Leah Brantly
Leah Brantly is a Culinary Arts and Commercial Baking student at Broadmoor Technical Center and my home school is at Shawnee Mission South. My passion started with culinary in the sixth grade and grew to become both culinary and baking later on. Lea plans on going to culinary school preferably to one of the three schools listed (Culinary institute of America, Johnson and Wales in Providence, and The New England Culinary Instituted in Vermont). I’ve worked very hard to get to the point I am at today, and that has opened a lot of opportunities. I know that there will probably be many more to come, and I will be ready. I am very thankful for what I have and have achieved. When there’s a will, there’s a way. What’s meant to happen will always find its way.
Andrew Wickersham
Andrew is a senior at Shawnee Mission East and a culinary 2 student here at Broadmoor. He first recognized his passion of cooking working in the kitchen with his mother at an early age. Once he found Broadmoor he was able to expand his skills and help him on his path to make the culinary arts his profession. Andrew is a member of skills USA and will compete in the spring. In addition to skills USA, he also plans to compete in the Best Teen Chef competition starting with regional’s in Charlotte, NC. To continue his education, he plans to attend Culinary Institute of America for college.
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The Broadmoor Bistro is a student-run skills application by the students at Broadmoor Technical Center in Shawnee Mission School District. The Broadmoor Bistro has been in operation since fall of 2000 offering an evening dining event created and served by culinary arts students enrolled at Broadmoor Technical Center. Broadmoor Technical Center, located at 6701 W. 83rd Street, Overland Park, Kansas offers culinary arts and commercial baking instruction to students enrolled in Shawnee Mission School District high schools.
Junior and senior students from the district high schools enroll in year-long elective classes at Broadmoor Technical Center in their area of interest. Part of the culmination of the culinary arts instruction is the students’ skills application in the Broadmoor Bistro. Students create menus, cook, serve and run the Broadmoor Bistro.
The Bistro is a 2008 constructed 3,000 square foot addition to the Broadmoor Technical Center. A bakery, kitchen and classroom with auditorium seating and a full culinary display kitchen, about 4,700 sqft, were remodeled in 2007.
Julia Crain, Ph. D. Dr. Crain is beginning her 21st year in education with 2008 being her first year as principal of Broadmoor Technical Center. She finds Broadmoor a very eclectic educational endeavor full of daily celebrations and challenges.
Julie Crain grew up and was initially educated in southern Illinois where she studied radio-tv and journalism at Southern Illinois University. She worked as a journalist and college instructor before settling in Kansas 20 years ago. Her passion in student progress and growth piqued when she was working as a journalist covering public school news in Pittsburg, Kansas. After returning to school for teacher licensure, she worked as an English and speech teacher in Galena, Kansas, from where she has many fond memories and continued connections with former colleagues and students.
After teaching and administrative positions in Lawrence and Topeka, Dr. Crain joined the Shawnee Mission School District in 1999 as associate principal at Shawnee Mission West HS. She continues to broaden her areas of expertise with the leadership of the technical programs at Broadmoor Technical Center as well as continue to enhance curriculum and instruction in the special education programs offered at Broadmoor. View Resume
Chef Bob Brassard, CEC
Chef Bob Brassard began his culinary journey in a rural farming community in Connecticut learning how to can and preserve fruits and vegetables, spending time with his grand mother during his summer and fall weekends until the age of twelve. His first introduction to food service was working in a local pizza shop. His first chef position at the age of 19 was working at Bald Hill Restaurant with Chef Dave Allen. Brassard received his formal culinary training at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI and apprenticed in Vermont at the Fox Run Resort.
Chef Bob has been in the hospitality industry for over 30 years as a chef. During that time Bob experienced a variety of industry experiences that enable him to convey his personal experiences to his students and ultimately to their success.
Over the past 7 years, Bob has guided his students in local and national culinary competitions enabling them to earn over 1.6 million dollars in scholarship monies.
Broadmoor’s Culinary and Commercial Baking Programs are presently considered to be one of the top educational secondary programs in the country. The program has produced a minimum of 1 to a maxium of 5 national finalists a year, for seven consecutive years.
For chef Bob’s efforts over the past seven years, Bob has been recently recognized by his educational peers being selected “ Culinary Educator of the Year, 2008.” by Foodservice Educators Network International.
Chef David Finn
David’s earliest food memory “was picking cherries for pies at my grandparents house in North Kansas City.” This was the official start of Chef Finn’s culinary journey which led him to Broadmoor Technical Center two years ago to establish the commercial baking curriculum. David didn’t realize just how his childhood experiences would shape and mold his future.
Finn’s first culinary experience in the work force came at the age 15 at the Hilton Hotel in Kansas City where he was able to expand his palate beyond a “basic food” concept. For the next six years, David worked in a variety of restaurants and food service operations giving him a well versed background in a variety of cuisines and flavors.
Chef Finn refined his skills at the award winning Café Allegro under Chef de Cuisine Bob Brassard, and Chef- owner Stephen Cole where Finn worked as a line rounds person.
Finn’s passion for learning led him to the Hyatt where he apprenticed in the Peppercorn Duck Club where he spent two years working in all the departments at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
David realized that a formal education would enable him to pursue a management position. His journeys lead David to San Francisco where he attended the California Culinary Academy.
During his time at school, Finn became an apprentice for Master Pastry Chef Bo Friberg. Finn apprenticed for two years in the capacity of a baker.
Upon Finn’s graduation from California Culinary, he returned back to Kansas City to accept a position as Executive sous chef for the grand opening of Station Casino. Finns access to menu creation for the casino enabled him to create recipes for several of the casino’s outlet restaurants. Mark Miller, Paul Prudhomme, worked closely with Finn in quality control and recipe development for the casino.
David wanted to get back to what started his passion for food over a decade and a half earlier. David and wife Rachel, opened a commercial bakery and catering a facility over seven year ago and named it Chacko’s after their son.
Being a part of Broadmoor enables Finn to continue his passion for sharing his industry experience with those he feels need it most, our children. View Resume
