Big dreams. Bigger taters.

David Kaetterhenry BUILD’19 has a larger-than-life personality. He’s quick with a smile and to introduce himself, and when he was a student in Bethel’s BUILD program, everyone on campus seemed to know who he was. 

Now years after graduation, he’s built a career right at the intersection of that winsome personality—and delicious food.

 

Building the BUILD program

To tell David’s story, we have to back things up a few years. Before either of them had kids, David’s mom, Lori Kaetterhenry, played on a softball team with Sandy Holmgren ’81. A few years later, they both had children with Down syndrome less than a year apart, and the two reconnected over shared diagnoses.

The families both got plugged into the local Down syndrome community and eventually, they provided an important parent perspective as Bethel’s BUILD program was being developed—years before their families were even thinking about what would come after high school for their kids. BUILD, which celebrates 10 years this fall, is a comprehensive transition and postsecondary (CTP) program for students with intellectual disabilities. Bethel launched the program in 2015, and it's one of only a handful of faith-based programs like it in the country. Regardless of what paths Mikayla, the Holmgrens’ daughter, and David would take; the two families were committed to seeking out the best resources, education, and support network possible for their kids—and others like them with Down syndrome.

Changing perceptions

“David taught us a lot of things about the world of disability and Down syndrome,” says John Lecy, a family friend and entrepreneur who attended Bethel for a few years in the ’80s and whose kids grew up alongside David at church. His son, Chas, is about his same age. “He had a few sweet decades growing up with David, and he never once questioned what David was able to do with his disability. Even when Chas got his driver’s license, he just asked, ‘well, when will David get his?’ They are truly best friends.” 

Growing up, David talked a lot about food, learning cooking skills from his mom and dreaming about opening a restaurant someday. It would have three levels: Asian food, American food, and Mexican. “You can go to any floor you want!” David would explain. 

“You know those shows on the TV cooking channel, where the young chefs talk about their past—about how they got their cooking from their grandparents or uncles and aunts or parents?” David explains. “Mine is from my mom.”

As David got older, he got his first job at Culver’s. Though he wasn’t in the kitchen, it put him in a food service setting, interacting with customers, delivering food, and wiping down tables and chairs. By the time he was finishing high school, two of his siblings had moved away to college, and Mikayla had enrolled in the BUILD program at Bethel. The Kaetterhenrys began thinking through what was next for David, and BUILD was at the top of the list. 

“Our other two children were away at college, and I just thought, ‘it's been such a great experience for them. Why wouldn't we have David do something similar, in this controlled environment at Bethel?’ And so that’s how we got there,” Lori explains. “Our friends trailblazed the year before we did, and then we joined the community. And it's been part of our lives ever since.”

Living and learning at Bethel

Students in BUILD live on campus and “do life” alongside other Bethel students. They’re fully engaged in faith development—like Chapel and small groups—while joining clubs and activities and working toward a Certificate of Applied Studies, which can be focused on several career pathway options.

David jumped at the chance to deepen his experience in food service as a student employee with Sodexo, Bethel’s on-campus dining services provider. Then, he began an internship at Dunn Brothers coffee, a mission-driven store owned by Bethel alumni just down the road from Bethel’s campus. There, he got to put his people skills to work again, while building time management skills, developing consistency and excellence in food prep, and ensuring his personal appearance and cleanliness were always top-notch and professional. It was another affirmation that David was cut out for the restaurant business. 

He was juggling a busy social and academic schedule, building countless friendships, and being mentored by BUILD staff. And the internship was a game-changer. Even from the outside, it was clear what a difference BUILD was making on David and his peers. 

“The relationships within the BUILD program just blow me away. There’s so much investment, commitment, and longevity,” Lecy says. “I truly believe that BUILD gave him more confidence, and he still has deep friendships with the staff. Tangentially, I’ve felt the warmth.”

Slinging taters

Since graduation, David has maintained many friendships he built at Bethel, staying in touch through the BUILD Alumni Buddies group, which meets regularly for social gatherings and to support one another as they transition from tight-knit college life to building careers and networks on their own. 

Things took a bit of a pause during the pandemic, but as soon as he could, David responded to a “help wanted” sign at Hagberg’s Country Market, a family-owned deli, butcher, and grocery store. 

“I liked the smell of it, and I wanted to get in there!” David recalls. The market has a cult following in the East Metro, and David has become a beloved part of the team.

“He smells like brisket every day!” jokes Kevin Kaetterhenry, David’s dad.

“Yeah, David has been coming home smelling like a smokehouse since November 2022, and we tease him about this,” Lori adds. “The Hagberg’s team has been supportive of David and truly embraces him. He so enjoys working there, and we're grateful for his opportunity to work in an area he loves."

While David loved being back in a food setting, Lecy saw a need for David to have another safe, encouraging spot where he could put his skills to use—something more akin to his own restaurant. So the Lecys began dreaming up possibilities, landing on a seasonal food truck serving “tater kegs”—think gigantic fried tater tots stuffed with cheese and other flavors. 

They got David’s buy-in—and he was all in—bought a trailer, developed a menu and brand, and in spring 2024, Greater Tater was born. Chas and David took the helm, and the assumption was that David would handle the fryer, mostly taking a behind-the-scenes, food-centric role. And he is gung-ho on the brand, quick to rattle off flavor options, like cheddar bacon chive, Reuben, and breakfast skillet. After some coaxing during our interview, he mentioned a top-secret new flavor he’s excited to launch: a sweet potato option with a touch of brown sugar and maple syrup. 

But David is much more than that: he’s the face of the trailer, manning the window and cash register and acting as “chief executive tater officer.” His legs sometimes get tired, so he works strategic shorter shifts and has a special chair to sit in. And he often relies on the skills he learned at Bethel to succeed.

“I think of the lunch rush in the DC. There are a lot of people at Bethel, and I made a lot of pizzas—fast. And that’s what I do at the food truck!” David says. When asked which of the Greater Tater flavors is his favorite, he says it’s the “cheese bomb,” a fan-favorite plain tater keg filled with a hefty amount of molten, gooey cheese. It’s a fitting metaphor.

“On the sign, it says ‘Greater Tater,’ and underneath, ‘it's what's on the inside that counts.’ It's a little bit of a play on making judgments on people, when you don't know them. You never know what someone’s going through, or what they’re really like. David’s taught us that,” says Kevin.

David, the Lecys, and the Greater Tater truck have had a packed summer, with appearances at many major events across the Twin Cities area, including Somerset Pea Soup Days, the Special Olympics MN Summer Games, New Richmond Fun Fest, and Lumberjack Days in Stillwater.

They’ll be at the Washington County Fair next weekend, and they’ve landed a coveted spot at the biggest dance for any local food truck brand: the Minnesota State Fair August 21 through September 1. They’ll be located on the west side of Liggett Street, between Carnes and Judson Avenues, outside the horse barn. 

“When I told David a few weeks ago that we made it into the state fair, his first comment—with eyes wide open and a billowing, excited voice—was, ‘Mr. Lecy, we made it into the big leagues!’” says Lecy. “It’s a memory that I will never forget! When people come to our trailer, people look from David to me, and ask, ‘Is this your son?’ David says, ‘Nope, I’m his partner.’ It’s the coolest thing ever. Honestly, we are. On paper, it may not show that. In our hearts, we’re partners.” 

Spread the word about BUILD

The BUILD program at Bethel University is a residential Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) program for students with intellectual disabilities. Students experience dynamic and encouraging instruction, career-oriented curriculum, specialized mentorship, and on-campus living—all within a supportive Christian environment. 

Learn more