LCI Alumni Spotlight: George Kraus IV

You don’t know what you don’t know. In spite of years of experience, and a drive to succeed; this mantra spoke volumes toGeorge Kraus IV both before and after enrolling at Louisiana CulinaryInstitute. The road that led to Kraus becoming the Executive Chef of Doe’s Eat Place in Baton Rouge began after working for years in bars and kitchens where he eventually found himself as, “the guy in charge”.

While culinary school wasn’t on his radar for some time, he realized that earning a degree in advanced culinary arts would be the perfect way to prove his knowledge. When it came time to choose a culinary school, LCI was a simple choice for this Louisiana native. Although others were briefly considered, they would have required Kraus to be away from home and work for too long. The proximity of LCI along with the ability to continue working while completing his degree made Louisiana Culinary Institute a simple choice.

With over a decade of experience in the culinary industry, Kraus came in with extensive skills and knowledge. However, this base did not prevent him from learning each and every day. During his time at LCI the charcuterie and ethnic food classes were among the most rewarding; teaching him new ways to expand flavor pallets, one of Kraus’ passions. Networking within culinary school is one of the things that makes this experience so valuable. This was especially true for Kraus as he forged friendships with the instructors, who are still a resource to this day.

The opportunity to learn and discover what you don’t know is one that shouldn’t be ignored. “If you’re thinking about it, do it. You may have worked in kitchens before, but you will learn something new. There is always something you don’t know,” says Kraus to anyone considering enrolling in culinary school. For current students it’s important to listen, you will learn a lot. “Even when you get out, there will still be things you don’t know; but LCI gives you the ability to understand what someone needs.”

After being in the business for over 10 years, you can still find Krause in the kitchen, every day, playing. “You have to have fun. It’s a thankless job with long, stressful hours. If you can’t have fun, you aren’t meant to do it.”