Kendall College culinary instructor gets national award

Peggy Ryan, a culinary instructor in the School of Culinary Arts at Chicago's Kendall College, received Women Chefs & Restaurateurs' 2009 Educator of the Year Award this week in Washington, D.C.

Ryan serves as daytime executive chef of Kendall College's restaurant, The Dining Room at Kendall College, and teaches students how to provide proper service and execute the menu.

For most of her career, Ryan has focused on Italian cuisine and teaches courses in pasta and other dishes. She was the former chef and owner of Va Pensiero in Evanston.

Ryan brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to her teaching, according to Christopher Koetke, dean of Kendall's School of Culinary Arts. "Chef Ryan embodies the quintessential culinary educator: a superb teacher with unparalleled real-world experience as a successful chef and restaurateur," he says.

Christine Sathern, a teaching assistant pursuing her bachelor's degree in culinary arts at Kendall, nominated Ryan for the award.

"I was lucky enough to be Chef Ryan's student for the final block of my associate degree," Sathern says. "I had never truly believed in myself or my skills, and upon beginning our class I realized that Chef Ryan believes in you more than anyone else does. She pushes her students to their greatest abilities, and then some. Because of her, I earned a position as sous chef when I was only 20 years old. Chef Ryan is my one true inspiration in this industry."