by Amber Tolley

Vance Klein’s career began in a corporate cafeteria. Not exactly a glamorous introduction to the cooking world, but an excellent stepping stone for a passion that would one day lead him to the kitchen of Cedar Crest.

Now the chef de cuisine at Erickson’s eighth community, Vance says that the culinary world allows him to express himself in a unique way.

“I'm not someone who writes and draws to express myself. I feel that my creativity and skill can best be shown through my cooking. That's why I'm always trying new things in the kitchen.”

Vance received his official training at the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, the first school in the country to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in the Culinary Arts. The same chef he worked beside long ago in that corporate cafeteria inspired his dream of attending culinary school.

“He was a graduate of Johnson & Wales. He made me his prep cook, and from there I took interest. I just seemed to be a bit of a natural in the kitchen. Everything I was shown I picked up quickly, and I felt as though it was something I could excel at,” shares Vance.

Fresh out of culinary school, he served as a food and beverage manager for the Ramada Hotels. Later he gained valuable experience as a chef at the Sodexho Marriott, the world’s largest food service company.

Oddly enough, this chef’s favorite food is simple—he loves pizza. When Vance isn’t fixing divine new dishes and sumptuous entrees for the people who live at Cedar Crest, he enjoys cooking for his friends and family.