Jonathan Ricks

Details

Chef Manager, Sodexo, HSBC
Sioux Falls, SD
Age: 28
Education: Culinary degree from Mitchell Technical Culinary Institute in South Dakota
Years at organization:

Why Selected?

[Editor’s note: Ricks was nominated by John Gilbertson, certified executive chef, at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls, S.D. After four years at the hospital as quality leader, Ricks went to HSBC in April.]

Gilbertson says: While Jonathan’s personality enables him to bounce back from daily challenges very quickly, he always does so in a manner that encourages others to join the cause and improve our patients’ or guests’ services. While he retains and shares technical knowledge quite well, he is naturally curious and understands that each day is a learning opportunity.

Get to know

Q. What has been your proudest accomplishment?

Getting second place at the Taste of Elegance pork competition. It’s probably the hardest competition in the state. I’ve competed in the past and never ranked. It establishes you as a good chef.

Q. What's the best career advice you've been given?

To use your talent. John Gilbertson really helped me see my management potential. He said not to limit yourself and go where your heart is. He always said, [it makes me happy] when my chefs go and become head chefs somewhere else.

Q. What's been the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?

Age. I’ve been turned down on a lot of jobs. They say I’m not experienced enough and I find that kind of ridiculous because being young doesn’t mean you’re inexperienced.

Q. What's been your most rewarding moment?

My last day at Sanford when my boss and I talked. He let me know how proud he was of me and that really hit me. It was very rewarding to know that I met his expectations. He was a big influence on my life.

Q. What would you like to accomplish in your career in the next two years?

I just accomplished my goal; I got my own unit. I’d like to get more involved with education. I want to help the younger generation get developed.

Q. What's been your funniest on-the-job disaster?

I had been here maybe four days and I wanted to show the two ladies working for me that I’m a working chef, not an office chef. I decided to change the fryer. The grease trap had been sitting outside and it had water in the bottom. I didn’t realize it, so when I dropped in the hot grease, it hit the water and blew up out of the pan. I had grease all over the floor. I was trying to show off to these ladies that I was going to work hard and then that happened.

Q. What can you look back at now and laugh at?

Some of the adolescent things that I did when I was 16 years old. I would call in just because I didn’t want to show up at work. I deal with that now. “Really, you’re calling in because your left toe hurts?” But I did the same thing.