USA Rice in the Culinary Classroom
As USA Rice embarked on a new initiative to compile relevant information for foodservice educators they began by consulting a diverse advisory panel of culinary instructors and chefs  to assess the  needs of educators, main areas of learning interest, content, and delivery format for ease of use in the classroom.

Culinary educators asked for:

• Information relevant to today’s foodservice needs and trends
• Fact-based and creditable resources and examples
• Creative/innovative ideas and recipes
• Print and online materials for greater flexibility and adaptability into the current curriculum

A new teaching tool was developed: “U.S. Rice in the Culinary Classroom—The Complete Guide for Food Educators and Professionals,” a comprehensive rice curriculum based on these principles and designed to include everything instructors and students need to know about rice and its application in foodservice. 

This flexible teaching tool consists of four modules that can be used together for a full rice curriculum, or as individual units to complement an existing syllabus.

The modules begin with the history of rice and the U.S. rice industry and where and how rice is grown, milled and processed. Then it proceeds through a comprehensive description of rice forms and types, basic methods of cooking rice, and the role of rice in international cuisine and contemporary foodservice operations.  The four modules are:

• What is Rice—History & Production
• All About Rice—Science, Types & Nutrition
• Cooking Rice—Basic Methods
• Rice in Cuisine—International Recipes

Because class needs and teaching styles differ, and the curriculum demands vary between schools, each module is organized so culinary educators may extract the information that is most appropriate. Each section offers:

• Lesson Objectives
• Lesson Plans—Topics, Activities, Timing
• Topic Content
• Review/Quiz Questions

Estimated timing is given for each activity so lessons can be reordered to fit any class schedule. Instructors also have the ability to teach the topics in sequence, or to present a lecture/demo, followed by a series of lab sessions.  A quiz follows at the end of each module to test students’ retention of the subject.

In addition to the written curriculum, the USA Rice training tool comes with a PowerPoint component that is structured to follow the teaching modules.  The presentation includes a synopsis of the information in each lesson, and links to videos (conducted by instructors from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone) demonstrating rice-cooking methods and innovative recipes.  It can be used as a visual element in lectures or as a study tool by students.

The Importance of Rice Cookery in Cuisine
Educators, students and all culinary professionals need to build a solid foundation in the fundamentals of cuisine.  Rice is a staple in cuisines around the world, making rice cookery a basic culinary building block that has taken on new importance in today’s professional kitchens.  Among Americans, growing interest in ethnic cuisines including Asian, Latin American, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and others has had major impact on menus and moved U.S.-grown rice to the center of the global plate.

Current interest in healthy eating, whole grains, vegetarian options and serving local and U.S.-grown foods has consumers increasingly adding grains like rice into all aspects of their food choices. To appeal to the growing interest in local/U.S.-grown foods, chefs can look for the Grown in the USA rice logo on packaging, an identifier created by the USA Rice Federation.

And during increasingly competitive times, rice is a significant ingredient in controlling food costs and making menu items more profitable—critical for operational success.

The teaching guide will provide a fundamental understanding so students can create menus to fit these foodservice trends and meet the expectations of an evolving and demanding dining public.

Available in Print & Online Formats
“U.S. Rice in the Culinary Classroom” is available to educators in print format with DVD and may also be downloaded from MenuRice.com, a comprehensive online resource for information, educational materials and recipes for U.S.-grown rice.
Other educational materials available online to further support culinary development are:

• USA Rice recipes and cooking demos
• 15-minute video primer on U.S. rice and its use in the foodservice kitchen
• Downloadable brochures
• Trend information to help stay at the forefront of industry developments

MenuRice.com, also includes many of the topics covered in the curriculum, to promote independent research among your students. The Web site gives easy access to current foodservice trends and news, as well as in-depth information on these topics:

• Rice types and best application
• Rice farming and cultivation, milling and kernel anatomy
• Online map of rice-producing states and history
• Nutrition information
• Preparation tips and cooking methods
• Cooking guides and storage tips
• Supplier search tools
• Peer-to-peer insight and chef perspectives

Visit MenuRice.com to request or download a copy of the new “U.S. Rice in the Culinary Classroom” and other educational materials.

Andrew Schloss is a consultant to the food industry, author of 15 cookbooks and former culinary director for The Restaurant School in Philadelphia and the Wood Company, a regional contract foodservice company. He is currently president of Culinary Generations, Inc., a product-development company creating food products for major food manufacturers, and teaches cooking and food writing classes across the country. His critically acclaimed restaurant, In Season, was instrumental in the creation of Philadelphia’s restaurant renaissance. His most recent books, The Art of The Slow Cooker and The Science of Good Food (with David Joachim) were published in late-2008. Schloss has made numerous appearances on television and radio throughout the country as an author and in his role as a spokesperson for the Canned Food Alliance.