Shawnee Mission Student and Graduate are National Culinary Arts Champions

SMSD SkillsUSA Champions
Shawnee Mission School District

This year’s SkillsUSA high school and college culinary arts national champions have something in common: They both trained at the Broadmoor Bistro in the Shawnee Mission School District.

Reis Miller, a Shawnee Mission Northwest junior and Culinary Arts Signature Program student, won the SkillsUSA National High School Culinary Arts Championship. Miller was eligible for national competition following his first-place finish at the state competition in May.

Nora Engelken, 2017 Shawnee Mission East graduate and culinary arts student, won the National College Culinary Arts Championship. Engelken was a Shawnee Mission School District culinary arts student beginning in 2015. Following graduation, Engelken attended the Culinary Art Institute (CIA) in New York and graduated in 2019.

“All the chefs at Broadmoor helped me at the beginning and taught me everything I know about this profession,” Engelken said. “There’s not another program for high school students like this and it gave me a jump start at the CIA.”

Chef Justin Hoffman, culinary arts and hospitality instructor for the Signature Program taught both Miller and Engelken.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work and commitment of both of these students,” Hoffman said. “Their dedication to their craft and their incredible accomplishment will positively impact their future career and success.”

The national competition was hosted by SkillsUSA in Louisville in June. SkillsUSA offers programs, events, and competitions that support Career and Technical Education.