Piantedosi Baking co-owner wins MRAEF Leadership Award

At the annual Massachusetts Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (MRAEF) Making the Future Bright Scholarship Awards Gala in May, MRAEF gave the MRAEF Leadership Award to Joseph "Joe" Piantedosi Jr. of Piantedosi Baking Co. Inc. Each year, MRAEF scholarship recipients are honored at the annual Making the Future Bright Scholarship Awards Gala. During the event, the MRAEF also gives out the Leadership Award to a person who has provided the foundation with longstanding support.

Piantedosi is the executive vice president of marketing and business development, as well as co-owner with his two cousins of Piantedosi Baking Co. He is an active member of the MRA, having been a past president of the MRAEF and current board member. He was this year's MRA Trade Show committee chairman, past chairman of the associate member committee, and has been a member of various additional committees for the organization.

"I was honored and humbled to receive this award," Piantedosi said in a statement. "This is such a great thing, to raise money for these kids. They are the future of our industry. This really wasn't about me, it was about them. It’s always such a feel-good night."

Since 2001, the MRAEF has awarded scholarships to qualified students who are embarking on futures in the foodservice industry. For more information, visit www.marestaurantassoc.org/education.

NRAEF Salute to Excellence attendees raise $400k

At the 23rd annual National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) Salute to Excellence gala, industry leaders in attendance raised more than $400,000 to benefit the NRAEF's youth career development programs. The event, which took place May 22 to kick of the 2010 NRA Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, honored foodservice dignitaries, students and educators.

National ProStart Invitational culinary winners from Kansas prepare their winning appetizer for the Salute to Excellence reception

Among the awards presented during the event were the Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality Award, which went to S. Truett Cathy, founder, chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A Inc.; the James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award, which went to ProStart educators Bonita Curtis of Fairmont Heights High School, Capitol Heights, Md., and Judy Uerling of Clovis High School, Clovis, N.M.the Michael E. Hurst Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Ferdinand E. Metz, CMC, AAC, world global master chef (WGMC), hall of fame (HOF). (Read about Metz winning the award here.)

(l to r) Judy Irwin, vice president of human resources and training at Golden Corral, presents ProStart educators Bonita Curtis of Fairmont Heights High School, Capitol Heights, Md., and Judy Uerling of Clovis High School, Clovis, N.M. with the James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award. The teachers also each received a $5,000 cash prize.

The NRAEF also inducted several individuals into its College of Diplomates. The 2010 Diplomates inductees are:

• Jerald W. Chesser, Ed.D, CEC, FMP, CCE, AAC, professor, The Collins College of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• Alice Elliot, CPC, founder and CEO, The Elliot Group LLC
• Denise Marie Fugo, FMP, chair and CEO, Sammy's
  

AHLEI honors hospitality education leaders

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) named the 2010 winners of its awards for champions of hospitality training and education. The winners were honored at the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Summer Summit during the AH&LA Stars of the Industry Awards Luncheon on June 16.

And the winners are:

• Arthur Landstreet Award for a lasting impact on hospitality training and education. Consultant Jay S. Witzel, CHA, former president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide
• Anthony G. Marshall Award for long-term contributions to educating future leaders in hospitality. Richard Ghiselli, Ph.D., associate professor at the Purdue University School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

AHLEI presented four Lamp of Knowledge Awards for commitment to advancing the quality of professionalism and education in the hospitality industry. The winners are:

• Outstanding Educator (International). Ramesh Takulia, CHE, director, learning and development, luxury division, Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, India;
• Outstanding Educator (U.S.). Jennifer Calhoun, CHE, assistant professor and director for the Hospitality and Tourism Institute at Prince George's Community College, Largo, Md.;
• Outstanding Educator (High School). Todd Nakayama, Waipahu High School, Waipahu, Hawaii; and
• Outstanding Student (Distance Learning). Siddhi Khajuria, food and beverage manager, Imperial Palace Hotel, Rajkot, India.

