IOWA LAKES CULINARY PROGRAM BOOSTED BY GENEROUS EQUIPMENT DONATION FROM WILD ROSE CASINO

(Emmetsburg, Iowa) Iowa Lakes Community College’s Culinary & Hospitality Management program receives professional kitchen equipment donations valued at $12,777 from Wild Rose Casino and Hotel, enhancing the program’s ability to offer hands-on learning experiences for future chefs and hospitality professionals.

The partnership between Iowa Lakes Culinary and Wild Rose Casino and Hotel is rooted in a shared history. Jesse Grossnickle, Instructor of Culinary and Hospitality Management at Iowa Lakes and a 2006 graduate of the College, began his career at Wild Rose as a Food and Beverage Supervisor. Steve Cody, now General Manager at Wild Rose, was head of accounting during Grossnickle’s tenure.

The collaboration gained momentum in the spring of 2024 when Grossnickle and his students catered an event for the Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce hosted at Wild Rose Casino. Spotting an underutilized kitchen in the casino, Grossnickle saw an opportunity. Over the following year, he collaborated with Cody to secure a generous donation of the kitchen’s professional equipment from Wild Rose’s corporate office.

“We are extremely thankful to Wild Rose Casino for this incredible equipment donation,” said Grossnickle. “It will elevate the training experience in our food labs and prepare our students for success in the industry.”

The donated equipment includes high-quality kitchen essentials, including an ice cream machine, a floor mixer, a pizza oven conveyor, and more. The equipment will enable students to refine their craft in a real-world setting with more professional-grade tools.

The partnership shows the importance of strong community ties and meaningful industry collaborations. For more information about the Culinary and Hospitality Management program at Iowa Lakes, please visit iowalakes.edu.