JWU Students Create Eastern-Inspired Cuisine in the Wild West

Carly McCrumb ’24 A.A. in Culinary Arts, '25 B.S. in Culinary Nutrition, and Sophia Tingle ’24, A.A. in Baking & Pastry Arts, didn’t meet on campus at Johnson & Wales University due to their different programs and ages. But after working and living together in one of the remotest corners of the U.S. and getting to create a successful five-course meal, the two are now good friends.

What It’s Like Interning in Big Sky Country

Carly and Sophia met representatives from Averill Hospitality, a family-run resort and hotel management company in Montana, at JWU career fairs. When both decided to do an internship this spring, they were attracted to the outdoorsy environment that Montana promised.

“It was a bit of a culture shock, with everything being so different,” says Sophia, a native Rhode Islander, who eventually adjusted to Flathead Valley’s sights of bald eagles, elk and deer that can be fed by hand. “It’s not only the locals but how people act in kitchens that’s different.”

“That’s what you signed up for, that experience, and we definitely got that,” Carly, who grew up in Michigan, adds. “We got to go to rodeos and other Western events, and we got to ride a horse. We get to ski on a nearby mountain in the morning and work by night; it was all a really cool experience.”

In Montana, the students say, everyone knows each other. “It feels like we’ve been in a Western movie the past four months,” Carly says of the more laid-back culture. “The chivalry of the men, the cowboy boots; people are ski bums, or hippies, and they’re all just living life.”

Immersion in an All-Day Kitchen

The Lodge at Whitefish Lake offers multiple food and drink experiences from 6am-midnight daily, including a lakefront dining room serving breakfast through dinner, a bar and lounge, and a Coffee Dock that provides smoothies, coffee, pastries and grab-and-go items.

“They have a prep team, catering, line crew and night team to cover everything, so there are endless opportunities to choose where you’d like to go,” Carly explains. “You just have to start somewhere and work your way up.”

She began by helping with breakfast, then got into sautéing and grilling, eventually trying out every position making everything from sauté to pizza to salad to dessert. “That was a great experience for the fast-paced linework and under-pressure style you expect JWU students to have,” she notes. “It’s all hands-on work with food and chefs who’ve been there a long time and know their stuff.”

Sophia chose to work in the mornings, prepping breakfast sandwiches and pastries for the Coffee Dock before moving on to making desserts for lunch and dinner. “I’d get to make occasional dessert specials, or I’d help the prep team if I was done early. I’d pitch in wherever,” she says. She also wanted to experience working at night, so she chose one night shift a week, mainly stocking the Coffee Dock.

Being the only two interns on site meant freedom to express themselves in the kitchen. “We created dessert specials; we could do whatever we wanted as long as we communicated,” Carly says. “This was exactly the experience I sought: not a Michelin fine-dining experience but getting your foot in the door and understanding how the kitchen works. In reality, kitchens are hard work with long hours. But other places wouldn’t give you the voice we were able to speak; we created dinner specials they would actually put on the line.”

She adds some advice: “The Lodge at Whitefish Lake offers something for everyone, but you have to take the initiative and tell them what you want to do.”

Applying JWU Skills to a Culinary Internship

“JWU taught me time management, and I applied that a lot at the Lodge,” Sophia says. “I had to get a certain number of tasks done before the night crew came in. And I applied social skills, because you have to use your kitchen voice in the industry. You have to get out of your comfort zone and voice your opinions and thoughts and concerns.”

She also leaned on her culinary foundations skills when she created dessert specials. “I did a chocolate truffle special for Valentine’s Day, so I knew how to temper and work with chocolate from JWU’s lab,” adds Sophia.

Carly credits JWU for her knife skills. “They were impressed with my level of understanding how to process vegetables and meats,” she said. “Plus, JWU taught me to be prepared. The strict rules of uniform and enforcing always having a pen, Sharpie and thermometer on you — that helped a lot when I was in charge of my own dishes. JWU teaches you to always professional, and not every culinary school really preaches that.”

Discovering a JWU Connection in Montana

Carly and Sophia soon discovered that the Lodge’s beverage team included a JWU alum. “He made us a welcome cocktail from one alum to the next,” Carly explains. “That was really sweet. There was definitely some school spirit there!”

That alum was Zachary Ralph ’08, who holds an A.S. in Hotel Management with a concentration in Beverage and a B.S. in Travel & Tourism. Originally a Delaware native, Zachary worked and traveled up and down the East Coast after graduating from JWU, mainly working in Miami Beach with international and domestic hospitality brands, before returning to his home state for another stint with the restaurant group he started with. Next he moved out to Portland, Oregon in 2018 with his fiancée, taking a position as director of food and beverage for the KEX Hotel. There, Zachary enjoyed working alongside famous bartender and author Jeffrey Morgenthaler at Pacific Standard. But he and his partner desired to be closer to the mountains — and they ended up in Montana.

“We moved to Whitefish for all that the area’s geography has to offer, and I was happy to find an up-and-coming food and beverage scene,” shares Zachary. “So far, I am happy managing and executing a craft-oriented bar program at the Boat Club, and I look forward to providing the impetus for others to level up the experience for our guests.”

