Meet Chef Rich

Born and raised in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Rich’s interest in the foodservice industry began at a young age. When he was 12, he began working in his family’s restaurant in all areas of the business. After high school, he further pursued his interest as he achieved a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin – Stout. He continued working in the family business after college until he was hired at the four diamond Los Abrigados Resort and Spa as a restaurant manager, and later moved into the role of Manager of Food Services overseeing the food and beverage operations at the resort. After realizing Arizona would never be home, Rich returned to his family’s restaurant in Sheboygan.

In January of 2000, Rich broadened his knowledge of the foodservice industry by accepting a job in sales with The Vollrath Company. In his time here, Rich has become proficient in Vollrath products by working in a variety of departments. He’s done everything from making product in the shop, answering phones in customer service, to putting orders together for shipment in the distribution center, and even working in marketing and product development. After running a sales territory in Upstate New York for six months, Rich still felt confident that Sheboygan was where he belonged. Upon returning home, he became the service manager and later moved into product management. Meanwhile, Rich never left his family’s restaurant, continuing to cook on a weekly basis.

In 2010, the company built Vollrath University and decided that a Corporate Product Trainer was needed. With his broad experience at Vollrath, combined with his culinary skills, no one fit the bill better than Chef Rich. His passion for the foodservice industry is obvious in every training session he gives, and when Rich can’t be found teaching people about Vollrath products – you can find him still helping out at his family’s restaurant in Sheboygan.