Mike Autenrieth, Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management Academic Director
M.H.A., University of Nevada - Las Vegas; B.A., Metropolitan State University; A.S., Johnson and Wales University; C.H.A., C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Mike Autenrieth received his A.S. in Hospitality Management from Johnson and Wales University, and his Bachelor of Arts from Metropolitan State University with a degree focus in Hospitality Education.
Mike has been with The Art Institutes International Minnesota since the spring of 2004 as Foodservice Director and Academic Director for the Hospitality Management program. Mike has been a dedicated hospitality professional since entering the industry in 1972. Some of the positions he has held include hotel general manager, food and beverage director, sales director for a regional buying coalition, and district hotel director covering 7 states in the central U.S. In addition to executive positions in the corporate Hospitality Industry, Mike established and operated his own award-winning restaurant and catering company for 15 years in Minneapolis. Mike is one of the few people nationally who possess certification from the American Hotel and Lodging Association as both a Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and as a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE).
Tatum Barile
A.A.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
As a graduate of The Art Institutes International Minnesota, Tatum spent the first 5 years of her career working in small, independent restaurants in Minneapolis. At Sapor, she worked as a line cook, purchaser, menu contributor, sous chef and pastry chef. Tatum spent one semester as a personal chef to a fraternity at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota assisted Tatum with menu planning, costing and purchasing as well as quality quantity cooking.
Upon completion of the semester at the University, Tatum worked as the executive chef at the Hot Plate, creating a new dinner menu, purchasing, training, and working the line. After 6 months, Tatum was hired as the executive chef of Cafe Twenty Eight. Seasonality and local products were introduced with the new menu. As executive chef, Tatum worked with local farmers and purveyors to create menus that represented local ingredients and world flavors.
Jessica Bartl
A.O.S., Culinary Institute of America - New York; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Poughkeepsie, NY, Jessica spent the first 7 years of her career with the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company at numerous hotels, including properties in Laguna Niguel and Rancho Mirage, CA, Boston, MA, Buckhead in Atlanta, GA, and Cleveland, OH, the last as Executive Pastry Chef.
Upon returning to the Twin Cities area, Jessica was the Pastry Chef for the New French Bakery and Cafe and the Minikahda Club prior to starting her own business -- Jessica's Cakes for Weddings and other Celebrations.
Nathan Beauchamp
A.O.S., Culinary Institute of America - New York
Chef Beauchamp was born and raised in Chestertown, Maryland on the Eastern shore and grew up enjoying the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay. After graduating from the Culinary Insitute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Chef Beauchamp ran the Table of Contents restaurant in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Returning to New York he worked at Park Avenue Cafe under David Bohe. Chef Beauchamp also worked at several notable Washington, DC restaurants including 1789, Restaurant Eve, and Bistro Bis.
Jessica Becker
B.A., Goucher College - Maryland; A.O.S New England Culinary Institute; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Chef Jessica Becker is a citizen of the world and it shows in her cooking skills and flavor profiles. Born in Switzerland to American and Polish parents, she traveled the world as a child and continues with that passion as an adult. Chef Becker ventured into the culinary world after earning a BA in English Literature by attending the world-renowned New England Culinary Institute (NECI) for her associate's degree in Culinary Arts. She was drawn to the culinary world in a restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC and found her true passion in life. Since attending NECI, she has worked in hotels and restaurants in Switzerland, San Francisco, and Minneapolis. She now brings this passion, knowledge, and skill to the classroom. As an instructor at The Art Institutes International Minnesota, Chef Becker inspires fledgling chefs to follow their passion and she guides the students with her skills and international view of the world.
Jon Belleau
C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
It would be safe to say that Chef Belleau has sugar running through his veins. Coming from a family of bakers and being a third generation baker himself, baking comes naturally. Starting at his parent's bakery as a teenager, he learned all of the fundamentals to carry him onto a future career. Not only did he have the opportunity to learn baking, but also got a chance to see how a business was run and helped service most of the Door County area. With dreams of a big city and his own shop, Chef Belleau came to Minneapolis in his early 20s.
Having the opportunity to be an assistant pastry chef for the American Cafe and CocoLezzones Restaurant brought a whole new skill set to his repertoire. After years of persistence and determination, Chef Belleau started his own shop that ran for 11 years.
Upon leaving his business, Chef Belleau managed a Panera Bread franchise for two years and also worked as an assistant pastry chef at Turtle Bread. He always had a secret passion for teaching and found an opportunity at The Art Institutes International Minnesota in the Winter 2007.
Chef Belleau is currently persuing his bachelor's degree at Metropolitan State University and his CEPC from the American Culinary Federation.
