Brooke Skiba
Features Editor
The new school year has brought many new physical changes and faces to campus. One adjustment that the campus will experience this year is the switch to a new executive chef: Pete Wallin. Chef Pete is replacing Chef Rick Keyes, who left the College to pursue a corporate career. Wallin brings 30 years of culinary experience, innovative and healthy menu ideas and a strong passion for local and sustainable foods to our campus.
Wallin comes to Wooster after 16 years with Ashland University, during which the university won numerous awards for their dining services. He is not a stranger to the Wooster community, as he worked as the executive chef for TJ’s Restaurant starting in 1984. In Aug. 2003 Wallin spent a memorable week in South Africa with a brigade of chefs as part of the World Cooks Tour for Hunger. The group raised over a quarter of a million dollars for AIDs related children’s charities during the tour. Wallin is also an active member in the American Culinary Federation and has won several medals in ACF competitions.
Wallin plans to work closely with the student community to enhance the campus dining experience. He also has a strong passion for fusion cooking, using sustainable and local ingredients. He served as a volunteer instructor and adjudicator of the Team Cuisine Cooks Camp competitions as a volunteer at the Scarlet, Gray and Green Fair display, where he cooked with local ingredients and as a member of the steering committee for Local Roots Ashland.
Wallin also described a project he completed in his Ashland University position which involved getting the Ohio Department of Health to allow the university to use reusable carry out containers. “This process, I hope, will allow other schools to follow suit, Wooster included, in reducing the amount of trash going to landfills,” he said.
Wallin will likely use his own dietary preferences to inspire healthy and international dining selections. “I personally eat a flexitarian diet and will promote fresh, healthy local foods, where and whenever I can,” he said. “My culinary pallet tends to reflect my love for Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. The noodle dish, pancit, from the Philippines is one of my favorites.”
The main adjustment to Kittredge this year, Wallin explained, will be the addition of a high quality locally produced animal protein item added to evening menus. The dining hall will still continue to serve healthy, inventive and predominantly vegetarian meals.
Head of Dining Services, Chuck Wagers, is excited to have Wallin on our dining service team. “I believe that Chef Pete brings fresh new ideas that will help create contemporary, innovative, creative and healthful menus for the campus community,” he said.