September 'Culinary Nutrition News' examines organic claims

Organic. Natural. Local. Sustainable. These terms are ubiquitous in the foodservice industry today, though there is still plenty of confusion about what they truly mean. The September issue of "Culinary Nutrition News: Organic, Natural, Local and Sustainable: Trends or Mainstays?" helps define the terms, explains the different types of organic classification and offers examples of restaurants leading the movement. The article, presented by the American Culinary Federation Chef & Child Foundation (CCF) and Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., is now available for download at www.acfchefs.org/CNN.

In the article, author Dr. Margaret Condrasky, R.D., CCE, of Clemson University, discusses the pros and cons of conventional vs. organic farming and gives examples of organic fruits and vegetables that you should consider purchasing, including bell peppers and celery, because they have little or no protective skin, and apples, nectarines and peaches because they are plagued with pests and are exposed to more pesticides.

The American Culinary Federation's Chef & Child Foundation and Clemson University partnered in May 2009 to offer a series of monthly articles designed to bridge the nutrition gap for chefs by providing up-to-date research information. Upcoming topics include genetically modified foods, medicinal herbs and spices and quality carbohydrates.

LCB Austin student wins Chilean Hass Avocado recipe contest

Juan Duboue, a student at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts--Austin, Texas, won the first-ever Chilean Hass Avocado recipe contest for culinary students. Students from across the country sent in a range of avocado recipes suitable for foodservice, from appetizers to desserts, entrées to snacks.

Duboue's $1,000 winning recipe was a Chilean Hass Avocado Charlotte (pictured, below), made from avocado slices fitted into a ring and filled with avocado mousse and a mousse of smoked salmon, goat cheese and roasted garlic, with black bean ancho chili sauce, black tobiko pico de gallo and red corn tortilla chips.


Second place and $750 went to Ayanna Johnson, a student at L'Ecole Culinaire, Memphis, Tenn., for her avocado bites recipe. Third place went to Nick Furlan, a student at Le Cordon Bleu--Las Vegas, for his recipe for avocado poppers. For more information, visit www.chileanavocados.org.

National Food Safety Education Month kicks off with training tools and posters

September is National Food Safety Education Month. This campaign from the National Restaurant Association focuses on the importance of food safety education for the restaurant and foodservice industry, while raising awareness of the industry's commitment to food safety. The theme of this year's National Food Safety Education Month is "High-Risk Customers: Serve Your Fare with Extra Care."

The program offers five weeks of free training materials, available for download at www.servsafe.com/nfsem. The weekly training activities and posters can be used to supplement existing in-unit food safety training. All materials reinforce the theme and focus on the special needs of children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.

The curriculum for National Food Safety Education Month is broken down into five weekly themes, with each theme stressing a different aspect of food safety and high-risk customers. These themes cover topics such as recognizing high-risk customers, children and food safety risk, foods to avoid, minimum internal cooking temperatures and food safety risk factors.

All NFSEM materials are based on the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe food safety training and certification program. The materials communicate food-safety concepts efficiently and all the activities can be completed in less than 10 minutes.

RMU instructor awarded 3rd annual Chefs of Tomorrow grant

Laurette Stefani, chef-instructor at Robert Morris University's Institute of Culinary Arts, was selected to receive a $1,500 grant from Olson Communications' Chefs of Tomorrow initiative. The third annual grant was given in honor of the grant program's 20th anniversary.

(l to r) Rachel Tracy, Olson Communications; Chefs of Tomorrow grant recipient Laurette Stefani; and Sharon Olson, Olson Communications

Stefani used the grant to help fund an educational immersion trip through the Northern California's Bay Area and Napa Valley. For more than a week in August, Stefani biked through Healdsburg's boutique olive estates, wineries and chicken co-ops, and toured Hog Island Oyster Co. in Tomales Bay. She sampled freshly made salumi at chef Paul Bertolli's Fra' Mani in Berkeley; participated in a tea ceremony at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center on Muir Beach; tasted goat's-milk cheese, yogurt and kefir at Redwood Hill Farm in Sonoma Valley; and shopped for produce at Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco.

"My grandparents exposed me to the sweet taste of freshly picked basil from the garden, the waft of homemade bread being baked in the oven, and the communal event of making ravioli at the kitchen table," Stefani said in a statement. "Since I became an instructor at Robert Morris University, I learned that many of our students did not have the same opportunities I did. Processed cheese supplied their lunches, while dinners came from a microwavable carton. There is no connection to the food, and no respect for its origin or maker. As an educator, I want to teach them that there is more to cooking than what you can prepare out of a box."

Chicago-based Olson Communications founded Chefs of Tomorrow in 2008 to fund grants to high school and postsecondary culinary educators.

Check back on Online Tool Kit later this month for Laurette Stefani's journal of her educational immersion in Northern California.

MSU Hospitality presents two Lifetime Achievement Awards

During the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (I-CHRIE) Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, The School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University (MSU) Alumni Association presented its annual Lifetime Academic Achievement Award to Dr. Frank D. Borsenik and professor William E. Spaulding, both MSU alumni.

Borsenik taught a range of courses in MSU's School of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management from 1957 to 1974, and served two times as acting director. He has published several books, articles, published proceedings and professional papers and hosted seminars as well. Active in the industry as a consultant to numerous corporations and hotel groups and in the academy as president and chairman of the board of I-CHRIE, Dr. Borsenik was honored for his many contributions to and lifetime achievements in hospitality education.

Spaulding was chair of the department of Hotel, Restaurant & Resort Management at Northwood University, Midland, Mich., for nearly 30 years--during which time he taught 14 different subjects, guided the curriculum, built the alumni base, advised students, traveled on study-abroad programs, set up internships and mentored students. He also has been active in a number of professional organizations, and helped found the Michigan Chapter of CHRIE (MI-CHRIE) in 1977. A member of the Michigan Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association, he also served as a board member for the Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association.

Both men were honored during a breakfast ceremony breakfast ceremony, held July 29 at La Concha Resort.

NCHS alumnus joins The Bakery at Sullivan University

Sullivan University's National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) hired alumnus Robin Richardson as head chef and manager of the school's retail bakery, The Bakery at Sullivan University.

After earning her degree from Sullivan University in 2009, Richardson (pictured) joined the team at Desserts by Helen in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood. At The Bakery, she will offer customers full-size cakes, cake by the slice, pies and expanded lunch selections alongside classic favorite pastries and candies.

"It is so exciting to be returning to my alma mater to run The Bakery at Sullivan University," Richardson said in a statement. "Baking is my outlet for creativity, and I am happy to share my inspiration with our wonderful customers."

BCA announces 7th Global Food and Wine Experience

The BCA will hold its 7th annual Global Food and Wine Experience for chefs, wine merchants and food connoisseurs on Sept. 30. More than 75 culinary students will be working side by side with industry professionals at the event to prepare and unveil the latest trends in cuisine. (Pictured right, BCA student chefs learning plating and presentation techniques from a guest mentor chef.)

Event highlights include a culinary sampling from select restaurants paired with winemakers, distributers and outlets from around the world as well as restaurant chefs displaying gourmet tastings with help from culinary students.

The BCA is a national, nonprofit organization devoted to the enhancement of professional and educational opportunities for people of color in the foodservice and hospitality industry. The event, titled, "Diversity in Food and Wine", will take place at the Prince George Ballroom in New York City. For more information, visit www.bcaglobal.org.