Are you preparing students to be kitchen and career ready?

By Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC

Sometimes the military gets it right. The training program that all soldiers must go through is designed to not just prepare individuals physically for the demands of this type of service, but more importantly prepare these same individuals to function as members of a larger entity. The methodologies used are very well thought out, and all conditioning is directly or indirectly focused on a high level of preparedness. Some may call this conditioning excessive, but I think most would agree that the result is a unit of men or women with a common focus and a total commitment to their respective tasks as part of a team.

Apply those same realities to the function of a professional kitchen, and it would not be a stretch to admit that this type of outcome is exactly what is needed from culinary educational programs. The desired outcomes for both the military and programs focused on careers in a kitchen are: respect, attention to detail, professionalism, image, repetition, physical conditioning, teamwork, respect for chain of command, the ability to follow directives, and accepting roles within an organization.

Approved by the ACF for CEHs, this curriculum released in January arrives at a time when mango consumption in the United States is up considerably.

Courtesy of the National Mango Board

The National Mango Board announces the release of its new education materials for culinary students, culinary instructors and professional chefs. Fresh Mango-The Basics for Foodservice video and Fresh Mango Curriculum cover the product essentials from how mangos grow to how to maximize their menu versatility—everything operators need to create fresh, delicious and healthful menu items with fresh mango. Culinary-education materials are available at www.mango.org/foodservice/culinary-education.

The Fresh Mango Curriculum has been approved by the American Culinary Federation for 8.5 continuing-education hours. Viewers may take the online quiz and program evaluation and send to the e-mail provided; the National Mango Board will review and send a certificate.

“In our foodservice program we’re finding that success using fresh mango on menus rests not only on knowing the basics of how to order and handle this popular fruit,” says Megan McKenna, director of marketing for the Mango Board, “but also with understanding the remarkable versatility of fresh mango across all dayparts, in sweet and savory applications.”

Culinary programs nationwide are invited to submit their best ideas for this sixth-annual recognition program by April 1.

The Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) are accepting applications for the 2014 CAFÉ/Kendall College Green Award. This is the first national award to recognize secondary and postsecondary culinary-arts and baking/pastry programs for their commitment to teaching and practicing sustainability. Additionally, the winning program will receive a $1,000 cash prize plus complimentary registration to the 10th-Annual CAFÉ Leadership Conference, June 19-21, 2014, in Salt Lake City, where the award will be presented.

All secondary and postsecondary culinary-arts and baking/pastry programs in the United States, whether diploma- or degree-granting, are eligible. Selection criteria are based on the integration of sustainability into educational programs and operations.

“Kendall has dedicated itself to sustainability in its curriculum and campus operations since 2005, and the value we’ve reaped from sharing our knowledge with other educators and learning from them has been extremely gratifying,” says Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, HAAC, vice president of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts and of Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts. “By working with us to build this body of knowledge, foodservice educators throughout the United States now have many tools with which to impact the future of our industry and our world through our students.”

Among many professional-development events held last year, the sum of different voices, perspectives and expertise areas was the most valuable take-away.

By Mary Petersen

I was privileged to attend several professional events in 2013 including annual conferences for the American Culinary Federation, the Research Chefs Association, Chefs Collaborative, the American Council for Technical Education the International Foodservice Editorial Council; and the National Restaurant Association, in addition to three CAFÉ events: the first postsecondary Deans and Directors Retreat, the 9^th-annual CAFÉ Leadership Conference and The Science of Baking Workshop.

These events focused on present challenges and offered numerous ideas for coping with the future. I thought I would share (in no particular order) some relevant (to me and perhaps to you) highlights:

A roundup of predictions for this year from the most respected sources.

Courtesy of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts

Consumers didn’t increase their visits to restaurants in 2013, but when they did visit they spent more. Indeed, consumer spending was up 2% over a year ago, driven by growth in average check size. What does 2014 look like in terms of foodservice patronage? Where will Americans eat, and what and how will they choose to eat when they dine out?

The Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago keeps its finger on the pulse of menu and dining-out trends, and for 2014 consulted three leading global information companies—plus the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot culinary forecast that surveyed nearly 1,300 members of the American Culinary Federation—to compile the biggest predictions for the foodservice industry in 2014.

Fast Casual Grows Fast
If last year was a struggle for full-service restaurants, casual dining and midscale/family dining, the fast-casual segment continued its growth trend in 2013, with traffic up 8% in the year ending September 2013 compared to same period a year before, according to The NPD Group. Says Mintel, new fast-casual concepts focusing on customization, quick service and convenience are gaining customers who are willing to pay more for better quality and healthier foods. Better-burger chains, health-focused concepts and made-to-order pizza restaurants are on the rise.