Jones is an outstanding student who came to Wabash to prepare for law school. But he found his interest waning in the law and discovered a hunger to do something different.

“I probably will end up going to the Culinary Institute of America, the most prestigious cooking school in the country,” he said. The Institute flew him to Hyde Park, N.Y., for a visit where his dream started to take flight.

The senior’s junior year was where things really changed. “When I got here I didn’t hate food but I didn’t have the passion for it I do now,” he explained. “Then over my time here, getting involved in the Cooking Club, studying abroad in Italy, the popularity of food in the national media like Food Network, it’s something that has grown in me.”

He studied in Umbria, Italy, during that fall and traveled much of Europe. But a professor provided Brad and several other students the chance to do a one-day cooking class with a professional chef. “He really took a liking to me,” Jones explained. “His food was very unique for Italian cooking. They tend to stick to recipes and do the same things they’ve been doing for 100-200 years. But he did unique things with food and innovative plating. It really opened my eyes to cooking pasta fresh and a lot of really great tastes and flavors together.”

Jones could return to work with the Italian Chef during an externship which occurs during the 18-month culinary school program.

He assumed the presidency of the Cooking Club when he returned to campus. He started looking for summer internships in a law office. But he had a bit of an epiphany while applying to various firms.

“I didn’t have the motivation to fill out the applications and didn’t want to do that job; I knew I needed to look elsewhere,” Jones said.

So he started looking for a summer job and ended up working for campus catering services, Bon Appetit.

“I love training people interested in heading down this career path and I could tell that Brad was going to be a great addition to the Bon Appétit team,” Chef Jordan Hall said.  “He is a very passionate individual when it comes to his interest in food and it is that passion that has made him a refreshing asset.  We constantly talk about new food trends, restaurants, chefs and cookbooks. “

The experience was eye opening in many ways for the budding Chef. “My first weekend was Big Bash weekend,” Jones recalled. “I come in and there are 30 people in that kitchen. We’re all fighting for space. But I come back the next week and it’s was just me and Chef Jordan. It’s really nice to be able to work with someone like that who knows what they’re doing. I was able to ask him where he’s worked, what he’s done and he shared advice.”

The combination of the Italian experience and cooking at Wabash has led him to think the Culinary Institute is the right choice. “They really wanted me there,” he said. “There aren’t too many people they pay to fly out there. It makes you feel good about it.”

Jones feels like he’s found his passion but is still unsure where it will take him. “Family is very important to me and I don’t know if working 15-20 hours a day fits into a family play for me,” he said. “But I want to do something with food. I don’t know if I want to be a head chef, or own a restaurant or write about food.

“I’d like to be a chef but I don’t know how that fits the life I want.”

He admits few culinary students come from liberal arts colleges but he would never have found his path to his passion without Wabash.

“I would not even have thought about being a chef it was not for this place,” Jones said. “If it had not been for my involvement in the club and the kinds of opportunity to take leadership roles around here which make you understand anything is possible, I’d have been a lawyer.”

Instead, it will be food. He likes the idea of Italian food and definitely wants to be part of something sustainable, organic, local and seasonal. He’s even thought of opening restaurants that do hot wings and barbeque.

He’s unsure about his future, but thanks Wabash for helping him find the path he wants to pursue.

“I was able to discover my passion here and know that I have the courage and confidence to go get it. I don’t have to go down just one path; I can do what’s best for me. It’s what Wabash gives you while you’re here, that you’re able to do something like this.”