Zach Schroeder
Director and Instructor of Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts Chef Certificate
Becoming A Professional Chef
Do you have a passion for cooking? Do you find the UP of Michigan a breathtaking place? Do you love being a part of a collaborative team? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then we have the perfect program for you!
The Culinary Arts Chef Certificate from the Les Cheneaux Culinary School is how you’ll set yourself apart and reach the next step in your career. The program offers students an extraordinary opportunity to become a culinary leader in their community.
Sustainable agriculture is one which depletes neither the people nor the land. -Wendell Berry
Facility
The Les Cheneaux Culinary School is located in the heart of the quaint village of Hessel, overlooking Hessel Bay and the Les Cheneaux Islands. The 5,000 square-foot facility features a state-of-the art kitchen and a breathtaking, boathouse-themed dining room and deck to accommodate eighty-plus guests, as well as a unique indoor/outdoor bar designed to service patrons in all seasons.
The kitchen is very spacious and well-suited for groups of up to twenty students. All instructional equipment, which includes standard commercial ovens, grills, and steamers, is state-of-the-art. There is a horseshoe-shaped chef’s demo area where instructors can easily display and perform the techniques of the industry. During the summer internship program, this feature enables restaurant patrons to view the students preparing the unique dishes they have mastered over the previous months.
Passionate
About Our Craft
Program Goals
Three Pillars We Stand On
This program’s mission is to provide a unique, culinary education that focuses on hands-on, farm-to-table fine dining geared to regional cuisine, and to assure its students of promising careers.
Small Class Size
A uniquely tailored instruction experience, with an emphasis on your personal growth
Locally Sourced & Sustainable
All products are sourced from local farmers, producers, and purveyors whenever possible.
Real World Experience
Students learn in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment to better prepare them for the workforce.
What Does Your Future Hold?
Career Opportunities
The Culinary Arts Chef Certificate from the Les Cheneaux Culinary School prepares individuals to work as professional chefs, sous chefs, and culinary experts in a variety of settings, including fine-dining and specialty restaurants, and boutique eateries.
- Restaurant Owner
- Kitchen Manager
- Executive Chef
- Sous Chef
- Private Chef
- Pastry Chef
- Culinary Entrepreneur
- Culinarian
Certificate Requirements
Academic Calendar
Head Chef
Culinary Arts Chef Certificate (30 credits)
CULN111 Beginning Cookery (8)
CULN113 Culinary Safety (2)
CULN115 Culinary Management (2)
CULN121 Advanced Culinary Skills (8)
CULN123 Service Operations (2)
CULN125 Nutrition for Chefs (2)
CULN130 Culinary Internship (6)
- Orientation: Tuesday, August 15th, 2023
- Semester 1 Instruction Begins: Monday, September 25th, 2023
- Semester 1 Midterms: November 13th & 14th, 2023
- Semester 1 Final Exam Week: January 29th & 30th, 2024
- Semester 2 Instruction Begins: Monday, February 5th, 2024
- Semester 2 Midterms: April 1st & 2nd, 2024
- Semester 2 Final Exam Week: May 20th & 21st, 2024
- Graduation: Monday, September 2nd, 2024
Zach Schroeder
Program Director & Instructor
Phone: (906) 484-4800
Email: zach@lcculinary.org
Note: $60,210 – Median Salary of Chefs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022)
Specialized Team
Meet The Faculty
Have Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the tuition costs?
Culinary Arts Chef Certificate Cost Calculator 2022-2023
Program Tuition for School Year 2022-23: $16,000
Culinary Fees (knives, food, clothing, etc.): $ 900
Program Cost: $16,900
Less:
Early Application Matching Grant $ 500 - 2,000
Additional Potential LCCS Scholarship: $ 500 - 3,000
Summer Internship Potential up to: $ 5,600
Total Net Cost of Program: $10,800 - $7,800
Are there scholarships available?
Yes! LCCS offers scholarships. Recipients must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as outlined in the catalog to remain eligible for the scholarship.
What are the housing options for students?
Off-campus housing options are available. For a list of available off-campus housing, students should contact the Student Services Office at (906) 484-4800.
Can I take classes at different times or semesters?
No. Due to the cohort nature of this program, you may not take classes at different times or semesters.
What can I do with this certificate?
Graduates with a Culinary Arts Chef Certificate work in a variety of food service positions directly related to the training received which may include but are not limited to restaurant management, food distribution, food critics/reviews, teaching, and/or any field related to food services.