Seth Bixby Daughtery
A.O.S., Culinary Institute of America - New York; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Chef Seth Bixby Daugherty has been a lifelong student of food. Raised in upstate New York, Daugherty's mother was a pastry chef and frequently sold baked products to local restaurants. Not surprisingly, Daugherty pursued a culinary degree after high school, taking cooking classes at Cobleskill Technical College and subsequently enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
While attending CIA, Daugherty enhanced his education with an internship at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington D.C. After graduation, Daugherty returned to the Four Seasons to complete a three-year apprenticeship with Chef William Douglas McNeill. His relationship with the Four Seasons earned him a position in New York City as an opening sous chef for the Four Seasons Hotel, located on 57th and Madison. During his time in New York, Daugherty also had the opportunity to work at LeBernardin, gaining experience in every station of the kitchen, including pastry.
After leaving New York, Daugherty moved to Colorado to open Paul's Creekside Grill in the Hotel at The Inn at Silvercreek and then to Minneapolis where he worked as the executive chef at D'Amico Cucina for three years. Daugherty was the executive chef at Cosmos in Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis where his culinary influence was seen in the restaurant's Asian-inspired fare. Daugherty had, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "set a new local standard for gastronomic extravagance."
Daugherty was recently recognized by Food & Wine magazine as one of America's Best New Chefs for 2005 and has also been featured on NBC's "The Today Show." Daugherty is very active participating in events and dinners for both Share Our Strength and The James Beard Foundation.
In 2007, Daugherty left Cosmo's to work as a Chef Instructor for The Art Institutes International Minnesota and to pursue work with Real Food Initiatives, a partnership with local health experts to teach kids about food, wellness and nutrition, hoping to improve K-12 school food programs.
Amy Carter
CEPC, American Culinary Federation; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Chef Amy Carter became an apprentice to master French pastry chef Daniel Barbet in the early 1980's in Pennsylvania. Chef Carter had previously spent 10 years working in restaurant kitchens. Within one year of working with Chef Barbet, Chef Carter became manager of his retail and restaurant bakeries. Chef Amy Carter then spent the next nine years hiring, training, and managing three shifts of pastry chefs and bread bakers for new owners. A large wholesale business, beyond the retail and restaurant bakeries, was also added to service area restaurants. When Chef Carter moved to Minneapolis, she took a position as the Pastry Chef for the Women's Club of Minneapolis; and was there for four years. Chef Carter has been with the culinary program at The Art Institutes International Minnesota since its inception teaching, advising and creating the new Baking & Pastry program. Since her teaching career began she regularly attends the World Pastry forum and is a founding member of the Pastry Professionals Association (PPA). Through the seminars she helped create with the PPA, the outside forums and classes she has been able to bring all the current trends and skills to her students. As a longtime member of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) she has coached Hot foods Jr Team at The Art Institutes International Minnesota for 8 years. Over the course of the years many teams have won the state competition and received Silver and Bronze medals at the Regional Competition. While teaching, she is also taking continuing education courses at Metro State University and is currently working on renewing her Executive Pastry Chef certification with the American Culinary Federation.
Desiree Dorwart
B.A. Minnesota State University - Moorhead; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Desiree’ Dorwart was born in Fargo, North Dakota to parents who owned and ran “The Norseman,” a restaurant in the small town of Hawley, Minnesota. She obtained a bachelor's degree from Moorhead State University in Psychology. She attended New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and then traveled back to Minneapolis. She is presently on her sixth year teaching full time at Art Institutes International as a culinary instructor and is attending St.Thomas University, as of 2006, seeking her Psy.D. She has helped her husband, Philip, open two restaurants he owned, Red Fish Blue and Dish, along with working with him at Table of Contents. Philip and Desiree’ presently own Create, a catering business and Create, The Dining Studio in N.E. Minneapolis. The Dining Studio is where they instruct through cooking demos and participation of their clients along with formal dining parties. Their cooking is inspired by their 35 acre farm outside of Wadena, MN where they raise organic vegetables for their catering and teach the fine art of living through food and local ingredients.
Natalie Goldston
B.S., University of Wisconsin – River Falls
Natalie Goldston is currently enrolled in the master's in Management at Argosy University in Eagan, Minnesota. Her bachelor’s degree is from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls in Sociology / Business Administration. Natalie has been working in the culinary and hospitality industries since 1976 and has worked for the Hyatt Regency, Doubletree Corporate Woods, and the Ritz-Carlton. Natalie has travelled extensively in Europe and Russia and enjoys cooking, camping, and gardening.
Byron Korus
Ed.D., Hamline University; M.A., St. Mary’s University; B.S., North Dakota State University; C.E.C., A.A.C., C.C.E., American Culinary Federation; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Dr. Korus has received his Bachelor of Science degree from North Dakota State University in Pharmacy. In addition, he received a culinary certificate in applied food science in culinary arts in Moline, Illinois and worked in various hotels in Illinois to hone his art. Moving to Minneapolis, Byron was the executive chef for the Minneapolis/St.Paul Airport Hilton Chef Korus. Previously he has been an executive chef for many large hotels, restaurant and entertainment complexes; the Hotel Pere Marquette in Illinois, the Jumer Chateau Hotel in Bloomington, Illinois, and the Illinois Boat Works Project. He has also served as the food and beverage director for "Mississippi Live", and worked as a sales manager for Kraft Food Service. After starting his own company, Special Events Catering, Chef Korus went on to purchase Chuckwagon Catering in 1994. Chef Korus is a certified culinary educator and a certified executive chef, and was inducted into the Academy of Chefs in 2001. His previous awards include winning the National Taste of Elegance contest, winning many statewide Taste of Elegance contests and others, being voted Chef of the Year in Illinois and Minnesota, and receiving the Four-Diamond Award while employed at the Minneapolis Airport Hilton's Biscayne Bay Restaurant. Byron started teaching culinary art at the Art Institutes International Minnesota in 1998 where teaching became a new passion. Korus attended St Mary’s University receiving a M.A. and continued on for his doctorate from Hamline University in St. Paul Minnesota. Byron’s dissertation focus is how team-based learning enhances knowledge building in a post-secondary culinary environment.
