As Executive Chef, Shane develops menus, manages a large team of cooks and ensures all recipes are prepared to the highest standards, despite the challenges of planning, organizing and executing meal events for thousands of guests.

Shane says his approach to menu development starts with sustainability. With the size of events he plans, he needs to know that products are going to be reliably available in the quantity he needs. That means choosing wisely while planning and shopping for his menus.

“I like to shop locally whenever possible and support local companies and producers. It’s important to look out for each other in the food and hospitality communities,” he says.

Shane’s first role with Kelber Catering was in the shipping and receiving department. That’s where he fell in love with the details, the pace, the excitement and the amazing sense of accomplishment of being part of a major catering organization.

He recalls being awed by the sheer quantities of food for an event: pallets of produce, thousands of pounds of meats, gallons of salad dressings, kegs of beer and more. That awe continued as he watched the staff transform those basic ingredients into remarkable meals. “I loved being part of it,” he says. And he wanted more.

That’s when Kelber sent him to culinary school. After graduation, Shane learned the ins and outs of every department of the kitchen, as well as all of Kelber’s operations at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

One of Shane’s favorite chefs is Minneapolis-based Andrew Zimmern, and loves this quote from him: “If it looks good, eat it.”

“I am such a believer in trying new things,” Shane says. “There’s nothing more exciting to me than sitting down at a new restaurant that offers a chef’s tasting menu and seeing all their new creations. At Kelber, I always try to deliver trend-setting foods that are new and interesting but also familiar to our clients.”