will play an even more significant role with the opening of its $14 million facility in November. “This is the missing part to a great need,” said Trebbien, the institute’s Dean and Executive Director.

The building encompasses over 35,000 gross square feet. Its main floor has two kitchens solely devoted to learning culinary skills– where students learn basic techniques from sautéing to knife handling. Trebbien joked, “We don’t really start out with boiling water but we’re not too far from that.” Students complete four beginning courses before moving on to classes where they learn to prepare food that is sold to others. They gain experience by preparing food used in the colleges catering, special events, and sold at the BrickHearth Café, that is on the campus. The classes vary from preparing food for large groups in a production class to Garde manger to preparing food ala carte in the fine dining class, which is then sold in the renowned Student Sage Bistro. Students learn the skills and timing involved.Other classes focus on such things as bakery skills to include, chocolate work, plated desserts, and artesian breads. Trebbien said the facility will benefit students by offering more room to practice, will accommodate more students and provide specialized equipment. The upper level includes a space where 400 can be seated for a meal or conferences. It also houses a great deal of technology, allowing for filming, broadcasting or bringing in renowned chefs and other guest speakers.

“For the last 20 years I thought we’d have something better, but I never imagined it would be anything like this,” Trebbien said. It came about as a result of good people, hard work, amazing faculty and staff  and supportive presidents. “Randy Schmailzl, (the current president) has worked behind the scenes on ideas to promote the program and was instrumental in getting the ICA building on the master plan and obtaining funding for it,” he said. Additional funds have come from multiple private sources.