Since 2005, culinary professionals looking to advance their careers by earning a diploma from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) have been completing their two-year associate degrees in just 15 months in the college's associate-degree program for students with Advanced Culinary Experience (ACE). Now, the CIA is expanding the program so twice as many culinarians can take advantage of this unique academic offering.

The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA), the Pasadena location for the Le Cordon Bleu program, hosted the most recent National Honey Board (NHB) student recipe competition. Twenty-two students from beginning to advanced skill levels accepted the challenge to win one of three scholarship prizes.

As a Korean-born immigrant to America, Sullivan University’s Erica Sung has always wanted to learn about American agriculture management and what Korea could learn from American farming. As the recipient of the 2009 Culinary Learning Experience Scholarship, sponsored by the Simplot Top of House Culinary Board and the Idaho Potato Commission, she had the opportunity to travel to Idaho to tour a trout farm, explore potato and onion fields and more, all with the goal of sharing her knowledge with Sullivan classmates upon her return.

“My native country, Korea, does not have a system in place to mass-produce agricultural products, so it must rely on foreign exports,” said Sung before her trip. “However, as the global culture starts to merge, Korean eating habits are becoming increasingly Westernized. I believe this trip will give me the perspective to understand where Korea may be headed in a few years. I am looking forward to sharing what I learn with my fellow students at Sullivan University.”

Delmar, part of Cengage Learning and a leader in skills-based solutions for educational institutions, businesses and professionals, announces the publication of Case Scenarios in Hospitality Supervision, a resource guide for hospitality personnel. The book is based on common challenges in the industry and actual encounters in the field by author Dr. Peter Szende, a faculty member in the School of Hospitality Administration at Boston University.

Case Scenarios in Hospitality Supervision (ISBN: 1428321403, $49.95) presents 75 vignettes depicting real-life managerial dilemmas in the setting of the fictional Royal Hotel. The book focuses on scenarios that often happen to new managers, with particular emphasis placed on sharpening critical-thinking abilities and developing leadership. The setting of the Royal Hotel simulates real life, engaging students in a particular situation and helping to bridge the gap between classroom and industry.

By Colin Roche, CEC, CCE, CHE

Expose your students to a culinary experience that most likely know nothing about.

Game has come a long way, and today more and more chefs are increasingly featuring game dishes on their menus. The old belief that game meat is tough with strong flavors is quickly disappearing because today’s game is mostly farm-raised, making it tender and delicious. Though it usually has a stronger flavor than the meat of domesticated animals, it is also lower in fat, cholesterol and calories, while being higher in minerals and protein.
 

Due to its unique taste, popularity and health benefits compared to domesticated meats, game is a food product that all culinary students should be exposed to and is a great topic to add to the culinary curriculum. Some of the most widely available game animals found frequently on menus is venison, rabbit, wild boar, bison and game birds.

American Culinary Federation

• Certified Master Chef (CMC)
• Certified Master Pastry Chef (CMPC)
• Certified Executive Chef (CEC)
• Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC)
• Certified Culinary Educator (CCE)
• Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC)
• Certified Personal Executive Chef (CPEC)
• Certified Secondary Culinary Educator (CSCE)
• Certified Working Pastry Chef (CWPC)
• Certified Sous Chef (CSC)
• Certified Personal Chef (CPC)
• Certified Culinarian (CC)
• Certified Pastry Culinarian (CPC)
• Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA)

Tips of the Week:

• Demonstrate the use of one specific knife—its advantages, disadvantages, limitations, use, care, storage, design and features.

The Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) announces dates of 2010 events.

March 5-7       Front-of-House Operations National Symposium, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Las Vegas

June 18-20     Mastering French Cooking: from Classics to Contemporary, L’Academie de Cuisine, Gaithersburg, Md.

June 25-27     6th-Annual Leadership Conference, Baltimore International College

July 23-25      The Healthy Menu—Cooking for Tomorrow, Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, Chicago

For more information, visit www.CAFEMeetingPlace.com or contact Mary Petersen at (410) 268-5542, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Olson Communications, a full-service agency that specializes in delivering innovative marketing communication strategy to its portfolio of select food-industry clients, announces the winning recipient of its second-annual 20th Anniversary Chefs of Tomorrow™ grant program for culinary educators.