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NEWS
8A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY,AUGUST 16,2004
Chef cooks for family, strangers
University alumnus takes English degree to the kitchen
BY NIKOLA ROWE
nrowe@kansan.com
KANSW STAFF WINTER
Dave Knubly is unlike some professionals. He doesn't mind taking his work home.
The 55-year-old is a husband and father of three who cooks for his family almost as often as he cooks for strangers.
Knubly is the executive chef at Stone Creek, 3801 W. Sixth St.
After graduating with an English degree from the University of Kansas in 1994, Knubly was drawn to food, not words. He could be more creative with food, he said.
Knubly's college career also followed that theme—creativity. Cheap rent, his band and alcohol helped him get through.
Knubly lived in a trailer home off 23rd and Iowa with two friends.
"His room was a makeshift attachment," said his brother, Cory Knubly. "Itwas like sleeping outside minus the wind."
"They did a lot of boozing in that place." Cory added.
MONDAY
knubly also rocked the college garage band scene playing guitar, keyboard and drums with a group of college friends. Knubly's band often played for fraternities and at the Bottleneck's open-mic nights.
"I bet I went to every show." said his wife, Koren Knubly. The two met through a mutual friend during their freshman year and got married in 1994.
By 1994, seven years after start ing at the University, Knubly had a degree, but was keen on a different hobby acquired throughout the years.
From 1989 to 1993, Knubly worked as a Sous Chef, or an apprentice, for Silver Ridge Catering in Lawrence.
Knubly began working as a Sous Chef for the Alumni Center after he graduated in 1994. Knubly said that working for the center was one of the most varied jobs he worked.
"One day I would be carving an ice sculpture and the next I would be ordering produce from coast to coast." Knubly said.
Although he loves many aspects of the profession he
"Any hour of the day you could find
Dave with a beer in one hand at the bar jawing with customers”
Brian Sifton
Lawrence junior
chose, he finds some business aspects challenging.
Knubly creates the recipes for the menus of the restaurant he works for, but the owner retains the rights to the menu items.
He also is frustrated because some restaurants do not offer insurance plans, which is important to him and his family.
Knubly became the company chef for Stone Canyon in Parkville, Mo., in 1999.
The company expanded to Lawrence and some employees from Parkville came with Knubly.
Brian Sifton, Lawrence junior, worked with Knubly in both locations.
Sifton described working with Knubly in the kitchen as comradeship of food production.
"We clicked like a well-oiled maching," Sifton said.
Knubly's job, Sifton said, is often more difficult.
As the face of the kitchen, Knubly would have to handle complaints. But for the most part, Sifton said Knubly was good at it.
"Any hour of the day you could find Dave with a beer in one hand a. the barjawing with customers," Sifton said.
Knubly is in the kitchen at home just as much as he is at work.
His kids help when they can by stirring or spraying pans. Koren said that their children's favorite thing to do was help dad bake sugar cookies.
It's great for her, Koren said; she doesn't have to cook.
she does have to look.
And for Knubly, the job is good.
Despite day-to-day problems, he does what he loves. Knubly looks forward to the day when he could open his own restaurant with "a small menu where regulars could make requests, great specials, relaxed environment and maybe a couple of TVs for games."
Edited by Johanna M. Masko
Dave Knubly, Stone Creek Executive Chef, graduated with an English degree from the University of Kansas in 1994. The 35-year-old is a husband and the father of three children and brings his talents to the restaurant to his home.
Performers excited for opportunity to audition, travel
BY AUSTIN CASTER acaster@kansan.com
KANSA STAFF WRITER
Christina Hulett will be busy than most communications majors this year. She no longer majors in music, but still needs her creative outlet. Hulett is auditioning for one of the University of Kansas' choirs this week.
"I like the performance aspect more than anything," said Hulett, Houston junior. "I'm a singer. That's my thing."
Harding teaching
According to John Paul Johnson,
director of choral activities,
and Jim Hudson, assistant director
of music and dance, 60 to 75 percent of band and choir members at the University do not major in music.
"Everyone brings a different talent to the table." Johnson said. "Some are better at rhythm, others musicality."
He said directors used auditions to place students in a choir where they could grow as a musician. Auditions may seem stressful, but are actually painless, Johnson said.
Auditions include a range test to see how high and low a student can
"Feel free to say I'm a little nervous," Johnson said. "We'll help you get through it."
sing, pitch-matching and "My Country, 'Tits of Thee,'" he said.
Directors provide sheet music to those who do not know the lyrics.
This is the year for students who have never auditioned before because there are more opportunities to travel, he said.
Men's Glee heads to California and Women's Chorale to Chicago. Chamber Choir is set to tour regionally and all choir students can go on the Europe trip planned for the end of the spring semester. Tour cities include Prague, Vienna, Salzburg and Venice. Although members pay for the trips, the opportunity is unusual.
KU Marching Band is another way to get involved with campus life, Hudson said. Similar to choir, non-music majors can audition for one of the University's many bands.
Marching Band auditions include two fight songs and a simple marching audition. "Most of these students have been in band since junior high and want to stay involved," Hudson said.
Ian Bradt, Johnston, Iowa senior, wants to make time for both marching band and choir again this year, even though he majors in electrical engineering.
Bradt's schedule during the year
CHOIR AUDITION FAQS
Sign up for auditions on the bulletin board outside room 328 at Murphy Hall. Monday, August 16 through Friday, August 20. Times range from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to fill out paperwork.
Source: http://www.ku.edu/~choirs/index.shtml
BAND AUDITION FAQS
Sign up for band auditions outside room 124 Murphy Hall. Auditions begin Thursday, August 19. Fight songs for marching auditions can be picked up in room 124.
Source: Jim Hudson, director of Athletic Bands
becomes a little crazy, he said, but music in his life, he said,
the sacrifices are worth it.
He would feel weird without - Edited by Ryan Greene
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