Three Illinois high-school students—coached by Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts—earned the distinction of top culinary team in America at the national Culinary Arts STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) competition during the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America’s (FCCLA) 2010 National Leadership Conference at Kendall College here in July.

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has announced this year’s winners of its awards for champions of hospitality training and education. The following people were honored at the AH&LA Summer Summit during the AH&LA Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon on June 16.

Consultant Jay S. Witzel, CHA, former president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide, is the 2010 recipient of the Arthur Landstreet Award. Named after the Tennessee hotelier who founded the Educational Institute, the Arthur Landstreet award is presented to an individual who has made a lasting impact on the quality of education and training in the hospitality industry.

Create The Best Recipes with Fresh Grapes from California and Win!

Contest Ends November 1, 2010

Who: Foodservice Chefs and Chef Educators

What: Submit an original recipe(s) featuring fresh California grapes as an ingredient and win!

Suggested categories include starters, small plates, entrees, salads, sides and desserts but any and all culinary inspirations are welcome.

Prizes: $1,500 (First Place); $1,000 (Second Place) and $500 (Third Place).

Deadline: November 1, 2010

Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. announced the launch of its new foodservice Web site (www.driscolls.com/foodservice) at the Produce Marketing Association Foodservice Conference & Expo in Monterey, Calif., on August 1, 2010.

The resources on the site will help chefs, menu developers and purchasing managers plan healthy menus with fresh berries while enhancing their customers’ culinary experiences. Tools such as availability, packaging and distribution information for conventional and organic berries; menu ideas and recipes; and the ability to easily connect with the Driscoll’s foodservice sales team are designed to make the site a key point of frequent reference for foodservice operators and distributors.

By Mark Molinaro, CEC

When it comes to quality of guest service, the smallest example can make the biggest impression.

Reflecting on the guidance I received from the ladies and gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton has served me well in my 15 years as a cook, chef, teacher and now director. It was a pleasure and a privilege to have been able to work with such passionate and dedicated people whose shared goal was to surprise and delight every guest who walked through our doors.

The Ritz-Carlton culture is a model for excellence in organizational behavior. From the daily line-ups to departmental meetings to hotel-wide seminars, I always felt connected and an important part of the organization. Examples of model leadership, behavior and expectation are expressed throughout the company, from the interactions between individual line employees to the daily briefs that were sent from corporate office.

By Jen Wulf

They’re easy to include, but hard to find.

Annually, more than 12 billion morning meals are served by commercial restaurants (NPD CREST, YE May 2010). Curiously missing on most breakfast menus are whole-grain items. A mere one in three breakfast menus offer any item made with whole grains, and those tend to be either hot or cold breakfast cereals (Datassential MTD, July 2010).

With heart disease and diabetes constant concerns across our country, many consumers are looking for healthier options at breakfast. According to Mintel, 77% of restaurant users “would like to see more healthy items on the menu” (Mintel Healthy Dining Trends, May 2009).

by Bradley J. Ware, Ph.D., and C. Lévesque Ware, Ph.D.

In any business, reducing employee turnover can result in greater productivity and increased profitability.

Foodservice operations are different in size, structure and sophistication, yet there are basic guidelines that can be applied in varying degrees to any operation to encourage employee retention. Employees who feel respected, appreciated and fairly treated and who are comfortable in their work environment do not usually leave. Opportunities for personal growth and possible career advancement are also important enticements for employees.

By Brian Campbell, CEC, CCE

Because everyone grew up eating sandwiches, students will inevitably view sandwich-making as a life skill they have already mastered. This is where the teaching challenge lies.

When teaching one of the major objectives (the technique of roasting) in a recent class, I had an opportunity to show how to utilize a leftover roast from the previous day, in this case pork loin, to produce a profitable menu item.

Courtesy of The Perishables Group

With the recent fluctuation in seafood sales and the oil spill in the Gulf, how the industry will fare this year is difficult to predict. But one thing’s for sure: Eating healthier is driving increased interest in seafood.

The seafood industry suffered during the onset of the recession in 2008, but it came back in a big way in 2009.

While other fresh ingredients benefited from the boost in sales spurred by people cooking at home more often in 2008, the seafood business took a hit. The only notable bright spots occurred in catfish and lobster, which people stocked up on after the lobster industry experienced an oversupply.

By Brent T. Frei

Rising culinary star Michael Matarazzo, the U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ for 2010 by the American Culinary Federation, is merely grateful to still be learning.

Michael Matarazzo, 30, executive chef of Bear Mountain Inn in New York’s Hudson Valley, has already achieved more than many chefs who are half again his age. What distinguishes him among chefs of his generation who have garnered so much glory so soon is his humility. “I didn’t expect this; I didn’t even prepare a speech,” he said after being named the U.S.A.’s Chef of the Year™ for 2010 by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) at the organization’s national convention in Anaheim, Calif., in early August. “It’s mind-blowing to me that I am standing here with the amount of talent that is in this room.”