Lifelong learner brings Asian cuisine to students

By Marcus J Reynolds
Edited by Lauren Fitch

In Taiwan, Shu-Chau Liu was a teacher who loved to see young children learn. Today, her nametag reads “Stella,” and she cooks homemade dishes at the Raider Grille of Grand Rapids Community College, where she brings customers a taste of Asia.

Campus eats:

GRCC students can sample Asain
culture through on-campus meal options.
(photo courtesy of GRCC)

“Stella has brought the culture of the Wok (Raider Grille) to new heights,” said Sarah Rose, a GRCC counselor.

Shu-Chau Liu, known to customers as Stella, came to America due to personal circumstances. She settled in Grand Rapids, Mich., and her first job was working for a catering company.

Before Liu arrived at GRCC she spent more than 10 years managing a Steak-n-Shake, an Arnie's, an Arby’s and several area restaurants. She enrolled in GRCC’s Culinary Arts program in 2002.

Cheese RagoonThe GRCC culinary program makes dishes like cheese ragoon (Courtesy of the hungrymouse.com)

“I wanted to know about American culture and cuisine, so I enrolled in GRCC’s Culinary Arts Program,” Liu said. “American cuisine is a combination of all cultures.”

Karena Haug, Culinary Arts alumna of 2002, said she believes some of Liu’s attractive qualities are her personality and love of people.

“In the Culinary Arts program Stella had a fun, charismatic outlook in school and in life,” Haug said.

After graduating with her degree in Culinary Arts Management, Liu was referred to Scott Van Deraa, GRCC’s food service director of the Raider Grille.

“She came highly referred. At the interview, her personality came through clearly,” Van Deraa said. “Personality is very important, she fits in well with our staff and the customers love her.”

Almost every day by noon, the Wok’s homemade dishes of cheese rangoon, California spring rolls and postickers are sold-out.

Postickers, similar to egg rolls in size and shape, are Chinese dumplings wrapped in thin dough, filled with ground pork, water chestnuts and green-onions.

“She sells out of everything she makes,” Van Deraa said.

The customers of the Wok have raving reviews about the new additions to the menu and Liu’s customer service.

“Stella is stellar,” student Garion Sutliff said. “She has a bubbly personality and her food is amazing.”

As any good chef would, Liu held her secret recipes close to home but did divulge the ingredients to the next course of her life.

Liu has an appetite for learning. She is currently enrolled in the Dental Hygiene program at GRCC, which will make three degrees when she finishes.

“I want to learn something different every day,” Liu said. “That’s why we're in college…to try new things.”