Dwayne G. Ingraham, Jr.
Oxford, MS
AOS Baking and Pastry 2008
Executive Pastry Chef, City Grocery Restaurant Group
After graduating NECI I worked for two years in Las Vegas. I worked for The Wynn inside the banquet kitchen in the pastry department and then helped to open up the restaurant, Switch Steak, in their newest hotel in Las Vegas (named Encore). After leaving Encore I headed over to the MGM Grand where I worked at Seablue, one of Michael Mina's restaurants. Now, I am the Executive Pastry Chef for a restaurant group called City Grocery in Oxford, Mississippi.
Remembering NECI: I LOVED my time at NECI! The way the educational program is set up was so fitting for me and my learning style. I have always found it a lot easier for things to sink in when I am actually participating actively in the lesson instead of sitting in the back of a lecture hall.
It also truly prepared me for the industry. When I got to Vegas I was able to hit the ground running and I owe that to NECI! I had two wonderful internships one being at the Ritz Carlton, Sarasota and the other being at Wynn Las Vegas. Each time I felt truly prepared for what I was getting into. The career service office was SO helpful that I felt like everything just fell into place. It was nice to be able to sit back and truly think of which offer I wanted to take.
Another great thing about NECI was the relationships I had with my chef instructors. Even to this day I feel I can always call and get great advice if needed. That's something I feel only NECI can offer! As for living in Vermont I will have to say that it was the greatest thing that I would never want to do again! I'm a southern boy at heart and I wasn't made for the snow but besides that it was the most beautiful place I have ever lived!!