Hello!

Welcome to March and the latest edition of Gold Medal Classroom. As the old weather-adage says, the month comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.

I’m not sure about lions, but I like the lamb part with longer, warmer days and spring’s hint. Another great part about lamb, (and I am now referring to the protein) is that menus across America are incorporating more lamb dishes in a variety of categories. Instructors who want to know what all the fuss is about will be sure to read, “Lamb from Fine Dining and Beyond.”

Nutrition is always in season but especially during March, which is also known as National Nutrition Month, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Instructors should read, “Why Your Students Must Understand How to Read Food Labels” by Lorri Fishman, MS, RDN, who teaches nutrition science at Kendall College. Educators can also join the nutritional march by participating in the “5^th Annual Whole Grains Sampling Day” on March 30 sponsored by Oldways Whole Grain Council. 

Chef educators will know nutritionally-dense meals can also be packed with great flavors. To discover new global flavor trends, the article, “McCormick Flavor Forecast Unveils the Tastes of Tomorrow” may help spur your creativity and widen your palate.

Also, one of culinary education’s own shining stars, Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America, was recently named one of the top 50 most powerful people in the world of food. “Publications Recognize CIA Leader for His Influence and Impact” gives you all the details.

Another person who is an expert in the culinary education business is our own Think Tank writer, Paul Sorgule. In this GMC edition, Sorgule poses an interesting question: Does a great chef make an ideal culinary instructor? Think Tank’s “Defining the Ideal Culinary Educator” provides you with the answer. While good instructors can be found in and out of the classroom, Dr. Fred Mayo discusses the role of evaluation while teaching online classes in this month’s Mayo’s Clinic.

Chef Adam Weiner takes on the complicated question of seafood sustainability, with a little help from his daughter and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. 50 Minute Classroom’s “Teaching Your Students About Seafood Sustainability” will begin a several –series long discussion of terms like “sustainability,” “low-carbon footprint” and other phrases used in the culinary and marketplace lexicon. 

Finally, Knouse Foodservice announces the K-12 winners of its first Musselman’s Bright Apples Sweepstakes in Breaking News. The section also features the announcement that globally-renowned thought leader Hattie Hill joined the National Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors.

Enjoy this month’s edition of Gold Medal Classroom.

Lisa M. Parrish

GMC Editor