The Redler Institute of Culinary Arts, located at 622 Cloud Avenue in Andover was built in eight short months. Photo by Nikole Babb

Butler Community College has made a huge addition to the Culinary Arts and Hospitality department. A brand-new facility, Redler Institute of Culinary Arts has been added off Highway 54 in Andover. State of the art baking and cooking appliances, classrooms, two complete kitchens and a patio greeted eager students this semester.

The Redler Institute of Culinary Arts held a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 16 to prepare for Fall semester at Butler Community College, (BCC). You can find commercial grade equipment like a pizza oven, smoker, TurboChef oven, deep fryers, griddles, grills, chocolate tempering machine, ice cream machine, 60-quart mixer, dough sheeter and much more.

Director of the Culinary Arts and Hospitality department, Luis Peña is eager to utilize this facility for students and the community alike. With recreational cooking classes coming soon and a back patio able to be rented out for events, more people than students and faculty will have the chance to experience and use this new addition.

“You won’t have to be enrolled into the program, you could take just one cooking class or one tarte class. I know not everybody has the time or wants to switch careers, but they will be able to take a couple classes here and there,” said Peña.

In order to give students a real-life application with culinary arts, the department has included a hydroponics system to grow microgreens and will soon install raised beds to partner with the agriculture department on growing fresh ingredients such as herbs, fruits and vegetables. Not only will students grow their ingredients, but they will also have a chance to practice entrepreneurship with the Grizzly Grub Truck. The Grizzly Grub Truck will be a roaming food truck operated and served by students for the Wichita Metro area.

Peña grew up in the Caribbean and served in the United States Marine Corp for 7.5 years, serving two tours in Afghanistan. He has a diverse background in hospitality including education from two of the top culinary schools in the country, the International Culinary Center in New York and the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Peña’s experience in multiple fine dining and Michelin- starred restaurants bring an intense and precise art style to BCC. Peña most enjoys the extra mile faculty at BCC go for students to ensure all teaching styles are incorporated.

“I guarantee that whatever education you get here will get you ready for any place that you go in any country,” said Peña. “The instructors really care about the students and go the extra mile to communicate with them properly. They will even do extra-curricular activities or workshops on certain topics like sharpening knives if students need extra time.”