Growing up on an Iowa farm, Jim Trebbien learned from an early age about the importance of work ethic.

"I know firsthand not only how hard the work is but I understand, deep within me, the rewards," Trebbien says. "You learn to work and from that work you learn that accomplishing something gives you a reward that is called self esteem. You feel great from working so hard."

After a 52-year career in the food sector, Trebbien says farm and restaurant work are comparable due to the need for hard labor and execution in both areas. 

"About the only thing similar to working on a small farm is working in a restaurant," Trebbien says. "The work doesn’t stop, time is of the essence, quality of everything done is important, and every motion counts towards the cost, the quality, and the quantity of the end product."

He says the work never stops in the food profession, but the rewards are worth the labor that goes into creating a product.

While producing quality food brings him joy, Trebbien says that's not the only thing that creates a sense of purpose.

"On top of that, there is something else that gives you the fullness of life- and that is knowing that what you produce is going to give a person fulfillment as they enjoy the taste," he says. "It gives a family the opportunity to commune with one another while enjoying the food at the table."

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many in the food and healthcare industries have received recognition for their service to local communities. Trebbien says he is especially appreciative of the chefs and volunteers involved with supplying food to residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Among those heroes is Trebbien's wife Patty, who works for Immanuel Communities.

At the age of 15, Jim Trebbien got his first job in the restaurant business with Rick’s Drive Inn in Milford, Iowa. Since then, his career in the food industry has included positions with the Omaha Stockyards, Brandeis Department Store, Boys Town, and Omaha’s Holiday Inn Central. In 1985, Trebbien became the instructor and dean of the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College, which he turned into one of the nation's top centers for culinary education. In 2019, Trebbien won a Food Day Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the food community.