Page 11 - career_guide_master_2024-25

Alumni Spotlight:

Stephanie Kessel attended KEC from 2018 to 2020 in the Culinary Arts
program. While attending KEC, she was part of two different competitions –
the Prostart Competition and SkillsUSA, where she earned first place in
baking. Stephanie is continuing her pastry and culinary education at Elgin
Community College, where she will earn her associates in both degrees in
May, 2024. While attending classes at ECC, Stephanie held a chef position
at Craft Urban in Geneva, and was also an intern at the restaurant Niche in
Geneva. After her internship ended, Stephanie became the full-me pastry
chef at Niche where she now designs all the dessert menus and creates
each dish, such as chocolate milk bread pudding with a malted milk gelato.
She has also had the opportunity to travel to Italy and Austria for more
culinary education and experience.
If you ask Stephanie how all for these opportunities were made possible,
she will tell you “It all started when I went to KEC.”

Typical Jobs
• Chef • Pastry Artist

• Caterer • Personal Cook
• Cook • Restaurant Manager/Owner Job Openings
• Nutritionist • Server Over Next 10 Years:
• Food Purchaser • Sous Chef
• Maître D 7,290

Median Salary:
$43,640 Over Next 10 Years:
Job Growth

13%

Source: Illinois Department
of Employment Security, 2017

est
ed in pur
ar
g a c
eer in
suin
er
If you are interested in pursuing a career in
If y
e int
ou ar
Culinary Arts
check with your high school counselor about class opportunities
check with your high school counselor about class opportunities
at KEC for juniors and seniors that have certification and credential
completion and college credit available or learn more by visiting
the KEC website at kecprograms.com.
c
ams.
ams.
om
om
c
ecpr
kecprograms.com 11
k k k ecpr ogr ams. c om
ogr
ogr
ecpr