CAFÉ Update March 31, 2025
31 March 2025In addition to an InfoFair and industry panels AND peer presentations on educational best practices, we have an outstanding line up of keynote speakers.
Deans and Directors Retreat, Tuesday, June 24
“Urgent Need for Transformation in the Hospitality Industry” presented by Chef Christopher Galarza
Chef Christopher Galarza, CEC, WCEC is a pioneering force in the culinary world, known for his unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation in kitchen design. As the founder of Forward Dining Solutions LLC and co-founder of EcoChef, Chef Galarza has become a leading advocate for decarbonizing commercial kitchens and championing the Green Industrial Revolution within the foodservice industry. His work is driven by a deep passion for environmental stewardship, and he is widely recognized for his efforts in educating and empowering chefs, culinary professionals, and designers to adopt sustainable practices.
Chef Galarza's vision extends beyond individual kitchens; he is dedicated to transforming the entire food service industry. Through his work with EcoChef, Chef Galarza is setting new standards for kitchen electrification and decarbonization, helping to create healthier, more efficient, and sustainable environments in commercial kitchens worldwide.
Industry Outreach Day, Wednesday, June 25
"Adapting to the Future" presented by: Chef Christopher Koetke, CEC CCE HAAC, Corporate Executive Chef at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc.
Chef Christopher Koetke, CEC CCE HAAC, is currently Corporate Executive Chef at Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc. He was the executive chef at Les Nomades in Chicago for five years and worked in top restaurants in France, Switzerland and the US. He formerly served for 20 years in culinary education as the executive director of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, in Chicago, and vice president of culinary arts for Laureate International Universities, where he was responsible for strategic leadership of culinary arts programs at 48 campuses in 12 countries.
Educational Best Practices Day, Thursday, June 26
"Creating Communities: The Hidden Power in Teaching and Learning" presented by: Dr. Fred Mayo, Mayo Consulting
Dr. Mayo, Professor of Hotel and Tourism Management (retired), NYU, has been leading workshops and making presentations as part of his consulting business in culinary and hospitality education and management. Dr. Mayo has been teaching the CHE course for American Hotel and Lodging Association all over the world and worked with CAFÉ at locations all over the United States for the past twenty years. He has written several books, especially Planning an Applied Research Project in Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management (Wiley, 2013) and Modern American Manners: Etiquette Advice for Hosts and Guests (Skyhorse 2017) and is working on another one. Dr. Mayo has been a long-time CAFÉ contributor with monthly articles in the Gold Medal Classroom ezine.
CAFÉ is excited to have such a great line-up of keynote speakers for our 2025 conferences. “The Need for Change”
Mary Petersen
Executive Editor, Gold Medal Classroom
President, Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education
2025 CAFÉ Award Information
The information on the 2025 CAFÉ Awards is available on our website.
Application Deadline is April 1, 2025. Get your applications in!
To view all awards go to cafemeetingplace.com/scholarship-awards.
2025 Educator of the Year (Secondary & Postsecondary)
2025 Student of the Year Award
If you know a fellow teacher that would be great for an award you can nominate them or it is ok to nominate yourself.
Just remember: you have to apply to win!
Previous applicants and winners are encourage to apply.
Also, if you have a culinary/hospitality student that would like a wonderful opportunity, the Idaho Potato Commission will be offering their 3rd annual Student of the Year Award.
Click here to Register Today!
If you are a CAFE member remember to log into your account before registering to receive your member's discount.
2025 Pizza Master Class – Limited Spaces Available
CAFÉ has partnered again this year with Real California Milk to offer a Pizza Master Class on Tuesday, June 24th as part of the 2025 CAFÉ Leadership Conference in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. This class will have an extended time from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. We are excited to have Edward Stalewski, Pizzaiolo, Mercurio’s Pittsburgh, a Pittsburgh local to teach this master class for us this year.
This will be the only Master Class we will be offering this year. The Master Class has a separate fee and has limited seating. For more information, click here. To register, click here.
2025 Hotel Information
Our hotel is The Westin in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Reserve your room today – cut-off date is May 25, 2025 or when room block fills up. For more information, click here.
Have you checked out CAFÉ Talks Podcast?
Our host, Paul Sorgule has spearheaded this podcast and has done a wonderful job. He has interviewed some of the most influential people in education, culinary classrooms, the foodservice industry, leadership, innovation, culinary history, and management – there is something for everyone to relish and use. We are approaching our 100th episode!
Have you thought about integrating the CAFÉ Talks Podcast into your student curriculum for an assignment? Have you thought "I really wish I could remember which podcast pertained to a certain subject?"
Paul Sorgule, has created an organized chart that demonstrates where each interview might apply in your classrooms as assignments or a point of reference for faculty.
Click here to download your copy of the chart.
We could not have produced this podcast series if it wasn't for our sponsors
who we thank very much for their continued support of CAFÉ.
For our complete lineup of podcast or to subscribe, go to www.CafeMeetingPlace.com/cafe-podcasts.
For video peeks of our launched episodes, go to our Facebook page, CafeMeetingPlace.
Mary Petersen, President, CAFÉ; Executive Editor, The Gold Medal Classroom
(410) 268-5542 (office)
(443) 994-8228 (cell)
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Lisa Parrish, Editor, The Gold Medal Classroom
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Mary Young, Administrative Assistant
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Paul Sorgule, Host, CAFETalks Podcast
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