Mitchell Technical College Culinary Arts student Jake Toben of Sioux Falls has been selected as one of twenty students nationwide to receive the $20,000 US Foods Scholars Award, a highly competitive national scholarship recognizing promising students pursuing careers in the culinary industry.
Established by US Foods, the scholarship program aims to inspire the next generation of culinary professionals while helping address the growing workforce shortage in the foodservice industry. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, leadership, work experience, community involvement, recommendations, and their commitment to a career in the culinary field.
For Toben, the scholarship is both a tremendous honor and a life-changing opportunity.
“This scholarship proves to me that I have what it takes when I put my mind to work and that I can achieve my goals in life,” Toben said. “This scholarship demonstrates my work is hard earned and that others think so too.”
The award will significantly reduce the financial burden of pursuing his education, allowing him to focus on developing his culinary skills and preparing for his future career.
“My parents have been funding my education, and this scholarship will take care of tuition and more,” Toben said. “I’m excited that I was offered such an award and can’t wait to see what opportunities it brings. The scholarship makes my life significantly more stress free.”
Toben credits Mitchell Tech’s supportive learning environment and experienced instructors with helping him grow both personally and professionally.
“At Mitchell Tech, it is very easy to meet new people and get to know them,” he said. “My culinary instructors make learning new techniques and executing dishes enjoyable. They really create a life in cooking and learning new things.”
One of his favorite learning experiences has been Banquet Quantity Food Production, where students prepare a wide variety of dishes while gaining valuable hands-on experience and creative freedom in the kitchen.
After graduating in May 2027, Toben plans to continue refining his culinary skills in a professional restaurant before ultimately achieving his dream of owning a Filipino-American food truck that shares his culture through food.
