Location
Chef’s Table, Tri-C Corporate College East
The Hidden Life of Spices
Ever wondered why toasting cumin transforms your dish, or how turmeric does more than add color?
Join chemist-chefs Ky and Adam for an evening where science meets flavor. Discover how heat, fat, and alcohol unlock hidden aromas, learn the chemistry behind spice blends, and explore the health benefits in every pinch. This interactive presentation will appeal to all your senses and uncover some of the secrets hidden in the seasonings we use everyday.
Perfect for food lovers, science enthusiasts, and the simply curious.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 5:30-8:00 PM
Chef’s Table, Tri-C Corporate College East
4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights
Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:00pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk
Chef Ky-Wai Wong, known as Chef KY, is an assistant professor in the Hospitality Management program at Tri-C®. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UCLA and master’s degree in hospitality management from Auburn University.
Wong has a strong background in fine dining. His first restaurant job was at Giovanni’s in Beachwood. From there, he went to culinary school in London, England. In addition to earning a certificate in cuisine and baking/pastry from Le Cordon Bleu in London, he completed an apprenticeship at Michelin 2-star restaurant Le Gavroche.
He returned to Cleveland and continued to work in fine dining at places such as Blake’s Seafood Grille, the Century Restaurant and Bar at the Ritz-Carlton, fire food and drink and Seballos Pastries. With much experience under his belt, Wong worked his way up to top positions at some of the area’s premier fine dining establishments, including sous chef at AAA Five Diamond restaurant Classics at the Intercontinental Hotel; executive chef at LockKeepers and Park City Diner; chef de cuisine at DANTE in Valley View; and chef de cuisine at Lucky’s Cafe.
Wong loves sharing his passion and knowledge about food with his students. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and doing fundraisers that help the community.
Chef Adam LaBenne was born and raised in Niles, OH. After completing his Bachelor’s of Arts in Chemistry and Philosophy in 2014, he moved to Cleveland to pursue a career in automotive coatings. During this time, he fell in love with the science of baking and pastry as an all-consuming hobby. Eventually, he decided to pursue a career in culinary and left for The Culinary Institute of America where he earned a Bachelor’s of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts in 2021. After brief periods at Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Florida and Farmers & Chefs in Poughkeepsie, NY, Chef Adam moved back to Cleveland to work as an instructor at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry. There he taught culinary skills to currently-incarcerated adults as part of a second-chance vocational program. Chef Adam combines a love of both Culinary and Pastry arts and employs a scientific approach to education that seeks to make his courses enjoyable but informative.
Menu: TBD
Registration:
- Part of National Chemistry Week 2025: The Hidden Life of Spices | Cleveland Local Section, American Chemical Society