Prairie Restaurant at Brae Loch
Improving the world, one meal at a time
A recipe for new chefs
In a twist on tradition, budding chefs in Lake County will train in the entirely reimagined and remodeled Brae Loch restaurant. Prairie at Brae Loch is both a new restaurant at a popular public golf course and a state-of-the-art learning lab for students in the Hospitality and Culinary Management (HCM) program at the College of Lake County.
Both strands of the facility’s DNA come together to create something new and exciting for the Grayslake area:
- casual lunch service, managed by students in the kitchen and dining area, under the supervision of experienced faculty
- upscale casual dinner service, managed by experienced professionals, staffed in part by advanced HCM students
- an outstanding capstone learning experience for advanced HCM students
- ultramodern kitchens for all levels of culinary and baking classes
- revitalization of a local community venue
Students learn all aspects of running this off-campus restaurant, including:
- working with national and local vendors to stock and equip the kitchen
- finding locally grown sources, including the Horticulture Program at the College of Lake County
- managing front-of-house seating and flow
- adapting to customer patterns and requests
Train for your professional best
The hospitality industry needs aspiring chefs, pastry chefs and restaurant managers who understand both the theory and the practice of their craft. Learn both in the HCM program at the College of Lake County.
Test yourself in professional kitchens that are both classrooms and back-of-house for Prairie at Brae Loch. When the restaurant is not serving, the kitchens are laboratories and teaching spaces. Faculty offices are on-site, so your advisors and mentors are nearby.
As you progress through your program, you have the chance to gain more and more professional experience. You work with the public and collaborate with local, regional and national suppliers to stock the food, beverage and equipment used at Prairie.
Prairie at Brae Loch will polish your skills and prove your vision in day-to-day operations. You graduate ready to make your mark.
Learn more about the Hospitality and Culinary Management Program.
A community table
After a soft launch in late 2023, Prairie at Brae Loch will open to the public in early 2024, with lunch and dinner served several days a week. In addition to training people for careers in local businesses, this venture will grow and adapt over the seasons to come. On the drawing board are these possibilities:
- catering for special events and banquets
- partnerships with local arts and community organizations
- food truck for off-site food service, expanded kitchen space for major events or a mid-course lunch spot during golfing season
- community and continuing education events in our teaching kitchens
Have lunch or dinner with us soon and help us re-invent dining at Brae Loch.