Introducing Tomorrow’s Foodservice Professionals

By the Editors -- Foodservice Equipment and Supplies, 3/1/2008

Students from the Center of Applied Technology North, a Baltimore-area vocational school, pose for a group photo after cooking a special luncheon in the test kitchen at Vulcan-Hart. Joining them in the photo are Tim Murray (far left), president of Vulcan-Hart, and Chef Bruce Davis of CATN (right).

Editor's Note: Recruiting and retaining the next generation of foodservice professionals remains top of mind for many people throughout the industry these days. In addition, the foodservice industry has a long track record when it comes to charitable endeavors. Countless companies donate time, expertise, equipment and the like to many different organizations.

Through a long-standing affiliation with the Center of Applied Technology North, a Baltimore-area vocational school, Vulcan-Hart brought both of these interests together when it invited culinary arts students to cook a special luncheon in its test kitchen. The experience opened the eyes of these aspiring culinary professionals, allowing them a glimpse of what lies beyond their initial attraction to foodservice and their school's kitchen.

Instead of our chronicling their experiences, we at FE&S decided to allow the students to share their thoughts and observations about their day in the test kitchen through a question and answer format.

FE&S: What attracted you to the culinary arts?

Matthew Belch: I got attracted to the culinary arts through family. My grandmother and both of my uncles are chefs and I always loved cooking with them. I also helped out my mom a lot with dinner and really enjoyed cooking. I've enjoyed it since I was a little kid and I just didn't realize it until now. So, I decided to get into this program to learn more about the culinary arts.

Alveon Dixon: For me it's the way food can go from a raw state to a presentation that makes your mouth water. I like the business and feeling I get while working in a kitchen.

Ashleigh Petty: I always enjoyed cooking, but found my initial calling to be towards architecture, that is, until I actually took a drafting class. Cooking was more appealing to me, and simply fun to do. It helps me bring out my creative side.

Baltimore-area vocational students work the sauté station during a special lunch preparation for corporate staff at Vulcan-Hart's test kitchen.

Casey Williams: I was never attracted to cooking until I enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at the Center of Applied Technology North. My counselor suggested the program to me, and that's when I realized how much I actually loved cooking. The best part about culinary arts is that it's a field that will never stop growing. There are always new recipes to try, new jobs, and there is always new and innovative technology.

Jessica M. Martinez: What attracted me to culinary arts mainly were the food presentation and the different varieties, arrangements, and bright colors of the food. As an artist, I'm drawn to objects that are visually stimulating and intrigue the mind, body and soul. So, going into the culinary arts trade was as natural as breathing to me.

FE&S: Describe what it was like going to work in a test kitchen. Were you excited to be there? What was your first impression when you saw the equipment?

Candace Green: Going to the test kitchen was amazing to me. The bus ride was nerve-wracking, knowing that I was going to be in the spotlight. But once I got there, and got moving, I was completely in my element. Seeing the test kitchen was a true experience for me because the manufacturer depends on the feedback that I gave them from using the range to decide if it could be used in the field. The kitchen was big and spacious, and I just saw a room full of opportunity to go anywhere and become anything. From being in the back preparing apple pies to being on the front line preparing the main course, it was all so exciting. It was exhilarating taking directions from the teacher and I found satisfaction in it. It wasn't until I was standing on the line cooking, that I realized how much I love this. It was then when I really realized my passion for the culinary arts.

AD: It was an adventure working in the kitchen because of the new environment and the new technologies that heightened our productivity. The activity in the kitchen was exciting. I was proud to be one of the first outsiders to test the new equipment.

AP: Going to the test kitchen was very exciting, but made me extremely nervous. We had always cooked for important people, but for some reason, cooking for this company and their employees still made me nervous. When I saw the equipment that we were supposed to use, all I could think of was that it looked exactly like our kitchen back at school.

FE&S: Describe the steps associated with preparing the lunch. Which part did you like best? Or what surprised you most?

MB: I enjoyed working with my group to get the salads ready and plated. What surprised me the most was that the freezer and refrigerator were in the same room as the dishmachine. I also liked that there were tables that you can also use for prepping in the dishroom.

AD: My basic duties in preparation for the luncheon were the salads. We grated Parmesan cheese, made the salad dressing, and set up the plates for service. My favorite part was seeing the people's faces after seeing the salad presentations.

JM: It was fairly easy preparing the lunch due to fact that we trained at CAT North to prepare many dishes at least once a week. The only thing that really surprised me was how hot the ovens were!

FE&S: What did you take away from this experience?

AD: This experience was exciting, from the equipment to the pleasant people that we served. The trip gave me a positive idea about the world of culinary arts and boosted my confidence. I learned that better equipment advances the possibilities of better foods.

FE&S: How do you feel you benefit from an experience like this?

CG: The experience opened up my eyes to the fact that the whole world is open to me. Tim Murray, the president of Vulcan-Hart, told us that "If we can dream it, if we can believe it, then we can achieve it," and I'm glad he helped make that possible for us.

AD: Touring the manufacturing plant, I learned that the cleaner you are and the better the equipment, the faster and more efficient the service.

FE&S: How do you feel you benefit from an experience like this?

MB: I got to learn how to serve food in a buffet style.

Steve Kerpleman: I learned that there is no pressure when cooking for important people.

CW: Aside from the obvious "flare" in my portfolio, I feel as if this experience allowed my classmates and me to see that we can cook for people in situations other than the kitchen at school. It provided an experience that none of us will ever forget. Speaking to the employees gave us a chance to gain an insight into the other lines of work associated with culinary arts.

FE&S: What do you hope to do next? Continue your education or go directly into the workforce? What are your career aspirations?

Jenna Wampler: I plan to go to CIA in Highpoint, N.Y., and then work my way up the food chain. It is a long shot but I'm going to try to be a master chef. Then when I'm done in the kitchen I want to help teens like me fulfill their dreams the way Mr. Davis, my teacher, helped me.

AP: I plan on continuing my education in high school and getting a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and business at Johnson & Wales University. Afterwards, if possible, I plan on getting a masters degree in culinary arts and business. With my formal education finished, I plan on opening my own restaurant, though I still haven't come up with a name just yet.

CW: I have been accepted into the North Carolina campus of Johnson & Wales University, where I plan to get a degree in culinary arts, as well as in food and beverage service management. When I graduate, I plan to move to the West Coast to gain work experience, and eventually open my own foodservice operation.