Alumni Success
Meet ETSU Student (and A-B Tech Grad) Allen Archer
April 11, 2022 After working several years in the field of aerospace quality, Allen Archer decided to take the knowledge he’d learned on the job and combine it with his interest in various areas of health care to pursue a career in medicine.
Brandon Priester Shares Experiences Of Education, Equity At Mlk Prayer Gathering
February 7, 2022 Asheville, N.C. — At the age of 16, Brandon Priester was expelled from school for the second time. While attending high school in Black Mountain, Priester got into trouble with the law and was told repeatedly he wasn't going to find a job or have a future.
HCLT AmeriCorp Volunteer Lends Helping Hand In Community
January 20, 2022 Asheville native and Western Carolina University grad Stephanie Dillingham is spending her time post-graduation in Highlands, serving the Highlands Cashiers Land Trust, maintaining trails, and organizing educational efforts through AmeriCorps.
Falling in Love with Mountains and Beer
November 3, 2021 Asheville, N.C. — Long before Leah Rainis moved to Asheville in 2016, she had fallen in love with craft beer. But it wasn’t just the beer she admired; it was the brewers in the production facilities, the bartenders and barbacks in the taprooms, and the loyal fans who clamored for the latest offerings who drew her to the industry she is now working to strengthen and build.
Chef Profile: Steve Goff Of Jargon In West Asheville Talks About The Importance Of Failure
June 29, 2021 Asheville, N.C. — The trajectory of Steve Goff's career — from homeless dishwasher to lauded executive chef — is as unlikely as it is a great story.
A Dedication to Flavors
April 6, 2021 Asheville, N.C. — Kether Smith always loved art and developed an early fondness for ceramics and photography. So after graduating high school, she moved to Asheville to pursue formal studies at UNC Asheville. But in the midst of learning the best way to throw clay and shoot photos, she realized that some of her most creative work happened outside of the classroom
A-B Tech’s Cooper Selected for Appalachian Leadership Institute
October 5, 2020 Philip Cooper, UpSkill WNC Coordinator at A-B Tech, was selected for the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Appalachian Leadership Institute for 2020-2021, which is a comprehensive leadership and economic development training opportunity for people who are passionate about helping their communities thrive.
'It's A Dream I Didn'T Know I Even Had,' Rye Knot Owner Says
August 31, 2020 Asheville, N.C. (WLOS) — While many restaurants and bars are struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a combined spirits operation is opening in Asheville. 'It's a dream I didn't know I even had,' Rye Knot owner says.
A-B Tech Alum Beats Bobby Flay
August 10, 2020 Reza Setayesh, an A-B Tech alum and former Culinary instructor, was declared the winner on “Beat Bobby Flay,” which aired August 9 on the Food Network. His signature dish was Jian Bing, a Chinese savory crepe that is often a breakfast street food.
'You'll Lose Our Heart': Latino Chefs Talk New Projects, Dangers Of Losing Indie Eateries
July 8, 2020 Asheville, N.C. — Pachamama is the earth goddess revered by the Indigenous people of the Andes. She's the guiding spirit behind Pachamama5, a restaurant envisioned by Santiago Vargas, the Lima-born chef formerly of Out of the Blue food truck, and the Tampico, Mexico-born chef Ricardo Carrasco, of the former Polanco.