Some of the people partaking of a buffet lunch of sandwiches, salads and more, at the Prairie at Brae Loch restaurant recently did not know those preparing and serving the meal were not all chefs but were preparing to become one.
It did not matter to them.
David Shutvet was one of the diners who said the one-time golf course restaurant and dining hall that will serve lunch to people in central Lake County, offered a well-prepared meal as well as views of the course.
“The chicken wrap was great, very tasty,” he said. “It was fun to sit here and see the folks on the putting green.”
Overseen by experienced and skilled chefs, all of the tasks at the new restaurant — from cooking, to serving, to managing — are done by College of Lake County students.
The Prairie at Brae Loch restaurant held its grand opening Saturday at the Brae Loch Golf Club in Grayslake adding a commercial kitchen and operating restaurant to the college’s hospitality and culinary management program..
Leasing the building for $1 annually from the Lake County Forest Preserves, which operates the golf club, Jeff Stomper, the dean of the college’s business and social science division which oversees the culinary program, said it is an excellent partnership.
Stomper said the new restaurant will allow students to learn every element of the restaurant business including preparing meals, waiting tables, managing the operation and washing dishes.
“We saw an opportunity to expand the program to a new level,” he said. “They will understand how a restaurant really works. Some of these students will be managers, but they’ll know (first-hand) what goes on in the kitchen.”
One improvement implemented by the college was the installation of a commercial kitchen where students work under the supervision of certified, experienced chefs like William Vena. He is the co-chair of the school’s hospitality department.
“They get real-life experience in a commercial kitchen,” Vena said. “They’ll manage the front end and learn what it’s like to be a chef. They’ll have the credential, but they have to go out and work,” he added, referring to the experience needed for a successful career.
When the fall semester starts in August, he said the restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. The seasonal menu will vary with the chefs and students collaborating to develop the dishes daily. Farm-to-table is possible.
Among potential menu options are herb chicken, bean soup, clam chowder, tuna salad or a tomato and mozzarella salad. There will also be desserts like a fruit pie with locally picked ingredients.
“We might have a really great apple pie or cherry pie,” Vena said. “It’s possible the apples could be picked at a local orchard. We’ll be looking to support local farmers from Illinois and Wisconsin.”
Vena said it normally takes 2½ to three years of full-time study to become a credentialed chef, or to earn a certification in another area of the hospitality profession. Working at the restaurant is one of the final steps.
Lake County Board member John Wasik, D-Grayslake, who was at the grand opening, said the collaboration between the county and the college will benefit the community. County Board members are automatically forest preserves commissioners for the district they represent.
“This is now a public amenity which will also educate culinary students,” Wasik said. “They will get great experience and will grow every day. This is a good collaboration by two public entities.”
Steve Sadin , 2024-04-15 23:12:42
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