Oh, and what was that welcome cocktail the certified sommelier made for Carly and Sophia?

“That was a fun hybrid,” he reports. “Aperitif meets Spritz that combined citrus, fresh herb, bitter elements and palate-cleansing bubbles to stir the appetite.”

Executing an Event Menu

Carly and Sophia’s proudest moment was planning and executing a Rising Star Chef Series dinner at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake’s Boat Club Dining Room. The students wanted to fuse Asian flavors with Italian techniques. “The area is a food desert for different cuisines, and we wanted to make Asian food accessible to patrons,” Carly explains. “The managers knew a lot about Asian cuisine and I knew European techniques, so it was a perfect fit to create something ‘MediterrAsian.’”

The pair collaborated well; while Sophia handled the elements such as dessert and bread, Carly applied her background in catering to plotting a 5-course menu. “I’ve always helped plate meals, and it was amazing to put my mind on a plate this time,” she says. “A lot of places wouldn’t have let an intern do that. They were literally calling me ‘Chef’ in the kitchen."

Carly planned the cuisine (mini bao buns containing candied pork belly, pickled vegetable, cilantro and fresno chili; yuzu endive salad consisting of baby endive, miner’s lettuce, poached pear, crushed hazelnuts and yuzu miso vinaigrette; mushroom ravioli dumpling with soy mushroom duxelles and edamame chili oil) and how it was plated. “Seeing your vision actually executed on the plate is a special experience,” Carly says. “It was something people hadn’t tasted before, so they were excited!”

“Being able to experience the dinner, the media, having the pressure on you which is an environment I thrive in — I am so glad they gave us the opportunity,” Sophia says.

Twenty-one diners attended the reservation-only event, which was a higher turnout than usual for a Tuesday night. The Lodge’s sommelier worked with a local producer on wine pairings, identifying the perfect complement for each course. 

Sophia worked closely with Carly, creating the intermezzo course (chiso melon granita with shaved ice, mint and candied kaffir lime leaves) as well as the dessert (purple carrot cake with ube ice cream, honey marshmallow sauce and salted caramel tuile). Carly is still praising her co-intern’s execution of the baked elements. “Sophia’s bao buns looked storebought, they were so well made!”

Both students are quick to add that the event was a team effort. “You can’t pull off a dinner like that with just two interns,” Carly notes. “It takes a big team, and it shows how much they wanted to invest in us and how much they appreciated our time.”

The Lodge proudly posted a reel of Carly and Sophia’s Rising Star Chef Series dinner on Instagram: 

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A post shared by Lodge at Whitefish Lake (@lodgeatwhitefishlake)

Internship Guidance at the Lodge

Carly and Sophia say they couldn’t have had the internship they had without Executive Sous Chef Mike Tipton and Executive Chef Johnny Morrision, who both made sure their experience was what they wanted.

“They are both great chefs but really good people, too,” says Sophia. “Tipton was always there for us in the kitchen at all times, providing feedback and helping out.”

Adds Carly: “There’s so much you learn in an internship, so it’s great that JWU has you do that. You just can’t duplicate some things in a lab setting.”

She notes the importance of getting along with people, now that she’s worked many shifts as the only woman in a kitchen full of 30+ men. “It takes a specific type of person to thrive in this environment; it’s not for everyone,” Carly reveals. “But even though the managers know you won’t stay, they’re here to build your experience and build you as a person and as a chef. They help you become better because they know you’re off to bigger and better things.”

Employers and Colleagues React to JWU's Interns

Boat Club Executive Chef Johnny Morrision spent a lot of time in the kitchen with the JWU students. "Both were a pleasure to work with; both were very passionate and eager to learn, use and show their skills," he reports. "They fit right in with the team. Carly was very outgoing and outspoken, Sophia a bit more reserved. I instructed Sophia to find her kitchen voice and to be confident in her value and worth with what she brings to the team. Overall, they were fantastic and we miss them."

"It was such a pleasure to have Carly and Sophia intern with us," adds Culinary Director for Averill Hospitality Nathan Kulchak. 

"Carly and Sophia were amazing, and their dinner was phenomenal," states Averill Hospitality's Corporate Director of Food & Beverage Bryan LaFontaine. "It is great to see that our industry is in great hands moving forward."

What’s Next for Sophia and Carly

At 19 years old, Sophia has a lot of options ahead of her. In April, she was wrapping up a thoroughly enjoyable internship at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake and was hoping to work at a bakery — preferably one at a hotel — over the summer. In early June she had an update: “I just accepted a job in Aspen, Colorado. I will be starting the position in early August at a five-star hotel called The Little Nell. I am beyond excited for the opportunity and cannot wait to delve into pastry again!”

Carly, meanwhile, will play her last year of soccer for JWU this fall. “I plan to do another internship again next spring to finish my culinary nutrition degree, so the fall will be more athletic-based,” she explains. “I have a big interest in athletics and nutrition and health, so I’m diving more into that. My goal is to work for a pro sports team at my next internship and eventually go private, being the best chef I can be for clients with an interest in healthy cooking.” She is also considering getting a master’s degree in dietetics and starting her own private practice, and she hopes for an experience cooking in either Spain or Italy after graduating from JWU next year.

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