Our Chefs

Senior Executive Chef Mike Clyne oversees retail operations for Michigan State University (MSU), including Kellogg Center operations, Sparty's mini-markets, Sparty's Market 1855 Place, MSU Concessions and The Workshop at the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility. As a graduate of Carlett Park College in England, Mike received his culinary training in Europe and earned city and guild certifications in culinary arts. Before joining MSU, he worked as a chef in Bermuda, Jamaica, England, Saudi Arabia and Wales. He also worked for Westin and Hyatt Hotels across the U.S. Mike's favorite foods are steak and chocolate, and his specialty areas are desserts and sauces.

Executive Chef Matt Wilson brings more than 20 years of experience to the Kellogg Center. He specializes in French cuisine and is known for adding a Midwestern flair to his simple, but elegant, culinary creations. Matt studied under master chef Roland Henin in Seattle, Washington. Additionally, he spent three years gaining experience at Seattle's four-star and five-diamond Sorrento Hotel, where he collaborated with celebrity chef Graham Kerr on developing healthy recipes for a cookbook.

In 2017, Matt was nominated for the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association Culinary Star of the Year, a coveted recognition in the hospitality industry. In the kitchen, he is always happy to assist his colleagues, especially if they need to reach items from the top shelf. Outside of the kitchen, Matt enjoys golfing and spending time on Michigan's many lakes.

Executive Chef Rob Trufant fell in love with cuisine at a berry farm and orchard in northeastern Michigan. Throughout the years, his passion has grown deeper. As a graduate of The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University (MSU), the Michigan native found his calling as a caterer while traveling the states. Rob joined the MSU Athletic Catering and Event Services team in 2006 and he was promoted to the role of Sous Chef for Kellogg Catering in 2010. Today, Rob is proud to serve as Executive Chef for Kellogg Catering and call the banks of the Red Cedar his home.

Chef Tom has been the Kellogg Center’s extraordinary sous chef for the past 21 years. Tom was first inspired to pursue a career in the hospitality industry when he worked with a chef in Arizona. His staple dish is southern comfort food; recreating classic dishes that satisfy the soul with every bite. Over the years, he has perfected flavor balance and masterfully executes every meal. Chef Tom has many responsibilities, including ordering the meat and seafood for the restaurant, plating meals, completing payroll and writing food schedules. But, his favorite part of the job is seeing the happy guests at the end of a meal. When Tom isn’t in the State Room, he enjoys collecting baseball cards and throwing darts. A fun fact about Tom is that he has hiked the Grand Canyon several times and has a big sweet tooth; often you find him drinking Coca-Cola instead of coffee. He is also a die-hard NFL fan compared to the other Kellogg Center chefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers will always be the No. 1 team in his heart.
 

Executive Sous Chef Scott Danci is a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan. While growing up, he developed a passion for cuisine and the culinary arts. Scott's family owned and operated a restaurant on the west side of Ann Arbor, so he was consistently around food and learned a wealth of information about the industry. He came to Michigan State University to pursue a degree from The School of Hospitality Business and began working with us as a student in the catering department. Scott continued his culinary development after graduation and has been a member of the Kellogg Catering team since 2011, where he currently serves as a sous chef.

Chris Mattei recently joined the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center team as a Sous Chef. He has been working in kitchens since the age of 16, joining the Kellogg Center as a student cook in 2017. While earning a Fine Arts degree from MSU, he fell in love with the process, precision, and creativity of the culinary arts. After working as a graphic designer for a short time, Chris realized the strength of his passion for cooking and he returned to the State Room Restaurant, working his way up to the Sous Chef position. He loves to blend his background in the arts with cuisine by hand-crafting fun, flavorful, and visually appealing dishes, creating a unique and exciting dining experience for Kellogg Center patrons.

Sous Chef Kaline Jennings joined the Michigan State University (MSU) team in November 2019, working with MSU Culinary Services as the Retail Branded Concepts Sous Chef. He has a passion for working with food, which began with his first job in a fast-food establishment and continued to grow throughout his career. Kaline has experience in a variety of culinary realms, including an Italian restaurant, a brewing company, and Creative Dining Services, where he worked with Auto-Owners. In January 2022, he began a new position with Kellogg Catering as the Breslin Center Recruitment Lounge Chef, where he is proud to support the MSU men's and women's basketball teams and coaching staff.

Dave Warner, Sous Chef for the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center, has experience working in a variety of industries, including retirement communities, hospice and palliative care, acute care, and higher education, after attending the International Culinary School in Novi. Before joining Team Kellogg, Dave was an Assistant Dining Service Manager at Michigan State’s South Neighborhood. He is passionate about crafting memorable dishes and incorporating fresh ingredients. Additionally, Dave previously completed an internship with the MSU Student Organic Farm, which inspired him to dabble with gardening at home.

Nick started his career in the food and beverage industry 20 years ago in Harbor Springs, Michigan, where he received training in five-star service while working in front of the house (FOH). After working for five summers and graduating from Adrian College with a degree in business administration, he set a goal to gain experience in all areas of operations with the intention of eventually running his own establishment. Nick's work in the industry took him all over the country, from Florida and Tennessee to Oregon, before returning to Michigan in January 2010 to join MSU Spartan Signature Catering (now Kellogg Events). He has held several positions within Kellogg, briefly leaving in 2022 to serve as kitchen manager at Anna’s House in Okemos, Michigan, before returning to MSU as a sous chef. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and hopes to find more time for golf.

Elayna Creed joined the State Room team in 2015 as a Student Supervisor and she has continued to progress in her restaurant management career. She earned a promotion to State Room Operations Manager in November 2022. Prior to serving in this role, she was the Dining Room Manager and Assistant Dining Room Manager. Elayna has played a key role in overseeing the operation and introducing a variety of systems and partnered with our Culinary Services dietitian to introduce Foodservice Suite to the food and beverage team at the Kellogg Center. In the past, she has also concentrated on the restaurant’s extensive wine program and assisted with developing the Scotch Club to offer events and increase sales.

Over the years, she has also emphasized the importance of employee retention and effective training. Elayna previously collaborated with a third-party consulting company to rebuild the State Room’s staff training program and has focused on improving communication across departments to streamline processes and enhance the guest experience. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Hospitality Business from MSU in 2016.

Katie Srodes joined the State Room team in 2016. Starting as a Server Assistant, she then transitioned to a Server and worked her way up to Lead Bartender. In her current role as State Room Manager, Katie oversees restaurant and lounge service. In addition to booking private parties and creating staff schedules, she assists with the monthly inventory of our extensive wine and spirits list. Katie also helps with bar service on busy evenings and developed cocktail and mocktail options to increase menu variety. She loves to visit with new and frequent visitors, engaging with our community of guests. Katie earned her Environmental Economics and Management degree from MSU in 2019, focusing on Environmental and Sustainable Studies. Given her educational background, she works to incorporate sustainability initiatives into restaurant operations whenever possible.

Mary Welsh has been a member of the team since 2007. She oversees dining services for the restaurant and specializes in adding extra special touches to guest celebrations. From working at the Peanut Barrel to owning the former Evergreen Grill in East Lansing, Mary has had a career dedicated to ensuring guests are able to celebrate all of life’s special events in style. From eye-catching centerpieces to immaculate place settings, her knack for detail does not go unnoticed by patrons of the State Room. Some of Mary’s favorite themed events include the annual Santa’s Breakfast and American Girl Tea Party.