Join in the on-campus fun and take part in events that fund scholarships, raise awareness and support student ideas happening year-round!
Sustainability events
From Farm to Fork: How to Integrate Local Foods into Restaurants and Dining Operations – Open Presentation
Wed. Mar. 25 | 1-1.50 p.m. | CoLab (OCB 100)
From fresh ingredients to local food logistics – learn from the best with professional chef, culinary teaching expert, and Kansas City restaurant owner, Chef Michael Foust.
Join Chef Foust for an exciting presentation as he shares his experience of the changing culinary world, farm-to-table models, and his personal challenges and successes with food logistics in local restaurants and institutional dining operations.
The presentation is FREE and open to students, faculty, and staff. Light snacks and beverages provided!
About Chef Michael Foust
Michael Foust was on vacation with his family in Seattle, when the sights, smells, and sounds of Pike Place Market made an indelible mark on the 8-year-old. His parents explained the origins of cinnamon, saffron, and other spices across the farmer’s market, sparking a lifelong passion for the culture of food.
After high school, Foust traveled the world, worked kitchens, and gained experience in some of America’s finest dining establishments. Eventually, Foust enrolled in Portland’s Western Culinary Institute and Le Cordon Bleu in France.
In 2008, Foust returned home to Kansas City, opening The Farmhouse in July 2009, and leading the city’s growing farm-to-table movement. In 2019, he opened Black Sheep on Kansas City’s 39th Street, where he continues his tradition of showcasing local farmers, producers, and food artisans in from-scratch menus featuring carnivore, vegetarian, and vegan dishes.
Foust pivoted his restaurant during the 2020 pandemic to Black Sheep Community Kitchen and Market – a donation model where his team served more than 16,400 hot meals to those in need and became a member of Chef Collective KC, a network of chefs, industry partners, and local growers using a centralized approach to preserve the food system.
A well-known culinary philanthropist, Foust’s works with Cultivate KC, Cornerstones of Care, Harvesters, Gibbs Road Farm, March of Dimes, Head Strong, Juniper Gardens, Roots for Refugees, and Sheffield Place, among others. Foust also serves as the Primary Catering Chef at Powell Gardens, the region’s botanical garden that includes the Heartland Harvest Garden, an edible landscape that Foust uses as a resource in dishes he prepares. He also currently works as the Director of Culinary for Higher Education and K-12 at American Dining Creations.
Epicenter
JCCC Epicenter 2026: The Future Isn’t Lost: Science-Based Hope in an Age of Climate Change
April 23, 2026 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Explore action-oriented climate solutions for the Kansas City region! Epicenter is a free, annual conference geared for high school juniors/seniors and college undergrads looking to learn the latest in sustainability trends.
Earth Days
Celebrate our planet through exciting activities on campus.
Harvest Days 2026
More information to come for fall events.