The future of food is in the hands of this chef and educator
For some chefs, success means big awards and TV appearances. For others, like Josh Wickham, it is about the legacy they leave the next generation.
The Columbus, Ohio chef’s love for the industry is harnessed by training and encouraging the next generation of foodservice professionals.
Wickham is Senior Director of the Columbus State School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts in Columbus, Ohio, where he oversees culinary and hospitality programs and runs the school’s on-site restaurant and café.
Columbus State also happens to be Wickham’s alma mater, where he earned his degree over 20 years ago.
Wickham discovered his “true passion” for cooking at age 14, when he began working as a busser and dishwasher at a local restaurant. A culinary program was the next logical step after finishing high school.
After graduating, he spent much of his career in fine dining and private clubs throughout Ohio before returning to Columbus State as an instructor, passing on his wisdom and experiences with students training for careers in dining and hospitality.
“It’s a constant inflow of new, excited people, and that's what I love about being in education,” he says. “Every semester we get a new batch of people that are pumped up and fired up to learn about cooking, to learn about serving, and to learn about hospitality.”
One of Wickham’s favorite parts of teaching is watching his students gain new skills. That includes standards like using a knife, food safety and plating.
But he hopes they’ll leave Columbus State with more, like a deep appreciation for food and a strong work ethic.
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“Even if those students don't ultimately end up in a professional kitchen, they leave with life skills that will pay for the rest of their lives, not only for themselves, but for their families as well,” he says.
“Even if those students don't ultimately end up in a professional kitchen, they leave with life skills that will pay for the rest of their lives, not only for themselves, but for their families as well,” he says.
One thing he hopes to model for his students is leading with grace and compassion – a change from the competitive, hierarchical industry he entered over 20 years ago. Today, the focus is on investing in the individual.
“We develop them professionally, we listen to them personally, and we really try to elevate them,” Wickham says. “That's why we're here.”
Wickham knows firsthand the difference a dedicated mentor can make for a young chef.
As a student, he was coached through a particularly challenging period by Chef James Taylor, the former department chair for hospitality. “He was there to make sure that I was going to be successful,” Wickham says.
Years later, it was Taylor who first approached Wickham for an adjunct position at the school, then a full-time job. Together, they grew the culinary program for two years, and when Taylor retired, Wickham took over his role, bringing their relationship full circle.
“Start to finish, that man got me through, so I owe a lot to him,” he says. “I will always be grateful for him, and if I can be half of that for one student in here, then I've done my job.”
Teaching may not have been the original plan for Wickham, but there’s so much that connects education and food – from his passion for creating amazing experiences to his joy in serving others – it’s not hard to see why he’s built his career on it.
“I like to get people excited about cooking and excited about hospitality,” he says. “But most importantly just teaching them how to make people feel special, because really, that's what hospitality is all about.”
