by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)
Thomas Wenrich fell in love with food at age 15 while working in a small restaurant in his hometown of Hebron, Conn. As a teenager, he was hooked immediately. His family owned and operated an automotive parts store in Hebron, but Wenrich said he had no interest in working in that business.
“I love hospitality and the service of feeding people, the teamwork in the kitchen and the grunt and grind of taking these raw ingredients and turning them into a beautiful experience for someone. I fell in love with that process and knew that was what I wanted to do,” Wenrich said.
He worked in restaurants in the Northeast throughout high school and then attended Johnson & Wales Culinary School in Rhode Island. Over the next few years, he worked in restaurants and hotels in Providence. In 2008, Wenrich graduated with a bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition, arts and chef training from Johnson & Wales. His first trip to Springdale was in 2009 for an intern position at the Discovery Center, where the company develops products for its customers. From that experience, he accepted a job as a chef with Newlywed Foods, a Tyson Foods supplier. Based in Springdale, he worked occasionally with the company’s culinary team.
