Feeding a Dream

West senior will attend prestigious culinary school

By Caitlin Marsch, Current Staff

For West Bend West High School senior Maddy Coultas, a passion for the culinary arts led to being accepted into her dream college. 

Coultas recently was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America, or CIA, located in Napa Valley, Calif. She says she wanted to attend because it is one of the top culinary schools in the country. She also loved the campus. Coultas knew she wanted to attend the school about six months ago, when she started thinking about her goals for the future.

“Everyone’s always like, ‘You wanna be the best of the best, you gotta go learn the best,’” Coultas said. 

Maddy’s culinary aspirations started when she was 14, when she started working as a line cook at the Norbert, a restaurant in West Bend. While she’s at school, she works in the Nifty Nibble, the school’s restaurant.

“One of my favorite things is to make something and watch it go out into the dining room,” Coultas said. “And watch the smile cross people’s faces as they enjoy their food that I made.”

Culinary and Hospitality instructor Sally Heuer talked about Maddy’s involvement in the Nifty Nibble.

“Maddy is extremely talented in the kitchen,” Heuer said. “She has really taken a leadership position in the Nifty Nibble this year, which is great to see.”

Coultas has also competed as a member of the WBHS ProStart Culinary Competition team. This team competes at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo every March.

“In order to be a part of the team, one must try out and be accepted,” Heuer said. “They then have quite a few requirements that must be met.”

One of Coultas’ plans after she graduates from the CIA is to come back to West Bend and open her own restaurant.

“(I want to) change the idea of what ‘food’ and ‘restaurant’ can be, and add something interesting,” Coultas said.

Heuer said she is extremely proud of Coultas for her acceptance.

“She set her sights on a goal and took the measures needed to reach that goal,” Heuer said. “Passion and drive are two areas that can’t be taught. Maddy has both!”

(Top image: Maddy Coultas poses with her acceptance materials. Photo courtesy of Coultas.)