Executive Chef Chad Vander Ploegs of the Iowa Events Center shares his experiences of participating in the first and second annual Spectra Culinary Innovation Summits.
CHAD VANDER PLOEG
Executive Chef
Chef Vander Ploeg oversees all food production for the Iowa Events Center’s widely varying schedule, from huge banquet setups for galas to private backstage catering for concerts.
Vander Ploeg grew up in Indianola, IA and entered into the culinary arts and management degree program at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. He traveled around the country working for restaurants before discovering his passion for working for larger facilities, like the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, and Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.