Gunnison High School culinary arts students get a taste of smokehouse cooking

Students receive hands-on training from the Three Rivers Smokehouse team in Almont
Three Rivers Smokehouse, located at Three Rivers Resort in Almont, recently had the
pleasure of welcoming students from the Gunnison High School Pathways Center
Culinary Arts Program for a behind-the-scenes look at the art of smoking meats—and
the opportunity to prepare a batch of the Smokehouse’s famously delicious smoked
wings.
Led by Three Rivers Smokehouse Restaurant Manager Chef Jon Coady and
Smoker Pit Boss Jeff Pickar, the students experienced each step of the process,
beginning with the fundamentals of kitchen safety and hygiene. They toured the
restaurant’s working kitchen and smoker before rolling up their sleeves for the fun part:
learning how smoked wings are made from start to finish.
The students began by mixing the spices for the signature rub and coating the wings

before carefully arranging them inside the smoker. Along the way, Chef Jon and Jeff
explained the importance of choosing the right wood—applewood, of course—and how
temperature and timing work together to create flavorful, tender meat.
Perfectly smoked meat is all about controlling the temperature, understanding the timing
and preserving moisture so the finished product remains tender and
never dries out. These are skills that come with knowledge, patience and plenty of
hands-on experience.
Once the smoking process was complete, the students moved to the fryer and took
turns frying several batches of wings. Pit Boss Jeff guided them through the process,
teaching them how to safely fry and reheat the wings to an internal temperature of 140
degrees before finishing each batch by tossing the crispy wings in one of the
Smokehouse’s signature flavors.
The best part of the day came when each student placed a wing order and sat down to
enjoy the results of the class—because every good culinary lesson should end with
something delicious!

Three Rivers Smokehouse shared its kitchen, knowledge and passion for great
barbecue with the next generation of culinary professionals. Experiences like this give
students an opportunity to take what they are learning in the classroom and connect it
with the fast-paced, creative and rewarding environment of a working restaurant.
A special thank-you goes to Britta Hubbard, Culinary Arts Educator, Pathways Center
for helping make today’s Smokehouse field trip possible.

Students from the Gunnison High School Pathways Center Culinary Arts Program
visited the Three Rivers Smokehouse at the Three Rivers Resort in Almont, for hands-
on education. (Courtesy photo)