MGM in Law Vegas Hosts PCC Culinary Students

CIRCUS CIRCUS LAS VEGAS – A college group from a quaint town in Colorado got to experience the fast-paced food and beverage operations under the Big Top.

Students, staff and volunteers from Pueblo Community College in Pueblo, Colo. recently visited Circus Circus Las Vegas for a tour as part of the school’s Hospitality Studies and Culinary Arts program. The group of nine students, three staff and a volunteer got an extensive behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel’s restaurants, banquet & catering departments, bakery, main kitchen, receiving dock and employee dining room. Leading the tours was longtime Circus Circus Executive Chef Bob O’Brien.

“It was as simple as a student calling us with an interest in seeing a large food and beverage operation at work and we said we’d love to,” Chef O’Brien said. “We love to give back. With this being culinary students, it’s that much more fun.” 

The day started in the buffet with words of wisdom and advice from three special guests: Circus Circus General Manager Eric Fitzgerald; Vice President of Food and Beverage Bill Miller; and Learning and Development Manager Malia Atta.

“What a way to start our day! It was so generous of these important people coming to share with our groups,” said Carol Himes, department chair of the college’s Hospitality Studies and Culinary Arts program. “Ms. Atta shared one of the best messages about achieving excellence through consistent and respectful communication within your team.

Ms. Himes, an instructor for more than 30 years with the culinary program, gives credit to her students for planning the contents of the trip; Ramona Torrez was the student who planned the Circus Circus tour. “Ramona did an outstanding job taking the initiative to make contacts and follow up to make it a more comprehensive, back of house tour,” Ms. Himes said.

While the students were responsible for planning the trip, the entire group said that none of the experiences they have had would have been possible without their fantastic program benefactor, Mary Jane Voelker.

“It’s important to take the students out of their element once in a while, to leave Pueblo and understand what other opportunities are out there,” Ms. Voelker said. “My favorite part of being involved with the program is seeing the ‘light bulb’ moment from each student. This verifies the experience that they are getting.”

And those moments happened around every kitchen corner during the tour, as students witnessed classroom lessons applied in a large-scale, real-world operation.

“I’ve been in this industry for 18 years. When I signed up for the program, I thought I already knew everything,” student Davina Herrera said. “But between our classes, and now seeing the size and scale of a hotel operation, I see how much more I have to learn.”