El Centro College - Alumni Profiles

Marc Cassel
Alumnus, Food and Hospitality

Residents in Dallas and Atlanta have pleased their palates and cut their teeth on culinary creations by Marc Cassel. And he learned the art at El Centro College.

"The program at El Centro helped me develop a stronger work ethic and apply what I learned." Executive sous-chef at Stephan Pyles Restaurant in Dallas, Cassel read an article in 1988 about the chef’s apprenticeship program at El Centro. He worked in the industry as he took classes at ECC, learning that the college provided an affordable educational option. “I always had wanted to be a chef. Like a lot of other enthusiastic ‘retreads,’ I was looking for a new career; the program at El Centro financially was within my means (compared to the debt of attending a private chef’s school) and allowed me to do this job.”

Cassel graduated from the El Centro chef’s apprenticeship program in 1991 and went into business. He adds, “I like the creativity of the profession. Working with young people keeps me young, and I can teach others who are interested, too. The program at El Centro helped me develop a stronger work ethic and apply what I learned. ECC is a good deal, and today I have a good position.”

Cassel took his skills and creativity to the Dallas Country Club, Baby Routh, the Mansion on Turtle Creek and then Azalea in Atlanta. He decided to return to Dallas as an executive chef, first at Star Canyon, then at The Green Room, next at Hotel ZaZa’s Dragonfly restaurant and now at Stephan Pyles Restaurant.

For Marc Cassel, a creative career “all began here” at a Dallas County Community College!