The W. Frank Barton School of Business at 红领巾瓜报 has announced Pyet DeSpain, an award winning and global private chef, as it鈥檚 Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Fall 2023 semester. DeSpain was the first winner of Gordon Ramsay鈥檚 鈥淣ext Level Chef鈥� TV show on Fox. In 2021, she was named one of the Top 25 Best Private Chefs in Los Angeles by Entrepreneur Magazine.
鈥淚 am very excited to share my passion for cooking, entrepreneurship and my heritage with the students and faculty of the Barton School,鈥� said DeSpain. 鈥淲hile I now call Los Angeles home, my heart belongs with where I grew up - in the Midwest. This will serve as a pseudo homecoming for me.鈥�
As the Barton School鈥檚 Entrepreneur-in-Residence, DeSpain will host a keynote presentation titled 鈥淎 Recipe For Success: When Business Meets Passion鈥� on November 2, 2023 at 11 a.m. in Woolsey Hall. There she will discuss her life鈥檚 journey and transformational experiences including winning 鈥淣ext Level Chef.鈥� It will be followed by a networking session. In addition, DeSpain will engage with students in mentoring and networking session as well as meet with the Barton School鈥檚 leadership team and faculty that will inspire innovation in its programming and curriculum.
鈥淔or anyone who watched Pyet on 鈥楴ext Level Chef,鈥� you will know that she is an amazing culinary artist as well as a genuine and caring person,鈥� said Dr. Larisa Genin, Dean of the Barton School. 鈥淪he will be an inspiration as our newest Entrepreneur-in-Residence.鈥�
DeSpain is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribe. She grew up on the Osage Indian Reservation before moving with her family to Kansas City, Kansas. Her passion for cooking developed as a child helping in the kitchens of her family鈥檚 taquerias and restaurants in Kansas City. Her life鈥檚 work is dedicated to Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she combines food from her heritage (Native American and Mexican). In 2015, DeSpain started Pyet鈥檚 Plate, her personal chef business to promote passion for wellness, nutrition and quality of food.
鈥淭he Barton School and our city have deep connections to entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry,鈥� said Dr. Shirley Lefever, Executive Vice President and Provost at Wichita State. 鈥淧yet will bring her unique perspective as a global and award-winning chef to a new generation of entrepreneurs.鈥�
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