Interview with Chef Kirk T. Bachmann
Interview with Chef Kirk T. Bachmann
President of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago
Kirk Bachmann is a distinguished chef and the President of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago. He began his career in culinary education in 1995, and since then he has held the positions of Chef Instructor, Education Manager, Education Director, Vice President of Academics & Corporate Chef, and now President.
During his time with Le Cordon Bleu, Chef Bachmann has had a crucial role in implementing several Le Cordon Bleu programs including Culinary Arts, Pâtisserie and Baking, and Hospitality & Restaurant Management. He also helped establish the initial Le Cordon Bleu National Advisory Board (NAB).
Before entering higher education, Chef Bachmann worked as a professional chef for over twenty years. He is a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation. In addition, Chef Bachmann is a member of the American Academy of Chefs, which is the Honor Society of the American Culinary Federation.
Chef Bachmann is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and a Hall of Fame Society member of The International Food and Beverage Forum. In the past, he has been distinguished as an Educator of the Year for the Food Educators Network International, a recipient of the Antonin Careme medal, and a competition medalist.
In the following interview, Chef Bachmann discusses his extensive education, background as a fourth-generation Chef, and, most significantly, his profound passion for the culinary arts.
How did you decide to become a chef?
Chef Bachmann: In many ways, I believe my passion for all things culinary/pastry is part of my genetic make-up. My father, born and trained in Germany, is a German Master Chef. He earned this designation of Meisterbrief or “Master Craftsman” before coming to America in 1960. For years, my parents owned and operated a very successful bakery in downtown Chicago. My parents raised me in their kitchen, literally! Because they were the first in their families to immigrate to the United States, all of my family’s relatives resided in Europe and are still there today.
Throughout my childhood, I spent many summers working with my uncle (also a Chef) in Northern Germany. He owned and operated a lovely Gasthaus, or inn, in a small town called Marsberg on the Diemel Sea. In his kitchen, I came to understand and appreciate the art of garde manger, which roughly translates as “cold kitchen,” and the world of catering.
In summary, I would have to say that the world of cuisine and pastry intrigued me as early as I can recall. Whether I was cleaning the sheet pans in my father’s bakery or having him show me how to make perfect marzipan roses, the passion, creativity, and flavors have always sparked my interest, captivated my thoughts, and inspired my dreams.
You worked for many years as a professional chef. What made you decide to enter culinary education?
I believe my interest in teaching was something that I developed at a very young age. I have always openly shared my knowledge with others. For example, when I owned my restaurant in Colorado, teaching my staff about proper service, menu design, flavor profiles, ingredients, etc. was something I took very seriously. It was a natural transition for me to start teaching formally.
What do you enjoy most about your work at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago? Do you ever find yourself visiting the kitchens, sampling dishes or finding other ways to get involved in the student experience?
The element I enjoy the most here at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago is my daily engagement with students! Indeed, I constantly find myself tasting and sampling, and unfortunately my waistline is suffering! Seriously, though, I introduced a new “Cooking with the President” feature in February where I will host a cooking session with students—all we will do is cook and appreciate the food we are so fortunate to be able to work with!
Tell us a little about your educational background. How did it help you prepare for a path in the culinary field?
While I always assumed that I would become a chef, my father believed that a college education was extremely important and a necessary first step for success. Therefore, regardless of how passionate I was about immediately immersing myself into the culinary industry, he insisted that I first earn my degree and then seek additional formal culinary training. With the aforementioned goals in mind, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Oregon in 1985.
Ironically, then, although my father had envisioned my culinary studies taking place in either France or Switzerland, it must have been fate that led me to a small culinary school in Portland, Oregon in 1987. This new, small cooking school was run by German chefs, and the teaching instructors came from all around the world. My father approved, and the rest is history! Western Culinary Institute (now Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Portland), as well as the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, its abundance of fresh local ingredients, wholesome traditions, colors, textures, and flavors have played a significant role in defining who I am as a chef. Though my additional years of cooking in the mountains of Colorado have influenced my style of cuisine, I will be forever respectful of the culture of Northwest Cuisine.
As my love for teaching prospered during my years as a professional Chef, I saw the need to further my own education. At the time, my position as Corporate Chef and Vice President of Education for Le Cordon Bleu Schools in North America required me to travel quite extensively (as much as three weeks per month). Hence, American InterContinental University’s (AIU) online program offered me the opportunity to earn a Master’s Degree in Education while maintaining my busy work schedule.
