Former Schoolcraft College Culinary Instructor Establishes $20,000 Scholarship

Leopold Schaeli, one of the first master chefs in the United States and a retired Schoolcraft College Culinary instructor, has donated $20,000 to the Schoolcraft College Foundation to fund a scholarship in his name for Culinary Arts students.

The Chef Leopold Schaeli Scholarship will provide five deserving Culinary Arts students with $1,500 each to be used for tuition over a two-year period beginning the Fall, 2015 term at Schoolcraft College. The scholarship requires students to be enrolled in the program fulltime during both the Fall and Winter semesters in one of the Culinary Core Curriculums.

According to Chef Chris Misiak, an instructor in the Culinary Arts program, the scholarship really mirrors the importance Chef Leopold Schaeli places on learning culinary skills at a young age.

“When he was young, Chef Leopold was in an apprentice culinary program in Switzerland during World War II, and that started him on a career path that led him to be a chef in Istanbul, New York and he was also in the second graduating class for master chefs in the U.S.,” Misiak said.

“Ultimately he came to the Detroit area and was the chef at the popular Machus Red Fox restaurant and also taught here at Schoolcraft,” Misiak added. “But he always looks back at the great experience he gained when he was in the apprentice program, and he wants this scholarship to provide the opportunity for young, talented local students to gain a similar experience here at Schoolcraft College.”

Chef Misiak said that the Culinary Arts Department is placing a lot of emphasis on high school students who have been involved in cooking competitions like the Michigan Prostart Competition when determining which applicants qualify for this scholarship.

“We have so many talented young people in the area involved in culinary, and we hope this scholarship will help continue our tradition of supporting the local community and bringing many of these area students to Schoolcraft to continue their education in Culinary Arts,” Misiak concluded.