SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Students at CTE Academy in Sioux Falls are cooking up plans for their future with the help of a celebrity chef.
Chef George Geary considers himself culinary media based on all the hats he wears within the industry.
“Everything from writing my books, I have 16 different cook books that I’ve brought out, to culinary tours, I take people on food adventures so I’m putting that together, consulting for restaurants, on camera morning shows in southern California and Chicago. Every day can be something different,” Geary said.
Today, Geary is playing the role of instructor, teaching students at CTE Academy in Sioux Falls.
“You can tell the ones that have passion. They’re the ones that are going to keep going, the ones that are asking questions and they’re excited and they want to learn, they’re sponges, and then some, it’s just like the industry, they’re just there to get by,” Geary said.
These students are watching chef Geary at work in the kitchen. He’s making cookies but encouraging them to choose their own path.
“Food styling to photography in food to recipe development, culinary tours, people don’t realize that they could do a whole job on just taking people around the world learning about foods,” Geary said.
“Eye opening to see all the different industries you could go in the culinary world, seeing all the different pathways you could take and there’s lots of ways to success, not just being a chef,” CTE Academy senior Connor Ibis said.
Ibis is a senior at CTE Academy, and says he plans to take Geary’s advice and follow his own path.
“Me personally, I want to own my own restaurant. I think that’s my way of success and the way I want to take my journey,” Ibis said.
And Geary has one last piece of advice.
“To follow their passion, not the money,” Geary said.
About 150 students, ranging from freshman to seniors, listened to Geary speak and watched him cook during the course of the school day.