What do you consider the most significant or surprising changes in culinary education since you started working at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago?
It’s no secret that chefs must be able to prepare a wide variety of different foods for the varying and health-conscious guests of today. Today’s chef must be able and willing to train and supervise a safe, skilled, and efficient kitchen brigade. To be successful, chefs must also have a fundamental understanding of sound business principles.
In a similar fashion, our educators and curriculum must, at a minimum, cover a basic knowledge of foods, food styles and the methods used to prepare foods. It’s our responsibility, beyond just conducting cooking lessons, to help students develop an understanding and appreciation of sanitation, nutrition, management, and costing as well as being able to eloquently pair food with wine. In my opinion, this has become increasingly important over the years.
I believe many changes in our industry over the years have actually transcended the kitchen and dining room. The world, as we know it, has never experienced the rapid changes we are confronted with today. The new millennium brings us to a critical moment in history; political systems seem to come and go while new countries are formed each year. Boundaries and borders continue to be drawn and redrawn and the hopes and expectations of people continue to change as well. Through all of these changes, we must remember that our future is firmly rooted in the traditions of the past. In a similar fashion, we must remember and appreciate the traditions of our culinary and hospitality past.
The American public at large has expanded its knowledge of food through the advent of media outlets such as the Food Network, HGTV, and DIY as well as Saveur, Bon Apetit, Cook’s, and so forth. Exposure to food professionals through television and print, much as when Julia Child demystified French cooking, has opened pathways to many people to try new foods and to be more critical of the foods that they already eat. The grocery store shelves generally stock more specialty food items than they did ten years ago, and produce sections feature seasonal offerings of specialty fruits and vegetables—healthy choices abound. Regardless of the Americans’ new found love affair with cuisine, the majority of us eat as we always have. National studies have shown a national trend toward obesity and related diseases such as diabetes and coronary disease.
On the upside, America’s interest in food and entertainment has spurred the restaurant industry in all sectors. While “white table cloth” restaurants still only make up a very small part of the overall food business, there are indeed more quality choices in restaurants available throughout the country. Small towns which ten years ago may have boasted a host of fast food choices and mom n’ pop diners as their only choices may now have one or two upscale cafes or bistros. They may have an ethnic restaurant beside a Chinese buffet or Mexican casual dining option.
Quality middle-of-the-road restaurants which offer fresh fare at family friendly pricing are doing well. Due to the influence of the public based on their new appreciation for good food, these restaurants have had to raise the bar to maintain customer loyalty and build new business. Generally speaking, as Americans eat out more and more, the need to fulfill their desire to try new, but not unfamiliar, foods continues to be a focus for these restaurateurs.
As much as the restaurants are being affected, the culinary schools which abound throughout the United States are affected as well. The past few years have set records for culinary school and cooking school attendance. There is an understanding by the students which attend these institutions that in order to emulate the chefs and restaurateurs they admire, they need to become educated at a level beyond what they can pick up from TV or a magazine. Thanks in part to the creation of celebrity-chefs, people have made the decision to attend culinary school to do something that many of them have waited until middle age to pursue. Additionally, the employers in the foodservice industry are reaping the benefits of a better-trained brigade of cooks and chefs.
How does constantly changing technology affect getting a culinary education?
Students at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago receive an intensive, practical, and comprehensive training experience in a caring, student-centered environment. In my opinion, the best education is one that mixes a proper dose of hands-on practical skill development in harmony with a learning environment that promotes collaboration and engagement—plus technology.
Technology is all around us and changing rapidly. Our instructors leverage technology in the classrooms, but honestly, I believe the most significant advances in technology are those, such as mobile devices, that allow our students to create electronic portfolios of their work—and that is priceless!
What makes Chicago a great place to go to culinary school? Are Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago students influenced by its culinary scene?
Ultimately, what makes someone tick may be different from what drives someone else. I can say this about the city of Chicago—from a culinary perspective, it’s one of the most dynamic, innovative, and progressive food cities in the world! With great chefs such as the legendary Charlie Trotter, Grant Achatz, Rick Tramonto, Rick Bayless, Tony Mantuano, Jean Joho, Curtis Duffy, Homaro Cantu, Stephanie Izzard, Paul Kahan, Marcus Samuelsson, and others, our students have an array of influences unsurpassed anywhere else in the world!
