COD Foundation dedicates Skills Kitchen to George Macht
The College of DuPage Foundation recently dedicated the George Macht Skills Kitchen in the new 65,000 square-foot Culinary & Hospitality Center, honoring the retired Hospitality Administration program coordinator and professor whose leadership built the program and inspired countless students.
“We are acknowledging what you have done in the world of culinary and what you've done at College of DuPage,” said Dr. Robert L. Breuder, president of College of DuPage, during the dedication ceremony. “It's befitting that your name should be on this facility for all that you've done for this program and institution.”
Macht first came to College of DuPage as a student, earning his associate's degree in Foodservice Administration before transferring to the University of Wisconsin, where he completed both his bachelor's and master's degrees. When Macht began teaching at College of DuPage in 1976, his classroom was a converted biology lab in the Open Campus Center with one six-burner stove.
During the next three decades, Macht grew the program, first by moving it into the Student Resource Center. This resulted in larger kitchens, the Escoffier Dining Room, which gave students a premiere dining space to showcase their skills, and the Culinary Market, which sells student creations. He also spearheaded a culinary training program in the Tuscany region of Italy that he's led every spring since 1996.
The new Culinary & Hospitality Center has five state-of-the-art kitchens, a fine-dining restaurant (Waterleaf), a student-run restaurant (Wheat Café), a six-suite boutique hotel (Inn at Water's Edge), as well as an educational auditorium and conference center.
Macht served as president of the Northern Illinois branch of International Foodservice Executives Association and Northern Illinois Hospitality Educators Association. He also met his wife, Vivian Kuo, at College of DuPage, where she continues to work as an adjunct culinary professor specializing in Asian cuisine.
Although Macht retired in 2008, he continues to teach at the College.
“When students look at this plaque and ask their instructors, ‘Who is George Macht?' I hope they share the principles that have motivated me throughout my career: You should be enthusiastic in everything you do, dedicate yourself to your profession, make a commitment to complete every project you undertake, always respect your coworkers and customers, give praise and recognition to the people who stand up around you, and give your employer 100 percent of your effort every day you come to work,” he said.
Cathy Leveille, Academic Lab supervisor for the program, worked with Macht for more than 25 years. She remembers his tireless dedication to the program.
“George's insatiable curiosity, his desire to learn and his passion for sharing makes him the ultimate educator,” she said. “It has been my honor and privilege to work with him.”
Chris Thielman, coordinator of the Culinary and Hospitality Management program at College of DuPage, praised Macht for his constant innovation and for gaining support from the hospitality industry in the Chicago area.
“The skills kitchen is where our future students are building their foundation for a lifetime of achievement,” Thielman said. “George built the foundation for this program, and the end result is all around you.”
For more about the Culinary and Hospitality Management program, call (630) 942-2720 or email thielman@cod.edu. You can also watch a YouTube video of the dedication and check out a photo album on Flickr.