Mary Levinski received the 2025 Entrepreneurship Award from Kendall College National Louis University and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education. The award was open to culinary instructors nationwide and recognized ideas and initiatives that positively impacted the school and community.

The Sauk Rapids-Rice High School Culinary Program and the school’s 9-12 grade Developmentally Cognitively Disabled Program created a collaborative initiative called “Storm Brew.” The mobile coffee cart serves coffee, smoothies, refreshers, drinks, and baked goods three days a week to the school’s students and staff. The unique, hands-on experience provides vocational training, real-world job skills, and fosters an inclusive environment that celebrates the talents of students of all abilities. By combining the expertise of both programs, students have the opportunity to learn essential life skills, including customer service, sales, hospitality, product development, and food preparation, while building teamwork and confidence.

Levinski received a 2025 Entrepreneurship Award commemorative plaque and was presented with a complimentary registration to attend CAFÉ’s 2025 Leadership Conference held this summer in Pittsburgh.

Click here to go back to the 2025 CAFÉ award recipients list.