Stephen Lerach, Culinary Arts Assistant Academic Director
M.L.S.; B.A., University of Minnesota - Twin Cities; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Steve Lerach began teaching at The Art Institutes International Minnesota in 2000. Oddly, though a member of the culinary faculty, Steve began his duties at the school teaching Career Development. When word got around that Steve has served over thirty years in the hospitality industry, he was quickly recruited to teach the lecture series of Menu Management, Cost Control, and Management and Supervision.
Steve’s culinary career included work as an Executive Chef in restaurants, clubs, hotels and health care. He was also a Campus Executive Chef, in charge of all twelve of the University of Minnesota kitchens. When Steve is not educating others, he spends much of his time learning and relearning the intricacies of remodeling his 1920’s house. He also paints, plays racquetball with his son or trudges through architectural salvage outlets with his wife. They all live in St. Paul and hope for the best.
Matthew Schmidt
B.S.; A.A.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota
Donna Simmons
B.S., University of Minnesota - Duluth; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Donna was born and raised in Minnesota and attended college at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, majoring in Home Economics. Donna's recent teaching experience includes Rasmussen College for 4 years. While there, she designed the Restaurant Management Program, designed the Customer Service Class, and taught a total of 33 different classes. She also taught at the Duluth Public Schools District for 2 years, Hibbing Area Vocational School 3 years in Chef Management and Food Service, and Carver-Scott Cooperative Center where she designed a commercial kitchen and course work.
Donna comes to The Art Institutes International Minnesota with experience as a Corporate Trainer/Manager. She has 10 years experience with the Arby's Franchise in Minnesota; hired as an associate manager, then promoted to HR department and helped open 19 restaurants, recruited management, trained management and hourly employees, automated uniform program, etc., 7 years with Northwest Airlines training flight attendants.
Darrel Smith
M.Ed., Phoenix University; B.S., Georgia State University; A.A., The Art Institute of Atlanta; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Darrel’s educational background include an associate’s in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute Atlanta, a bachelor’s in Hospitality Administration from Georgia State University, and a master’s in Adult Education and Distance Learning from the University of Phoenix.
Darrel has taught Culinary Basic Skills, Introduction to Baking and Pastries, American Regional Cuisine, Management and Supervision, Cost Control and Purchasing, and Capstone Portfolio. He also teaches Sanitation and Safety part-time online for the Art Institute Online.
Hope Walburn
B.A., Univeristy of Minnesota - Morris; A.A.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota; C.H.E., American Hotel and Lodging Association
Pat Weber
B.S., Florida International University; A.O.S., Culinary Institute of America - New York
Chef Patrick Weber has had a successful career of over 25 years in the restaurant industry. He apprenticed under several nationally recognized Chefs, including David Bouley in New York, Guenter Seeger in Atlanta, and Mark Millatello in Miami. He has held Executive Chef positions in Kansas City, MO, Charleston, SC, and Minneapolis, MN.
Growing up on a dairy farm in Eastern Iowa, Chef Weber developed a passion for fresh, homegrown food and the intricate role it plays in cooking. Because of this, he supports sustainable agriculture, family farms, and local food systems.
Aside from teaching, Chef Weber runs a local food consulting firm called Mise en Place, assisting Chefs and restaurants with menus, recipes, and kitchen systems. He is also active in various nonprofit organizations, including food rescue and shelters to help fight hunger and homelessness, and youth programs like the ‘Cookie Cart’ nonprofit bakery.
Fred Weiss
B.A., University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; A.S., Johnson & Wales, Rhode Island
Chef Weiss received his associate’s degree from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He has 25 years of experience in the Culinary Arts industry, which included working as a Food Service Supervisor at the University of Wisconsin – Stout, Executive Chef and Owner at Gracious Catering in Milwaukee, Head Garde Manger at the University Club in Chicago, Sous Chef at Yiannis Restaurant in Chicago, Cook/Supervisor at the Hyatt Hotel in Milwaukee, and Cook/Expeditor at Capriccios Restaurant Providence (Rhode Island). Chef Weiss has taught Culinary Arts classes at The Art Institutes International Minnesota since 2005.
Mark Williams
B.S., The Art Institutes International Minnesota