The Renton Technical College Culinary Arts Program will showcase the talents of one of its top instructor/chefs and students at the Governor’s Inaugural Ball VIP reception Wednesday.

The assignment will give the students valuable hands-on experience, according to the program.

Chef/instructor John Fisher and Jamie Callison from Washington State University were selected for their culinary expertise and community work to prepare food for the reception in Olympia, along with their culinary students.

The teams will prepare a menu showcasing Pacific Northwest products and the bounties of the state’s orchard, cattle ranch, creamery, and organic farms. Fisher and Callison co-developed the menu, which includes Washington lamb, Dungeness crab, King Salmon, student-created charcuterie, Cougar cheese, WSU organic honey, and other dishes.

Callison and Fisher have worked the Governor’s Inaugural Ball on two occasions and are members of the Washington State Chefs Association, which is catering all the events for the ball.

Twenty-one schools and businesses will prepare food for Washington’s highest ranking officials, dignitaries, and thousands of guests. The event supports culinary scholarships and other educational benefits for aspiring chefs as well as continuing education.

Fisher joined RTC in 2003 as the Culinary Arts instructor; he has more than 42 years in the hospitality industry. He was the academic director of the Culinary Arts program at the Art Institute of Seattle for six years, as well as a culinary instructor for two additional years. In addition, he has taught at Boise State University and has been the executive chef in numerous hotels, clubs, and restaurants.

“It is an honor for Chef Fisher and I to be chosen to represent our programs and Washington state chefs for the VIP event, but more importantly, this is a great opportunity for our students to be a part of a high-caliber event,” said Callison in a college press release. “The knowledge they will gain from this experience will give them an advantage over their peers and prepare them for rewarding careers in hospitality and business management, one of the world’s largest industries.”

The Culinary Arts certificate program at Renton Technical College is an accredited program with the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation designed to train students to function successfully in the hospitality industry.