Our Story
Professional kitchens are challenging environments. Thankfully, nobody has to face the dinner rush alone. The best restaurants operate like a family. It's a place where people look after each other.
Kitchen staff is hard to find.
Many restaurants are understaffed, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon. At the same time, we know there are lots of people struggling to find and keep a job.
We’re here to guide folks through their first steps in the kitchen. We’re confident that, with a little bit of encouragement and training, many can hold their own amidst hot grill plates and stacks of dirty dishes. We give people hope by showing them that a career in the restaurant industry is a real possibility.
Mentoring and relationships
Prep Cook Bootcamp is not just about the practicalities of working in the kitchen. Of course we cover basic knife skills, culinary measurements and food safety. But thriving in the kitchen takes more than properly wielding a chef’s knife.
Our bootcamp emphasizes mentoring and relationships. We give our students a sense of belonging by offering life coaching and mentorship alongside practical instruction. This helps our students, but also the restaurants they will work at. Because confident team players are the secret ingredient to restaurant success.
We partner with restaurants that are committed to providing a career path to students who come through our program. In return, restaurants get team members who are invested, driven and ready to meet the challenges of Sunday brunch.
By bridging individuals and restaurants, we get new talent into restaurant careers.
Meet the Team
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Russell Brent
Russell is a 45 year restaurant veteran. He started as a dishwasher at 15 and went on to oversee ten restaurants up and down the west coast and before owning his own restaurant. He has is bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Hotel Restaurant Management and Service Management from Rochester Institute of Technology.
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Kim Decker
Kim has her bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Human Development with a heavy emphasis on Human Resources from Warner Pacific University. While she can hold her own in the kitchen, her passion is giving students the skills they need to navigate the workplace environment.
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JD Thomas
Currently, Chef Thomas is Executive Chef Instructor for the NORTHWEST CULINARY INSTITUTE in Vancouver, WA. He designed the successful nine-month, accelerated culinary program located in Vancouver’s Historic Reserve.
Get in touch.
Whether you’re a restaurant, perspective student or career agency, oppotunities abound with Prep Cook Bootamp. Let’s chat!