NRA Show '10 attendees, exhibits up

The 91st annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and the International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event (IWSB) saw an increase in both attendees and exhibits from 2009. The NRA Show attracted more than 58,000 registrants--up 6 percent from 2009--and approximately 1,700 exhibitors showcased new products and services this year. Attendees trekked to Chicago for the show from 120 countries, up from 107 countries in 2009. IWSB, the industry's only professional event focused exclusively on growing restaurant and hospitality bar programs, saw a 17 percent increase in attendee registration over last year with more than 3,500 qualified registrants.

For more information on the show including photos, videos, and the Floored! blog, visit www.restaurant.org/show. NRA Show 2011 will take place May 21 to 24 at Chicago's McCormick Place. The 2011 International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event will be held May 22 and 23.

Sullivan University chef-instructors celebrate Louisville Tourist Month

On May 14, The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook author Albert Schmid appeared at a book signing event at the Louisville Visitors Center, Louisville, Ky., along with Sullivan University chef-instructors David Dodd, Katie Payne and Allen Akmon, who prepared tastings of dishes from the cookbook. The event was presented in celebration of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau's Hometown Tourist Month.

(l to r) Sullivan University chef-instructors David Dodd, Katie Payne, Allen Akmon and Albert Schmid (seated)

ICE student wins 4th annual Chefs of Grey Poupon student competition

Sonali Ruder, a student at The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), won the 2010 Chefs of Grey Poupon Student Culinary Competition, which was held May 6 at Viking Cooking School and Culinary Shop in Glenview, Ill.

Ruder took home the grand prize and a $20,000 culinary scholarship from Kraft Foodservice with her original recipe for pan-roasted lamb loin with celery root, apple and dijon purée, mustard greens, Grey Poupon glazed carrots, pomegranate jus and truffle mustard mushroom crisp and her Mystery Basket Challenge dish of a crab cake sandwich with black garlic aïoli and avocado radish salsa.

Dave Wilcox of Kraft Foodservice with Chefs of Grey Poupon student winner Sonali Ruder

Joshua Ogrodowski from Johnson & Wales University received a $5,000 scholarship and second place with his recipe for honey Dijon pistachio-encrusted lamb rack with Dijon succotash, whole-grain Dijon lamb glace and fire-roasted tomatoes. Sarah Roberts from Kendall College won third place and a $3,000 scholarship with her recipe for crispy braised pork belly with Chinese black rice rolls. The Culinary Institute of America student Brooke Maynard took home fourth place and a $2,000 scholarship for her recipe of pear and Dijon glazed pork loin.

Now in its fifth year, the Chefs of Grey Poupon program was developed to honor three chefs each year who have creatively used Grey Poupon in their signature dishes. The student culinary competition was added four years ago to inspire the chefs of tomorrow. For more information, visit www.chefsofgreypoupon.com.

CET is headed to the '10 NRA Show!

Chef Educator Today will be at the 2010 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show on Monday, May 24, and Tuesday, May 25. If you're planning to attend, be sure to stop by our booth, #7828!

Otherwise, see you Wednesday!

-the CET editors

McDonald's Fields receives honorary degree at Lexington commencement

On May 19 Lexington College hosted its 32nd commencement at the Merit School of Music in Chicago, where it awarded an honorary bachelor's degree in hospitality management to Janice Fields (pictured, below), president of McDonald's USA LLC. The honoris causa signifies that through decades of hospitality industry leadership, Fields has completed the course of study for this degree.


As president of McDonald's, Fields is responsible for the strategic direction and overall business results of the 14,000 McDonald's restaurants in the United States. Previously, Fields was executive vice president and chief operating officer, where she oversaw the operations of the U.S. McDonald’s restaurants. She started her career at McDonald's as a crew member in 1978.

NRAEF to award almost $60k in scholarships at NRA Show

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will present $59,000 in scholarships to undergraduate students and educators pursuing careers and professional development in the restaurant and foodservice industry, during the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show taking place May 22 to 25 at Chicago's McCormick Place. The scholarships will be awarded during the Michael E. Hurst Educational Forum and 23rd annual Salute to Excellence, a series of events hosted by the NRAEF, on May 22 at the Hilton Chicago.

The NRAEF, in partnership with its endowment and leadership scholar donors, will present the following scholarships at Salute to Excellence:

• The Coca-Cola Co. will award two $5,000 scholarships to student honor delegates Melissa Dillard, University of Maryland East, Princess Anne, Md.; and Katie Fulgham, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.
  
• The NRAEF in partnership with the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA), will award five scholarships totaling $12,500 to student honor delegates Adena Gilden, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.; Robert Stretch, Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Nicole Trussell, Newberry College, Newberry, S.C.; Laura Hooton, the Culinary Institute of America (CIA); and San Shoppell, Kapiolani Community College, Honolulu, Hawaii
  
• The Al Schuman Ecolab Undergraduate Entrepreneurial Scholarship will award $16,500 to undergraduate students Crystal Lingle, Penn State University; Soraya Khoury, the CIA; and Joseph Hawkins, Johnson & Wales University (JWU)
  
• Golden Corral Corp. will award the $5,000 James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Awards to ProStart educators Bonita Curtis, Maryland ProStart Educator Excellence Award Winner, Fairmont Heights High School, Capitol Heights, Md.; and Judy Uerling, New Mexico ProStart Educator Excellence Award Winner, Clovis High School, Clovis, N.M.
• The Robert E. Rich Sr. Chairman's Award Scholarship will award a total of $10,000 to four undergraduate students attending JWU, Cornell University and the CIA

HCCC now offers baking and pastry certificate

Hudson County Community College's (HCCC) Culinary Arts Institute, Jersey City, N.J., has developed a 10-week, industry-certified baking and pastries certificate program to prepare students for immediate employment. Classes will begin June 15 at the Culinary Arts Institute.

Students who attain the certification will have acquired the knowledge to maintain a pastry shop, develop menus, organize production and use products in a cost-efficient manner. Students who complete the four-module course may also transfer the classes toward an associate degree at HCCC.

For more information about the new certificate program, visit www.hccc.edu and search under the "Academic Programs" tab.