Kevin D. Woods
Huntersville, NC
AOS Culinary Arts 1998
Six months after graduation I accepted a job as head chef of a restaurant in Charlotte, NC. After that I spent nine years working in hotels as a sous chef, executive chef, and Food & Beverage. I worked for Hilton and Omni hotels. For the past two years I have been working as the Food and Beverage Director at The Pines at Davidson, an upscale retirement community in Davidson, North Carolina. I never set out in my career to be doing what I am, but I love it and I think that it shows that the opportunities in this profession are endless.
Remembering NECI: New England Culinary Institute is hands down the best Culinary School in the US. I came to NECI with no experience. Within six months of graduation I was running the kitchen in a restaurant. NECI threw me into a real kitchen immediately. Other culinary schools do not do this. The small ratio of students to faculty is key. No other school does this. Also, students are put into real situations from day one. My externships were fantastic. I learned a lot during both. I learn things on my externships that I carry with me to this day. Some of my great memories of my life were my two falls and winters in Vermont. I always encourage people who are interested in a culinary career to look at NECI. If you want a quick head start in this industry NECI is the right choice.