As Tater Tots® hit the Big 60, the Idaho Potato Commission celebrates six decades of tot-inspired menu creativity.

When Tater Tots® began arriving in grocery stores in 1954, they quickly caught on as a snack food, a side dish and the foundation for casseroles at dinner tables across America. (Tater Tots are a registered trademark of Ore-Ida, a division of the H.J. Heinz Company).

Across the next 60 years, foodservice operators capitalized on tot popularity, enthusiastically integrating them into menus ranging from quick service to white tablecloth. As these bite-sized potato croquettes officially move into middle age, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) salutes the tot as both an inspired potato product and a springboard for potato creativity.

This second installment in a four-part series on assessment methods focuses on oral presentations and class participation.

By Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT

Last month, we discussed several assessment methods: attendance, open-book tests and take-home examinations. This month, we will discuss two complicated areas: oral presentations and class participation. Next month, we will examine evaluating food preparation, dining-room service and teamwork, and in December, we will discuss the topic of assessment criteria and rubrics.

Details of Oral Presentations
In many of our classes, we ask students to develop and deliver oral presentations, which are a great strategy to help students learn material and build public-speaking skills. Sometimes, the presentations include PowerPoint or Prezi slides and other times they only include talking and gesturing.

While these assignments make sense as teaching strategies, they can be extra hard for students if we do not provide details about the assignment and the ways in which it will be evaluated. Simply asking students to make a presentation does not give them enough information to do it well. Therefore, tell them what you expect in the format of the presentation: a 10-minute talk with handouts, a presentation with 9x9 presentation (nine slides with nine lines per slide and no paragraphs), or a 15-minute presentation without notes or slides.

Integration of industry and education better prepares students for success and makes a school essential in the eyes of all stakeholders. Good news is that opportunities for your program to partner with your local business community are endless.

By Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC

Sometimes programs tend to underestimate the breadth of resources and educational talent at their disposal. We look to our full- and part-time faculty as the primary resource and strength of a program, as one would assume.

However, those program administrators who see the potential to draw the hospitality community into the folds of their faculty resources can build a truly dynamic curriculum to rival the largest and finest colleges. Creating a stage for Partners in Education allows business leaders to understand how they might assist in building extraordinary opportunities for young people aspiring to a career in hospitality.

We all understand how this might occur through internships and externships, giving students the ability to apply the hands-on skills they are developing in a campus program, but few programs understand that this “partnership” can extend to all academic courses, as well. Hands-on can apply to every part of your curriculum. Considering that most students enrolled in culinary programs are tactile learners, this application approach can result in a more-engaged student, enhanced relationships with outside stakeholders in your program, and a truly balanced graduate.

Students, parents and accrediting agencies are collectively holding college administrators and faculty members to a different standard. Everyone seems to want measureable, and visible, outcomes that make a difference in a student’s professional life. Stakeholders are looking for value.

New research from the National Restaurant Association shows a substantial number of operators are implementing sustainability best practices into their businesses.

A recent survey of 1,000 full-service and quick-service operators by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) found that nearly three quarters of operators recycled used fryer oil, fats and grease. More than six in 10 recycled their cardboard and paper, used compact fluorescent lighting and bought products made of recycled materials. About three in 10 installed faucet aerators to conserve water.

“More operators are looking at ways to increase efficiency—environmentally and fiscally,” said Scott DeFife, executive vice president, Policy and Government Affairs, for the NRA. “Restaurateurs today know a lot more about how sustainability can reduce utility costs and, in some cases, increase profitability.”

Key findings determined that:

Twenty restaurants across the United States were recipients of 2014 Achievement of Excellence Awards from the American Culinary Federation (ACF) this summer. Three of them are on The Culinary Institute of America’s Hyde Park, N.Y. campus: American Bounty Restaurant, The Bocuse Restaurant, and Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici. In addition, nine CIA graduates were honored at the organization’s awards event held during the ACF national conference in Kansas City, Mo., in July.

“Achievement of Excellence Awards are presented to foodservice establishments that go above and beyond to promote the culinary industry and provide customers with a rewarding experience,” said ACF President Thomas J. Macrina, a 1976 CIA alumnus. “The Culinary Institute of America’s commitment to providing hands-on learning opportunities for its students through these restaurants is noteworthy.”

The National Restaurant Association recently unveiled its comprehensive food-handling training guide for Feeding America’s broad network of food-bank employees, agency staff and volunteers. The “ServSafe Food Handler Guide for Food Banking” is a customized program designed to educate Feeding America’s 200 food banks and more than 60,000 agencies on the proper implementation of food handling and safety.

The NRA’s ServSafe team worked together with Feeding America to survey operators within the Feeding America network, conduct focus groups with participation from more than 20 food banks across the country, and tour network agencies and food banks in order to better understand Feeding America’s operations. 

Discover homegrown American lamb stories and recipes to inspire your menu. A new booklet from the American Lamb Board shares information on American lamb from shepherds to chefs across the country. The booklet also includes chef-developed recipes including chorizo-spiced lamb loin and merguez flatbread. To order your fee copy of the booklet, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

The National Mango Board announces the release of a new tool to inspire menu innovation, Mango Flavor Pairing Guide. The guide was developed to create excitement about fresh mango as a versatile ingredient, the key to innovation all across menus, all year ’round. The mango pairings showcase complementary and contrasting sensory combinations from familiar to surprising.

The mango is known for its glorious yellow-orange flesh that can taste sweet, tart or slightly spicy with a texture that runs the gamut from crisp to lush. As today’s culinary teams explore exciting flavor combinations and innovative menu options, they’re finding more and better places for fresh mango. In green mango and grilled steak salad, Chef Ben Randolph, The Broadway Hotel, Columbia, Mo., combines the tropical appeal of fresh mango, grilled beef and Asian flavors to surprise and delight diners.

To view or download the Mango Flavor Pairing Guide, visit www.mango.org/foodservice/mango-flavor-pairings-guide. For in-depth product information, designed to help achieve menu success with fresh mango, visit www.mango.org/foodservice. 

Consumer interests and industry needs were the driving forces behind the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) recent website overhaul and launch. Fresh design, a streamlined format and the optimized platform for mobile and tablet viewing provide industry professionals and consumers alike with a consistent and engaging experience.

Since the website’s launch in early July, the Blueberry Council has seen a 557% increase in website visits since June and a 290% increase in website visits over July of last year.