Chef Shuffle: Several high-profile Wichita chefs have left old jobs, are starting new ones
Chefs are always moving around in Wichita, and recently, several recognizable Wichita cooks have taken on new gigs.
One has joined the staff of WSU Tech’s new culinary school — called National Institute for Culinary & Hospitality Education (or The Niche, for short) — and a few others have started jobs as adjunct staff there.
Also, a highly regarded Wichita chef who last year announced plans to help open a long-awaited Wichita restaurant has taken another job instead.
Here’s the latest on chef movement in Wichita:
▪ Ben George: This well-known Wichita chef has a long resume. Most recently, he was the executive chef at Intrust Bank Arena, where for eight years he fed NCAA crowds, rock stars and more. He left that job in February, and recently he accepted a position as a full-time faculty member at WSU Tech’s new culinary school. This semester, he’s teaching Culinary Fundamentals and Introduction to Hospitality.
Lexi Michael, the school’s executive chef and program director for culinary arts, said that George brings special skills to the school. In addition to his years of experience in restaurant kitchens around Wichita, he knows how to prepare food for big crowds.
“The arena is a big place, so he brings something to the table that not a lot of us have — that experience with en masse cookery.”
George also has worked extensively with local high school students as part of the ProStart program, and he’s also led or worked in high-end kitchens at places like Siena Tuscan Steakhouse and Tallgrass Country Club.
▪ Kevin Derks: The last Wichita heard from longtime Newport Grill executive chef Kevin Derks, he had left that job to partner with Navid and Veronica Haeri at Itzcali Tacos and Tequila, the new restaurant under construction at 2819 E. Central. But that partnership has come to an end. Neither side wanted to share details on the split, but Derks has already landed a new job. He’s been working as the executive chef at Vora Restaurant European, 3252 E. Douglas, since May.
Derks also was able to hire his onetime sous chef at Newport, Bobby Calvert, and they’re a strong team in the kitchen, said Vora co-owner Brad Steven. They’ve tweaked the menu and refined the presentation of many dishes, Steven said, and they’ve also upped the restaurant’s oyster game.
“It’s nice to have that connection that they already had,” Steven said.
Haeri said he wasn’t quite ready to talk about who he’s hired to replace Derks in the kitchen at his restaurant, set to open this fall.
Josh Rathbun: He’s been leading the kitchen at Public for almost a year and a half, but on Saturday, Rathbun worked his final shift at the restaurant. Up next for Rathbun: a new project that he’s not quite ready to discuss.
Before Public, Rathbun worked briefly as a chef at Elderslie Farm. Before that, he was executive chef at Siena Tuscan Steakhouse for five years.
“We’re, of course, sad to be losing his talents but we are grateful for the impact he has had on Public,” said a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. “He has overseen the ship and helped lead us into a new era of Public & Brickyard.”
▪ Britt Shoffner: This longtime local pastry chef, who once created desserts for Siena Tuscan Steakhouse and now assists Weston Townsley with the pastry program at Reverie Coffee Roasters, has a new side gig: She’s been hired as an adjunct instructor by WSU Tech’s culinary school.
Shoffner has subbed in teaching for the school in the past, Michael said, and now, she’ll be teaching Advanced Baking: Cakes and Desserts as well as Advanced Baking: Chocolates.
▪ Shane Yates: The Hyatt’s executive sous chef also has signed on to teach as an adjunct at WSU Tech’s culinary school. He’ll be teaching Cuisines of the United States.
▪ Aaron Hill: Roxy’s Downtown has just hired a new chef to prepare food for its audience members. Hill previously worked at an Ascension Via Christi assisted living center.
At Roxy’s, he’s charged with creating an entirely new menu about eight times a year. The dinner theater changes its offerings to go along with the theme of each show it’s putting on. For “Golden Girls,” which will open on Sept. 23, Hill is preparing things like Sofia’s Sicilian Baked Ziti, Blanche’s Busy Bed (of Greens) and Dorthy’s Depression Dredge, which is basically a chipped beef dish.
This story was originally published August 28, 2023 at 11:42 AM.
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