CHEF LEAKE

FACULTY

Pots, pans

Chef Leake receives national honor

Steven Leake

and passion

Southwest Culinary Institute Program Coordinator Steven Leake was named a Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty award recipient this past January by the American Association of Community Colleges. AACC, an advocacy organization that represents 1,200 two-year, associate degree granting institutions nationwide, annually recognizes community college faculty who exemplify teaching excellence and leadership.

When Leake joined Southwest in 2003, the culinary program was on probation due to low performance outcomes, graduation rates and enrollment. Since then, he has transformed the program into one of the most highly regarded culinary institutes in the region through his talent, leadership and dedication to ensuring the educational

Chef Leake instructs student Amber Presley at St. Vincent DePaul’s Food Mission.

and career success of his students. Leake says although he is honored to be among the 58 distinguished faculty representing various disciplines and colleges nationwide this year, he feels rewarded each day. “My students, many of whom face insurmountable challenges, are the driving force that guides my path to improve their lives and equip them with stellar skills to enter the workforce. Their success is my reward.”

Southwest President Dr. Tracy D. Hall says the recognition comes as no surprise to her. “He never fails to raise the bar in the classroom and to broaden his students’ outlook on their futures,” Hall says. “His commitment to his craft and our students is undeniable and the college is truly proud to count him among our faculty.”

Leake is a graduate of State Technical Institute at Memphis (now Southwest) where he earned an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in hotel and restaurant management in 1988. Ever raising the bar, he is pursuing American Culinary Federation certification, a premier distinction among chefs and cooks nationwide. S N

passion

Southern cooking inspires Northerner to pursue culinary career

Amber Presley

AWisconsin native, Amber Presley’s first “taste” for cooking began when her grandmother from Mississippi began teaching her how to cook Southern dishes. “I’m originally from Milwaukee, where you don’t find much soul food, at least when I was growing up,” Presley says. “Living in a multi-ethnic city, I had the privilege of trying different cuisines from all over the world—Ireland, Ethiopia, Jamaica, Spain, Germany and Italy. All these different types of food sparked my interest in wanting to become a chef.”

Presley is a first-generation college student who chose Southwest in 2017 based on recommendations from local chefs and co-workers. “They all had good things to say about the culinary program and I saw how organized the program is in graduating professionals who are serious about culinary careers,” Presley says. She completes her associate degree in culinary arts this May and says she is ready to succeed as a professional chef.

“Southwest has prepared me for a culinary career in every aspect—from knowing culinary terminology to management and sanitation training to the proper use of knives,” Presley says. “The professors here really push us. It’s a rigorous program, so we won’t be surprised when we step into the field.”

Presley says community service projects like the feed the homeless event she and her classmates participated in this past fall have been invaluable. “It was nice to give back to the community, but I also learned the importance of what it takes to provide an extraordinary experience for the customer.”

Culinary Arts Program Coordinator Chef Steven Leake selected Presley as the 2019 Culinary Student of the Year and says she has a bright future. “She is one the most dedicated students I’ve had—always present, always completing assignments and always volunteering for community service projects.”

“She’s one of the few students who keeps a portfolio of the recipes she cooks in class and from her culinary jobs, like I used to do,” Leake says.

Amber works at the Hilton East Memphis as a line chef and with Donelson’s Catering, a job Leake helped her obtain in November 2019. Her ultimate dream is to own her own catering business. “It’s a tough business, but I feel prepared and confident to meet that challenge with the training I have received at Southwest.” S N