Chef Brian ‘woks’ up students with stir-fry main dish
The Chinese New Year – the “Year of the Horse” – kicked off on Friday, January 31, 2014. On hand in the Mountain Lake Public School cafeteria to help celebrate the traditional Chinese holiday was Chef Brian of Taher, Inc., the school’s food service providers.
As he prepared the meal on-site, the chef was asked by kindergarten student Tony Leyva, with great incredulity, “You can cook?!?!?!”
Well, indeed he can!
And he did!
Chef Brian cooked up the main entree – chicken stir-fry – as the students filed through the lunch lines to pick up their meals. The Mountain Lake staff, led by Food Service Director Tammy Wolle, enjoys the visits from Chef Brian as each time he visits he bring with him unique culinary delicacies.
Chef Brian Renz has been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years, working for major hotel chains, catering houses and quaint delis. Prior to joining the Taher team in 1999 as the Food Service Director/Chef at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, Minnesota, Chef Brian worked as an executive chef at Marshall Field’s “Marketplace” concept, D’Amico & Sons, Mintahoe Hospitality Group, Carlson Hospitality Group and Marriott Group – among other well-respected organizations. He won the “Silver Spoon Award” from Restaurant Management in 1993 for his award-winning recipe. In 2000, Chef Brian received the “Outstanding New Food Service Director” award from Taher.
As Taher’s Corporate Chef, he focuses on improving the quality of the company’s school food service programs. In collaboration with Taher’s Food Service Directors and on-site staff, Brian standardizes recipes, creates new freshly-prepared menu items, protects the integrity of Taher’s comprehensive branded food court system (including On-Display cooking) and assists with catered community and school events.
Chef Brian continues to teach elementary and middle school children the basics of cooking at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, and Minneapolis and Eden Prairie Public Schools. He also is a member of the Research Chefs Association, a professional hospitality group.
