Daniel Kous, Supervisor of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at 妻友社区, is crafting a menu that delights palates.
A professor at SCCC for over two years, Kous started as an adjunct professor in the fall of 2022 and is now a full-time faculty member. As good as a five-star restaurant, the opportunity was one Kous could not pass up.
In his new role as Program Supervisor of Hospitality, Kous will oversee the hospitality courses offered at the college, supervise front-end operations at the Arbor Restaurant and Bakeshop, and continue his responsibilities as a chef instructor to SCCC鈥檚 first-year students enrolled in the Culinary Arts program.
This semester, he teaches Culinary courses in Basic Skills, Meat Fabrication, Food Principles, Garde Manger, Basic Baking, and Breakfast and Lunch Cookery. In the hospitality program, he teaches hotel and restaurant operations. Working in the industry for three decades, Kous has first-hand expertise and knowledge in culinary arts and hospitality. He has even trained others along the way.
Kous is a Johnson and Wales University graduate with an A.A.S. in Culinary Arts and a B.S. in Business Studies. Serving as Program Supervisor of Hospitality and Instructor of Culinary Arts has been the most rewarding role of his career. His passion for working with food and operations shines through in his teaching, inspiring students to develop those skills.
During his 35-plus years of experience in the food service industry, Kous has enjoyed cooking in restaurants and resorts/hotels, owning a catering business, and working in the healthcare industry as an executive chef and food service department manager. He not only enjoys working with food as a profession but also enjoys cooking for family and friends and continually developing his acumen in business, current food trends, and instructing students.听
His 鈥渞ecipe for success鈥� is always to remember and appreciate the help he has received during his culinary career and to 鈥渇eed鈥� the same to the future generations in the industry.听
Kous compares the SCCC program with other excellent culinary programs.听
鈥淚 appreciate that we have a technical school to educate people in our community that will support the local Culinary and Hospitality industry,鈥� he adds. 鈥淪CCC Culinary and Hospitality programs are very robust and teach a curriculum that is very similar to that of schools such as the Culinary Institute of America and Johnson and Wales for a fraction of the cost,鈥� says Kous.
Matching an expert in this field with teaching is like pairing food with fine wine.听
鈥淚 appreciate the opportunity to become a teacher in a subject that has been a passion of mine since I was in my teens,鈥� says Kous. 鈥淚 enjoy teaching the future of the industry, and hopefully, I can impact their lives in a positive manner. Becoming a teacher at SCCC has been the most rewarding part of my career.鈥澨�
鈥淭hese Culinary programs are local and allow students to stay close to home, get a quality education, and graduate with little to no student debt.鈥�
To learn more about 妻友社区 and to register for the spring semester, visit sussex.edu/spring.