WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Wichita State University’s technical college is moving forward with plans to open a culinary school downtown in Kansas’ largest city and has hired married chefs who helped build another program in the area.
President Sheree Utash said that WSU Tech expects to submit its plan for the new program to the Kansas Board of Regents this spring, and it hopes to start classes in a temporary location in August, The Wichita Eagle reports. WSU Tech’s board of directors last week approved a letter of intent to move forward.
WSU Tech also has hired John and Lexi Michael, who helped build a Butler Community College culinary program that began in 2012. The Butler college’s program is based in a recreation center well west of downtown.
The two schools have been in discussions about possible partnerships since 2018, but Utash said those talks have ended. She said the Butler college’s program, operating outside its normal service area, will have to move by July 2021, and Butler President Kim Krull said her school was looking at options.
Utash said renovation of a 45,000-square-foot former department store building in downtown Wichita to house WSU Tech’s culinary school should begin this spring and be completed by August 2022.
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