Todd Edgerton and his family joined the Frontier Camp family in February all the way from New Hampshire! Todd brings over 40 years of food service experience to FC. So as you can probably imagine, we are excited about his FOOD!
We took a brief opportunity to sit down with Todd and asked him some questions to help you get to know him better.
What are some highlights of your food service career?
There have been a lot of great times. It’s hard to choose between working in, and then running, a Cajun/Creole restaurant, managing the Athletic Training Table, Football Trough, and Crimson Cafe at the University of Kansas, and running a Russell Stover candy kitchen.
How long have you been in a leading food service role?
At 24, I was running the Orleans Cafe and La Flambeau continental cuisine restaurants; by 26 I was the Executive Chef of the Downtown Holiday Inn in Topeka. Having been promoted past my management capabilities far too soon, I was way out of my depth. So I stepped away from full-time food service management for a while to reassess my priorities, to grow, and to mature. It’s a joy to look back at these experiences because I can see how the Lord was preparing me for eventually stepping into full-time camping ministry. After my food service sabbatical, the Lord directed me and my family to Camp Redcloud in Colorado, and eventually to Brook Woods Camp in New Hampshire.
Some of my favorite aspects of Christian camping and doing food service in such are the Christian community and building relationships – not just with other staff, but with the guests as well. As much as I felt I was bringing much in the way of food service to Christian camping, God has used Christian camping to grow me tremendously.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
I love getting to grill and BBQ, and now being in Texas, I am very much looking forward to learning about smoked meats. One of my favorite parts about these styles of cooking is the unique taste and smell of the meat; there is always such intensity when the meat is cooked like this!
Of everything that goes on in the kitchen, what are you most passionate about in there?
This ties into one of the most attractive parts about working in camping ministry – I love being able to train and teach new people. With the intensity of what goes on in the kitchen, it is full of opportunities to help people grow, not just in their professional skills, but spiritually as well. It’s a pleasure to watch so much growth happen in the kitchen.
I love the times I am able to point my staff back to the Word of God as it is the ultimate source of knowledge and authority. One of my favorite lessons to instill is this: “Are we working here for a pay check or are we working unto the Lord?”
Why camp ministry?
A couple of years into my new life in Christ, I began to feel a strong call to go to work directly for the Lord. I briefly considered becoming a Pastor, but that didn’t feel like the right fit. Then, as I examined the gifts, talents, and experience that God had blessed me with, I asked the Lord what He would have me do. He promptly exposed me to the world of Christian Camping. As I submitted to His will, He opened the door to a new world. He has blessed me and my family generously with a life full of fruitful work, wonderful places to live, along with plenty of challenges and opportunities for growth.
What is one of your favorite verses (or passage) in the Bible?
It’s impossible to choose one favorite verse. All of my favorite verses begin with “Do not fear”, “Do not Worry”, “Be not afraid”. I find it so comforting to know that the un-caused, unchanging, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God of the universe created me, knows me, and loved me so much, even when I rejected Him, that he willingly sacrificed His Son to provide a way for my salvation, reconciliation, and fellowship with Him. What an amazing God we serve!
Share a bit about your family
God has blessed me with an amazing, godly wife, Lori, and 6 wonderful children: Haley, 26; Isaac, 23; Isaiah,15; Caleb,12; Anna,11; and Genevieve 7.
When I’m not working and my children aren’t running around camp, we love to adventure as a family – everything from hiking to fishing to visiting waterfalls; you ask us to go on an outdoor adventure, and we’ll say yes. One of our favorite ways to get out and adventure is Jeeping with the whole family. And now, being in Texas, my boys are excited to learn to hunt.
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