ECC Welcomes Back Culinary Alumnus, Local Culinary Director for Visiting Chef Event

Elgin Community College’s (ECC) Culinary department is proud to welcome alumnus Eric Olson back for its annual Visiting Chef dinner event on Thursday, February 19. 

The four-course dinner will begin at 6 pm at ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, located at 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Illinois, in Building H, Arts Center. Earlier that day, Olson will meet with culinary students for a live demo at 9:30 am. 

Olson is the culinary director of Bourbon Belly Hospitality, where he leads the culinary vision and oversees kitchen operations for five restaurant concepts in Geneva, Glen Ellyn, and Wheaton, Illinois. His role spans menu development, operational leadership, hiring and team development, administrative management, special events, and collaboration on marketing initiatives across the company.

For the Visiting Chef Dinner, Olson will work with a team of ECC culinary students and fellow alumni chefs from the Bourbon Belly Hospitality team to create the evening’s menu. The four-course menu will feature pastrami-cured salmon, sunchoke soup, red wine braised beef cheek, and olive oil cake. 

Returning to ECC as a guest chef is especially meaningful to Olson, who said he wants to give back to the college that helped launch his culinary career. 

Olson began his professional culinary journey while attending ECC, completing an internship at Hollywood Casino Aurora, where he worked in multiplekitchens across the casino's property. He later held a line cook position at The Turf Room in North Aurora. 

Olson later relocated to Colorado, where he worked in luxury resort environments in Beaver Creek and Vail. He advanced to the role of sous chef with Vail Resorts, gaining valuable experience in high-volume, luxury hospitality and resort-driven culinary operations.

After returning to Illinois, Olson helped launch Barrel & Rye, where he was promoted to head chef. He later played key roles in opening  Burger Local, Maize & Mash, Burger Social, and Proof No. 5, before ultimately transitioning into a multi-restaurant leadership role at Bourbon Belly Hospitality.

Tickets can be purchased at this link or by calling the ECC box office at 847-622-0300.

For general questions, contact the Director of Spartan Terrace, Jenn Loiacano, at 847-214-7822 or spartanterrace@elgin.edu.