CAFÉ is offering seven awards with cash prizes totaling $7,000 for entrepreneurial spirit, sustainability, commitment to education, community outreach, kitchen technology and a Student of the Year recognition. Award applications are being accepted until April 1, 2023. Along with each cash prize, winners also receive a free registration to CAFÉ’s Leadership Conference, held June 21-23 in Charleston, SC. Winners will be honored at a special award ceremony on June 21.

Kendall College/National Louis University Entrepreneurship Award – $1,000 prize
The award identifies culinary programs that include entrepreneurship as part of a program’s design and includes qualities of visionary leadership. Students can learn about innovation and ideation via their college or community. It is open to individuals and culinary programs in secondary and post-secondary schools.

Applications should include:

• Include all contact information in application
• Description of entrepreneurship outreach in fewer than 500 words
• Documentation illustrating the effort
• Measurement of the success of this idea/initiative/effort
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the information submitted in publicity about the award
• Entries will be judged by the quality of the design and applicability of the outreach whether it is project-based or concept-based

United Soybean Board Green Award – $1,000 prize
The Green Award is offered to individuals/culinary programs that emphasize sustainability or other “green” aspects in their programs. This award is sponsored by the United Soybean Board which is proud to reach out to educators and to recognize their efforts instructing students in the importance of agriculture in their product selection and menu designs. It is open to individuals and culinary programs in secondary and post-secondary schools.

Applications should include:

• Include all contact information in your application
• Entries judged in the areas of quality of design, applicability, replicability, stewardship, success in implementation of the project or concept, impact upon the college and community, and thoughtful innovation in practice and technique
• Application should include description of accomplishment(s) in fewer than 500 words
• Attach documentation illustrating the effort
• Show how you measure success of this idea/initiative/effort
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the submitted information in publicity

Idaho Potato Commission Educator of the Year Award – Two $1,000 prizes
These awards are open to secondary and post-secondary educators as well as culinary educators working within the non-profit training sector.

Applications should include:

• Contact Information including name, address, school, email, and phone
• Provide evidence of the educator’s professional commitment to the educational community and foodservice industry which might include school committee work, professional networking, and community involvement
• Include a resume with the application
• Provide descriptions of ongoing professional development in both instructional and technical skills in the last few years
• Describe overall evidence that the educator has proven leadership in his/her profession; examples may include peer reviews, student evaluations, letters of recommendation, certificates and honors received, etc.
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the submitted information in publicity

Idaho Potato Commission Student of the Year Award – $1,000 prize plus an all-expenses-paid trip to the September 2023 Idaho Potato Harvest Tour

This award is open to any student attending a postsecondary school.

Applications should include:

• Name, address, email and phone number
• School presently attending
• Resume, indicating work experience, competitions (if any), courses completed, club or professional memberships, and individual accomplishments
• Essay of at least 100 words indicating career or professional goals
• Two letters of reference from instructors, lab assistants, or department head
• One letter of reference from industry-related employment, volunteer or paid position
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the information submitted in publicity about the award
• The winner of the award will be expected to write two 100-word essays on their Harvest Tour experience. The essays should be accompanied by pictures and be formatted for publication in The Gold Medal Classroom

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Community Outreach Award – $1,000 prize
This award is open to culinary/hospitality programs or individuals making a positive impact in their communities via outreach programs such as food banks, recycling efforts, skill development for homeless, etc.

Applications should include:

• Contact Information including name, address, school, email, and phone
• Include a description of services you provide to the community and any quantifiable benefits that have resulted. Please provide specific examples in addition to testimonials as available.
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the submitted information in publicity

RATIONAL Kitchen of the Future Award – $1,000 prize
The 2023 Kitchen of the Future Award will be offered to individuals/culinary programs that successfully introduced technology in their programs. The winner of the award will demonstrate the trend in multifunctional equipment in professional kitchens, showing creative utilization of multifunctional equipment (such as smart combi ovens or smart tilt skillets). The winner will also include an introduction to the “networked kitchen” (cloud-based solutions in professional kitchens) in a Lesson Plan that can be utilized in culinary programs. It is open to all individuals and culinary programs in secondary and post-secondary schools.

Applications should include:

• Contact Information including name, address, school, email, and phone
• Description of accomplishment(s) in fewer than 500 words
• Documentation illustrating the effort
• Lesson Plan will include learning objectives and evaluation techniques
• Measurement of the success of this idea/initiative/effort
• Include with these materials that you are giving permission to use any of the submitted information in publicity

Additional information on all award programs can be found by clicking here.

Also, please click here to read about the culinary educators and professionals who were honored in the 2022 award program.