Le Cordon Bleu has several famous alumni. Do you know of any from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago? Why do you think so many students have found success in the industry?
I have developed friendly relationships with Le Cordon Bleu grads such as Brian Malarkey, Stephanie Izzard, Homaro Cantu and Suzy Singh. They are certainly great chefs but they are also great people! With regard to why so many have found success in our great industry, I would say that good things happen to good people. The Chefs I mentioned above are personable, hardworking and extremely passionate about our craft.
If a prospective student asked you what sets Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago apart from its competitors, what would you tell them?
In a word—faculty! The experienced faculty and staff that comprise the Le Cordon Bleu family here in Chicago are committed to ensuring that our students get the most out of their educational experiences. Our obligation to them goes well beyond simply teaching a subject. In addition to the exemplary education that students receive in the classroom and kitchen laboratories, our students have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities such as our student competition team and garden club.
What do you feel that students should focus on to get the most out of their culinary education?
It may be a cliché, but the best experience in the world is practical hands-on experience. Even the most academically gifted student will need to develop the skills to produce, consistently and efficiently, quality foods or to organize, train, motivate and supervise staffs.
The beauty of a Le Cordon Bleu Culinary education is the required blending of theory and practical application. Most food service operations recognize that new workers from any culinary program will need time and experience to develop and hone their skills. Although some of our graduates will begin their careers in entry level positions, some may be suited to higher positions, predominantly those students with past experience.
Do you notice certain qualities or traits in Le Cordon Bleu students that make them successful in their programs?
Like any respected profession, education does not come to a halt at graduation. Learning continues long after student chefs join the ranks of cooks in the industry. Student cooks should be encouraged to continue their education by taking additional courses on specific, unique and ethnic cuisine. Also, nutrition and business management courses are readily available through organizations such as the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Professional organizations such as the ACF offer great opportunities to meet peers and exchange ideas and techniques. The traits I identify with Le Cordon Bleu students are those that they take with them into the industry and continue to practice for the duration of their respective careers.
What advice do you have for prospective students who are passionate about the culinary arts but aren’t sure whether they should pursue a culinary degree?
Today’s culinary styles and fashions change quite frequently. One commodity that never goes out of style, however, is a well-trained, skilled, and knowledgeable cook. Regardless of the training a cook receives, he or she must be able to give customers what they desire—and that is excellent food, both in flavor and appearance, accompanied by tremendous service.
Society’s perception of taste is a complex combination of smell, taste, sight, sound and texture. A young professional cook must develop a taste memory by sampling foods, both familiar and unfamiliar. He or she must experiment with several different taste combinations and cooking techniques. Young cooks must also be careful with experimentation. Inventing simply for the sake of inventing is very dangerous. Rather, he or she must consider how flavors, appearances, textures and aromas of various foods will interact to create a total taste experience.
Sound judgment comes with experience. Selecting menu items, determining how much of what item to purchase, deciding whether and how to combine ingredients and approving finished items for service are all matters of judgment. The knowledge and skill in developing good, sound judgment come after hours of listening, watching and learning. A professional cook or chef in today’s modern industry must exercise sound judgment, for never before in history have there been as many knowledgeable customers to please. Today’s customers know what they like and what they want.
No one ever said it would be easy. Becoming a successful industry professional is hard but rewarding work. Today’s professional must excel despite added pressures. Cooks and Chefs are expected to efficiently produce consistently fine foods that are properly prepared, seasoned, garnished and presented. To do so, today’s culinary professional must be dedicated. Dedicated to his or her staff and dedicated to their own goals. All good operations rely on teamwork and a shared goal as well as a positive attitude.
Finally, today’s professional cook or chef must have a sense of pride and passion. That pride should extend to personal appearance and behavior in and around the kitchen. Being well-groomed and wearing a uniform with pride are necessary attributes of a professional cook or chef in today’s market.
Passion is defined as a strong, deep feeling; a pursuit to which one is devoted. This says it all. The art and science of cookery form a noble profession with a rich history and long traditions. With the properly acquired skills, student chefs can become part of this glorious profession.
The late Craig Claiborne once wrote, “Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food.”
If you're interested in pursuing a culinary education at one of Le Cordon Bleu's national locations, learn more at http://www.chefs.edu.