Alumni Spotlight: Q & A with Becky Cambridge and Kate Lulloff

Monday, March 7, 2022 | By: Daley-Hinkens, Carmelyn M

Becky Cambridge and Kate Lulloff are Foodservice Key Account Sales Managers and Corporate Chefs at Jones Dairy Farm. Although they didn’t know each other prior to starting at Jones Dairy Farm, they quickly learned they have a strong bond: both are graduates of FVTC’s Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management programs.

What Is a Corporate Chef?

Becky: At Jones Dairy Farm, a premium breakfast meat manufacturer, I use my culinary background to assist in foodservice sales opportunities, product innovation and recipe development.  As a Wisconsin-born chef, I could not be happier working to promote a family-owned Wisconsin company.

Kate: It really is the best of both worlds. We have the opportunity to work with large accounts to develop custom food items for them and we see the project through from concept to completion. I’ve also been fortunate to do video segments to educate people about the attributes of Jones Dairy Farm products. It’s been a great creative outlet for me.

What first brought you to FVTC?

Becky: I participated in the Youth Options Program, which allowed me to enroll in Culinary Arts classes at FVTC while in high school. After graduation, I enrolled full time to finish what I started and add the Hospitality Management degree. My mentors also advised me on how I could continue my education at UW-Stout where I eventually received my bachelor’s degree.

Kate: I’ve worked in the Hospitality industry since I was 14, both front and back of the house. My life path took me in a different direction and I owned a trucking company for 10 years while raising my children. But my passion for food was always there and in 2013, I decided to obtain my degree in Culinary Arts and chose to attend FVTC. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.

What training did you receive at FVTC that’s so valuable at your workplace?

Becky: Leadership skills. I had great leaders in the kitchen and the classrooms. Their mentorship and ability to lead by example was eye-opening for me. The instructors saw potential in me and continued to mold me to become better both as a chef, and as a young leader coming up in the industry.

What did you enjoy most at FVTC?

Kate: FVTC’s Cultural Cuisine event will always be at the top of the list. I was fortunate to be chosen as general manager for the 2015 event. While challenging, it was extremely rewarding to see the preparation and teamwork that goes into making an event like that a success. There were many fun memories, but I think my age lent itself to being perceived as the “kitchen mom” to some of the younger students, which was fun. I still keep in touch with many of them today.

Did the two of you know each other at FVTC?

Kate: Complete coincidence! We were in school 12 years apart and didn’t meet until Jones brought us together. It’s very beneficial to have someone to work with day to day, who shares your vision and values, and understands your thought process. I am very grateful to work for a family owned, Wisconsin based company that values its employees and treats them like family. I am equally grateful that Becky and I ended up working for the same company. I not only have a job that I love, but found a great friend in the process.

Becky: It was a crazy coincidence but I’m thrilled to be working side by side with someone who has been in my shoes and walked the same halls that I have walked. Although the school on our resumes is the same, our experiences thereafter were quite different. That’s allowed both of us the opportunity to bring a unique set of skills to the Jones Dairy Farm family and the corporate chef position.