Cleary University culinary program has students learning from the best

DETROIT (WJBK) - The restaurant scene in Detroit is bustling, but there's something that's often missing - homegrown talent. So who's helping develop the next top chef? Cleary University is hoping to do just that with the help of a huge culinary star.

"I think everyone now is kind of equating good food  being [in] Downtown and Midtown, but what about the guys that are on the west side of Detroit? The southside of Detroit, the Southwest?" Maxcel Hardy wants to know. You may recognize him -- he's known as Chef Max and he's graced the covers of food magazines and been on the top chef shows. 

But his latest course brings him home to his native Detroit. It's big move from Miami to the D, but he's opened two restaurants here: River Bistro and COOP. And now he's the university's Culinary Academy's Executive Chef in Residence.

"I had a teacher in in high school really push me. So anyone that's watching us that is thinking about culinary school or thinking about taking the craft to the next level in the industry, Cleary University is a great place to do it," he says.

Detroiters watch as hungry people from the suburbs and conventioneers from across the country come to eat. Hundreds of new restaurants have popped up, but you won't see a lot of native Detroiters in the kitchen. They can stand the heat -- so let them in.  

"It's fulfilling. It's a selfish gratification for me because one, I'm giving to students but it's for filling me to see them go through it and graduate and get into the industry and go out and be great," Chef Max says. "It's one of those things where I'll give you my talent, I'll give you my time, but you've got to give me your passion and come in every day and learn and get to the next level."

If you'd like more information on the program, click here.