Join me this Saturday and learn a little about The Butler Community College (BCC) Redler Institute of Culinary Arts or RICA.
Up first is Les Padzensky, a good friend and more importantly a powerful presence in the Wichita Culinary Scene and now the Director of RICA.
An award-winning professional with more than 30 years of management experience in the local culinary and hospitality industry, Padzensky returns to Butler after having served as an adjunct hospitalilty professor for several years starting in 1998.
Good Life Guy & Padzensky
Padzensky has worked for several notable food service and hospitality organizations in the Wichita area during his career, including LaTour Management, Inc., where his major concerns were Piccadilly Market & Grill, Timberline Steakhouse & Grill, and Epoch Development where he was a Regional Manager for Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers. He also spent 12 years as Vice President of Food and Beverage for Warren Theatres.
Padzensky is a past chairman and current board member of the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association and has served on the Redler Institute’s Industry Advisory Committee for three years, most recently as Chairman.
While the relatively new, Redler Institute of Culinary Arts has had a talented cadre of instructors, the new batch brings some of Wichita’s most talented chef-instructors training an enthusiastic group of new food service students. One of them is Robbie Lynn Garlick (not garlic 🙂 ) who I had the pleasure of meeting last week at a RICA event.
Chef Robbie Lynn Garlick
Ms. Garlick is The Pastry Arts Instructor at Redler Institute of Culinary Arts and Pastry Chef at FioRito Ristorante. This gal is so talented and loved by the students she teaches and mentors at RICA. I had a loaf of bread from a recipe of another instructor that she guided her students in producing last week, probably one of the best baked items I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.
Then this past Saturday at Scott & Betsy Redler’s home after a splendid gourmet club dinner, we enjoyed some of the most amazing macaroons ever! She is a great addition to the teaching staff at RICA and FioRito is lucky to have her. I am always interested in ones journey in food or wine. I look forward to sharing her story with you.
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2021 Haraszthy Family Cellars, Bearitage LODI Petite Sirah
An immediately noticeable dark inky color typical of Petite Sirah greets your wine glass. Flavor and bouquet of blueberries, chocolate, and black pepper. Nicely balanced, dense tannin structure balanced against the jammy character of this wine, ABV13.8% 91-Califoprnia State Fair
Get some at Jacob Liquor Exchange on N. Rock Road and join us!