Kellogg Center State Room

An absolute must for lovers of good food and wine! The Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center is a hub of educational and cultural activity as well as the working lab for MSU’s School of Hospitality Business. Through its “Visiting Chef Series,” Kellogg has hosted over 80 culinary celebrities, including such notables as Michael McCarty, Paul Bartolota, Tony Mantuano, Joyce Goldstein, Michael Foley, Cory Schreiber and Jeremiah Tower, to name but a few.

Each event in the series starts with a cooking demonstration the first evening in a classroom setting with a 4-screen, video enhanced stage tutorial for preparation of a 4-course meal. Samples of each course are served to attendees along with two wine selections. The following evening, guests enjoy “Dinner with the Chef” in the State Room Restaurant featuring a different 4-course meal prepared by the chef and served with wine pairings. Both events start at 7 p.m. and run from 2-3 hours.

March 21 & 22 — Christian Eckmann
April 11 & 12 — Wally Joe

March 21 & 22
Christian Eckmann | Divisional Chef | Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises | Chicago, Illinois

Chef Eckmann began his culinary journey after earning degrees in zoology and neurobiology from Miami University. His experience at Froggy’s in Highwood, IL under Chef Thierry Lefeuvre revealed a passion for and about food that would change the course of his career.

In 1998, Eckmann began studying culinary fundamentals at Kendall College in Evanston, IL, eventually making his way to Phoenix as part of his coursework to work with Chef Vincent Guerithault at his first restaurant, Vincent on Camelback. Before graduating with his degree in Culinary Arts in 2000, Eckmann secured a position alongside internationally-acclaimed French master Jean Banchet at the prestigious Le Francais in Wheeling, IL. In November of 2001, Eckmann traveled to Spain to further develop his skills working under Juan Mari Arzak at his three-star Michelin restaurant, Arzak, in the Basque town of San Sebastian.

In January of 2003, Eckmann was hired by distinguished Chef and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ (LEYE) Managing Partner Gabino Sotelino as sous chef of Chicago’s acclaimed Ambria restaurant, elevating later to Executive Chef. Since 2007, Eckmann has worked with current LEYE Divisional President Chris Meers’ team of talented chefs, developing and implementing new dishes and menus for the company’s hottest new restaurants from Chicago to Las Vegas to Santa Monica (CA).

April 11 & 12
Wally Joe | Chef, Partner and General Manager | Wally Joe Acre Restaurant | Memphis, Tennessee

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Cleveland, Mississippi, Chef Wally Joe led the culinary revolution in the Mid-South starting in 1989 at his family’s restaurant, KC’s. But his culinary education began as a child growing up in the rural Mississippi Delta, where he was exposed to the “roots” of food. A child of avid gardeners, Wally’s father hatched free-range chickens, duck, squab, pheasant, guinea fowl and quail. Fishing was also a family activity on most weekends. As a result, Wally has held a life-long respect and appreciation for pure and unadulterated food.

“It’s really quite simple,” says Wally, “there is no magic involved in my cooking. I insist on using the absolute best products available and do as little as possible to them, allowing each component to maintain its integrity and identity.”

As Chef de Cuisine at KC’s, Chef Joe’s attention to detail and obsessive quest for quality has propelled KC’s preeminence as the only AAA 4-Diamond Award-winning restaurant in the state of Mississippi. He has also been featured in Food Arts, Southern Living, Bon Appetit, Esquire, Indulge, USA Today and Chef, and on the Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the South,” CBS’s Sunday Morning, NBC’s Today Show and Turner South’s Off the Menu.




	Spring Visiting Chef Series An absolute must for lovers of good food and wine! The Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center is a hub of educational and cultural activity as well as the working lab for MSU’s School of Hospitality Business. Through its “Visiting Chef Series,” Kellogg has hosted over 80 culinary celebrities, including such notables as Michael McCarty, Paul Bartolota, Tony Mantuano, Joyce Goldstein, Michael Foley, Cory Schreiber and Jeremiah Tower, to name but a few. Each event in the series starts with a cooking demonstration the first evening in a classroom setting with a 4-screen, video enhanced stage tutorial for preparation of a 4-course meal. Samples of each course are served to attendees along with two wine selections. The following evening, guests enjoy “Dinner with the Chef” in the State Room Restaurant featuring a different 4-course meal prepared by the chef and served with wine pairings. Both events start at 7 p.m. and run from 2-3 hours. March 21 & 22 — Christian Eckmann April 11 & 12 — Wally Joe March 21 & 22 Christian Eckmann \| Divisional Chef \| Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises \| Chicago, Illinois Chef Eckmann began his culinary journey after earning degrees in zoology and neurobiology from Miami University. His experience at Froggy’s in Highwood, IL under Chef Thierry Lefeuvre revealed a passion for and about food that would change the course of his career. In 1998, Eckmann began studying culinary fundamentals at Kendall College in Evanston, IL, eventually making his way to Phoenix as part of his coursework to work with Chef Vincent Guerithault at his first restaurant, Vincent on Camelback. Before graduating with his degree in Culinary Arts in 2000, Eckmann secured a position alongside internationally-acclaimed French master Jean Banchet at the prestigious Le Francais in Wheeling, IL. In November of 2001, Eckmann traveled to Spain to further develop his skills working under Juan Mari Arzak at his three-star Michelin restaurant, Arzak, in the Basque town of San Sebastian. In January of 2003, Eckmann was hired by distinguished Chef and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ (LEYE) Managing Partner Gabino Sotelino as sous chef of Chicago’s acclaimed Ambria restaurant, elevating later to Executive Chef. Since 2007, Eckmann has worked with current LEYE Divisional President Chris Meers’ team of talented chefs, developing and implementing new dishes and menus for the company’s hottest new restaurants from Chicago to Las Vegas to Santa Monica (CA). April 11 & 12 Wally Joe \| Chef, Partner and General Manager \| Wally Joe Acre Restaurant \| Memphis, Tennessee Born in Hong Kong and raised in Cleveland, Mississippi, Chef Wally Joe led the culinary revolution in the Mid-South starting in 1989 at his family’s restaurant, KC’s. But his culinary education began as a child growing up in the rural Mississippi Delta, where he was exposed to the “roots” of food. A child of avid gardeners, Wally’s father hatched free-range chickens, duck, squab, pheasant, guinea fowl and quail. Fishing was also a family activity on most weekends. As a result, Wally has held a life-long respect and appreciation for pure and unadulterated food. “It’s really quite simple,” says Wally, “there is no magic involved in my cooking. I insist on using the absolute best products available and do as little as possible to them, allowing each component to maintain its integrity and identity.” As Chef de Cuisine at KC’s, Chef Joe’s attention to detail and obsessive quest for quality has propelled KC’s preeminence as the only AAA 4-Diamond Award-winning restaurant in the state of Mississippi. He has also been featured in Food Arts, Southern Living, Bon Appetit, Esquire, Indulge, USA Today and Chef, and on the Discovery Channel’s “Great Chefs of the South,” CBS’s Sunday Morning, NBC’s Today Show and Turner South’s Off the Menu.
	Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center Michigan State University 55 South Harrison Avenue East Lansing, MI 48824-1022 Phone: (517) 432-4000 Reservation Line: (800) 875-5090