Brandon Swenson, a recent graduate of Gallatin College Montana State University, received praise from Michelin-star chefs in Munich during his internship at the three-star Michelin restaurant JAN, according to a May 4 announcement. Swenson is set to return to JAN for three months this summer after completing the two-year culinary arts program at Gallatin College MSU.
The story highlights the opportunities available for students pursuing culinary careers and underscores how education can lead to international recognition. Montana State University operates as Montana’s land-grant university, focusing on research, education and community outreach to address key challenges, according to the official website.
Swenson described his experience working at JAN as challenging but rewarding. “I was thinking back to that piece of paper like, ‘I did it,’” Swenson said. “I did it.” He noted that kitchens with Michelin stars attract only the most dedicated chefs who are willing to spend long hours perfecting their craft. “It’s all tweezer fever,” Swenson said. “It’s so much tweezing, so many garnishes, so many intricate details. It was really hard the first week, but then, after a while, you get surgical.”
Alex Hrabovsky, an instructor at Gallatin College MSU, commented on Swenson’s progress: “It shows that, even with very little financial backing, you can still achieve excellence through your own work and dedication to what it is that you have,” Hrabovsky said. “Have that dream. Move in that direction. It doesn’t matter what your background is.”
Montana State University leads in research funding in the state with annual expenditures exceeding $288 million and ranks among the top 5 percent of global universities per the Center for World University Rankings and leads in Montana according to its official website (source). The university enrolls approximately 17,165 students with an even split between residents and nonresidents (source). It also contributes through volunteer efforts and outreach aimed at enhancing lives and environments (source), extending its influence beyond state borders as Montana’s land-grant institution (source).
Swenson credits his independence from a young age—and support from faculty—for helping him pursue his ambitions abroad: “But the lesson that I’ve come to recognize is that needing support from others is not a weakness. It’s a strength.” As he prepares for another stint at JAN this summer and plans future experiences across Europe’s culinary scene before aiming for his own restaurant someday,
he remains focused on growth within high-level kitchens.