What experience does the faculty have?
Executive Chef and Lead Instructor, Zachary Schroeder, has an extensive background in management and leadership, and brings a relentless devotion to culinary excellence, with particular focus on the farm-to-table fine dining experience. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from Northern Michigan University in 2011. While in school, he worked as line and prep cook at Hanna’s Bistro and then Red Ginger in Traverse City, Michigan, and Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel; then at Upfront and Company in Marquette, Michigan, and finally as sous chef at Bayside Fine Dining on Drummond Island in Michigan’s upper peninsula. After graduating, he became Executive Chef and General Manager at H2O in Battle Creek, Michigan, and then Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Director at Moose Ridge in South Lyon, Michigan. His Accreditations and Licenses include ServSafe and ServSafe Alcohol.
What is farm-to-table?
Farm-to-table is a social movement we fully support and is precisely how we operate. Farm-to-table fine dining plays right into the burgeoning of sustainable agriculture in the region. The economy is notably strengthened by supporting local growers and learning exciting new ways to utilize natural foods.
Are there internship opportunities?
Yes! During the last 3 months of the program, students perform their internship in the warm and inviting, 75-seat Les Cheneaux Culinary School Restaurant, learning all aspects of restaurant management and service. The Les Cheneaux Culinary School Restaurant is located in the heart of the quaint village of Hessel, overlooking Hessel Bay and the Les Cheneaux Islands.
“I LOVED LEARNING
FROM THE FARMS THAT DELIVERED PRODUCTS.”
“ THEY PRESENTED IN HONEST TERMS WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED OF US IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY, IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS PROFESSIONAL, ENCOURAGING AND ENGAGING.”
“ZACH IS A GREAT INSTRUCTOR. HE IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND CARES ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS. AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO MESS UP. THAT IS THE BEST WAY WE LEARN.”
““I LOVED LEARNING
FROM THE FARMS THAT DELIVERED PRODUCTS.””
“ THEY PRESENTED IN HONEST TERMS WHAT WOULD BE EXPECTED OF US IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY, IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS PROFESSIONAL, ENCOURAGING AND ENGAGING.””
Sustainability Starts Locally
Local Suppliers
Farendy Farms
Wallace Family Farms
Circle K Ranch
All Others
Farendy Farms
8744 E. Olson Rd., Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
(989) 429-9914 email: farendyfarms@yahoo.com
https://www.facebook.com/Farendy-Farms
Faron Smith and Wendy Griffin have a small, GMO-free farm on Sugar Island, providing ducks, chickens, eggs, turkeys, rabbits, pork, and lamb to LCCS. “Our free-range poultry is raised on grass, chicken feed, and love….and you can taste the difference! Plus, we are fully licensed to do our own processing and wholesaling.”
Wendy and Faron welcome farm sales by appointment. Depending on the season, they attend the Les Cheneaux Artisans & Farmers Market on Sundays at the Hessel School House in Hessel, and the Sault Ste. Marie Farmers Market on Wednesdays.
Wallace Family Farms
7538 West M48, Rudyard, MI 49780
(906) 322-2285 email: upshepherd@hotmail.com
https.//www.lswoolen.com
Eric and Penny Wallis grew up on the land they now farm. They raise Polypay sheep, using regenerative, land healing practices. Visit their web site for some intriguing facts.
Circle K Ranch
8596 West 19-Mile Rd., Rudyard, MI 49780
(906) 478-7531 email: kabat.susan@gmail.com
https://www.circlekbuffalo.com
Orv and Sue Kabat have been raising grass-fed, hormone-free American bison and Highland cattle since 1988, supplying LCCS since we first opened in 2014. Their bison burger always wins raves. Visit their web site and Facebook page to see some great photos. Circle K Ranch sells wholesale and retail..
Other Dedicated Suppliers
Dutcher Farms
- 25525 S. Angora Road, Goetzville, Michigan, 49736
- (906) 297-2120
Mackinac Straits Fish Company
- 109 W. Elliott Street, St. Ignace, MI 49781
(906) 643-7535
Les Cheneaux Distillers
- 172 S Meridian St, Cedarville, MI 49719
- (906) 484-1213
Sweet Grass Farms
- 2042 E. Bishop Road, Pickford, MI 49774
- (906) 647-3682
Interested In The Program?