With a passion to cook and over fifteen years of experience, Chef Grady Meagher took the role of Taher chef this fall.

Meagher’s love of cooking began at a very early age. His earliest recollections of his fervor took place when he was just six years old in a large cafeteria kitchen. “I remember baking sugar cookies at my parents’ catering business at the International Garden of Duluth…I was helping out in the kitchen,” Meagher said.

This passion then sprouted into a long and diverse career in preparing food. Meagher worked as a chef at the St. Paul Hotel for five years, and after this, he cooked for a country club in St. Paul. Most recently, he worked at a St. Paul senior living center. “I’ve got a long culinary career,” Meagher said.

Meagher’s wife, Ms. Becca Meagher, who works as BSM’s Campus Minister, made the connection between Chef Meagher and Taher. Having worked at BSM for nearly twenty years, Becca Meagher often spoke with Lynn Lynch, the Cafeteria Manager at BSM. So, when one of the three previous chefs quit, Lynch approached Becca Meagher about the possibility of her husband working at BSM. “[Lynn] knew that I was a chef…and by chance, it worked out for me, and worked out for them, so here I am,” Meagher said.

Even though Meagher is experienced in multiple culinary jobs, he believes his current job, working at BSM, is his favorite job. “I get to take all of my skills that I’ve acquired over the years as a traditional chef and bring it here to the school setting,” Meagher said.

He not only loves the application of skills that comes with being a Taher chef, but he also appreciates the schedule. “The schedule is awesome. Having weeknights and weekends just to spend time with my family really is golden,” Meagher said.

Meagher has brought a few of his own dishes to Taher’s menu. His contributions so far have been popular with students, such as the corn chowder bread bowl and the quiche. He hopes to continue to bring more dishes to the menu. “I think I would like to maybe bring a couple more pastas….[I am] really trying to fine-tune what the students like,” Meagher said.

Outside of work, Meagher also enjoys cooking at home for his family. His schedule at Taher has given him the benefit of being able to cook more at home. In addition to cooking, he has started baking cakes every weekend at home as well. “Part of [the reason I cook at home] is for enjoyment, and part of it is for actual research; you’re always learning something when you cook,” Meagher said.

Overall, Meagher has loved his experience so far at BSM. Although he has only been here for less than six months, he loves the atmosphere at BSM. “The culture here is awesome. There is a feeling and a sense in the hallways…of goodness here. It’s an intangible feeling,” Meagher said.