"The foundation for every individual or company success in our industry begins with great teachers, educators and mentors," said Robert L. Steele III, CHA, president and COO of AHLEI, during the awards ceremony. "That is why we take the opportunity to recognize and honor these educators today."

NRA's ProStart recognized by American Society of Association Executives

The National Restaurant Association's (NRA) ProStart career-building program received an Award of Excellence from the 2010 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program, a national competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

The 2010 AAA Awards program selected 21 winners out of more than 100 entries. The NRA received a total of two awards this year--the other was for its environmental initiative Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability.

"We are honored to receive the Awards of Excellence and proud to support America's nearly 1 million restaurants as they serve their guests, their communities and their employees,” said NRA president and CEO Dawn Sweeney in a statement. "Both the Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative and ProStart program play big roles in assisting our industry in reaching new levels of excellence. Our vision as an organization is to enhance the quality of life for all we serve, and these programs help us realize that goal."

The ProStart program and Conserve initiative are now in the running to receive a Summit Award, ASAE & The Center's top recognition, to be presented in ceremonies at ASAE's 11th Annual Summit Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 29. For more information, visit www.asaecenter.org.

Ivy Tech student wins ACF's Be Like 'Mike' contest

Trish LeBlanc, a hospitality administration student at Ivy Tech Community College--Central Indiana, Indianapolis, was named winner of the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) Be Like "Mike" contest and will shadow ACF National President Michael Ty, CEC, AAC, at the 2010 ACF National Convention Aug. 2 to 5, in Anaheim, Calif.


LeBlanc (pictured, above) was selected as the winner of the Be Like "Mike" contest from a host of national candidates. Entrants were required to be at least 18 years old and an ACF member; and either a first-, second- or third-year full-time culinary student enrolled in a degree-granting culinary program at a university or college, or an apprentice in an ACF Education Foundation apprenticeship program. The candidates submitted a signed letter of endorsement from their department chair and/or school or apprenticeship director, as well as a 500-word essay describing why they aspire to be a culinary leader and how shadowing Ty during the 2010 ACF National Convention would help them reach their goal.

LeBlanc is pursuing an associate degree in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. She has been an active member of the ACF Greater Indianapolis Chapter since August 2009 and serves on the chapter's student board. She aspires to one day teach culinary arts.

The French Pastry School celebrates a sweet victory with the Chicago Blackhawks

The real Stanley Cup and one made of chocolate by the French Pastry School were positioned for display at Bistro 110 for the Chicago Blackhawks' private celebration.

On June 12, French Pastry School chef-founders Jacquy Pfeiffer and Sébastien Canonne, MOF, joined executive chef Dominique Tougne of Bistro 110, Chicago, in creating a private celebration dinner for the national champion hockey team the Chicago Blackhawks.

As part of the celebration, the French Pastry School presented a Stanley Cup sculpture (pictured, above), made out of pure Cacao Barry chocolate couverture and colored cocoa butter. Weighing in at nearly 50 pounds, the piece included the cup itself, the base, a hockey stick on top and a giant hockey puck featuring the Blackhawks logo. As with the real trophy, the chocolate reproduction includes the names of the players and coaches written on the side in cocoa butter.

Have your pastry students created an outstanding showpiece for their school's or city's sports team? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Le Cordon Bleu to use only cage-free eggs

As part of the growing sustainability movement, Le Cordon Bleu Schools in North America is switching to only using cage-free eggs at its 17 campuses nationwide, according to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

"The Humane Society of the United States applauds Le Cordon Bleu for its switch to organic cage-free eggs," said Matthew Prescott, corporate outreach director for The HSUS' factory farming campaign, in a statement. "Le Cordon Bleu has demonstrated that it takes social responsibility seriously and should be commended for improving the lives of animals in its supply chain."

For more information on farm animal confinement, visit www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/.