Manufacturer Goes Face-to-Face with Culinary Students

By the Editors -- Foodservice Equipment and Supplies, 2/1/2008

Test kitchens and equipment demonstrations are commonplace within the foodservice industry. What's not as common, though, is having a group of high school students enrolled in a culinary arts program visit your test kitchen to test your equipment and prepare a special lunch. But that's exactly what Vulcan & Wolf did through its unique partnership with the Center of Applied Technology North, a Baltimore-area vocational school.

During an era when many companies support their local communities through financial donations, Vulcan & Wolf takes a slightly different approach. While the students will remember their opportunity to test-drive this equipment, the experience provided a more in-depth learning experience. Each student got to take a rare look at the manufacturing process and all of the other steps that go into making a piece of commercial foodservice equipment.

To get an idea of the impetus behind this program and how this particular company benefits, as well as the industry, FE&S went face to face with Tim Murray, president of Vulcan & Wolf.

FE&S: Describe Vulcan & Wolf's approach to giving back to the community. Specifically, what types of programs/initiatives do you support?

TM: We believe in reaching out to the community where we work and live. Vulcan & Wolf, therefore, partners with organizations that will ultimately benefit our local community. Ideally, we target organizations that are in some way related to our core business of providing premium cooking equipment to the foodservice industry. The Center of Applied Technology North (CATN) is a perfect example. We are also a big supporter of the United Way. Our involvement in these programs is not a seasonal endeavor, but a year-long initiative. In addition to our corporate office here in Baltimore, we have manufacturing plants in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin that support similar programs and initiatives at their local level.

FE&S: There are many wonderful organizations that can use a helping hand in the form of money, time or equipment. Realistically, though, any one company's resources are finite. So, how do you choose which ones to support?

TM: Our relationship with CATN began in 1999 when we donated a few pieces of equipment to the school. Since then, Vulcan & Wolf has worked with our dealer partners to develop and implement a culinary discount program for other culinary schools across the country. This has helped make commercial cooking equipment more affordable for these institutions. As a result, many of these schools now have Vulcan's equipment to train their students. It's truly a win-win arrangement.

FE&S: What do you, as a company, hope to gain by participating in programs like this?

TM: By giving our time and resources to local organizations, we hope to help further the educational and professional development of young people who eventually will become leaders in our industry. We want to make a lasting impression on young minds and generate excitement and passion for our industry and our equipment.

FE&S: Has your participation in programs like the one with the Center of Applied Technology North had an impact on your employees? The thought being that it might be good for morale or something of the sort. Is that the case?

TM: Absolutely! Having the students here to prepare meals in our test kitchen for the President's Luncheon on Nov. 7 was a wonderful and gratifying experience for our employees. Everyone at our company has contributed in some way to the final products that reside in our test kitchen, and seeing them used so successfully by these students was a very proud moment for our entire team.

FE&S: What have you learned working with programs like these and their students?

TM: We have learned that the biggest benefit to come from these programs is giving students the opportunity to hone their skills on top-flight equipment. This will only help their futures as culinary professionals. We have also found that it provides us a wonderful forum to get first-hand feedback from the students about our cooking equipment. This input is invaluable in our continuing efforts to design and manufacture the best products that are easy to use and fit our customers' specific needs. It's wonderful to see how they interact with the equipment, to hear their questions about how it works, and to get their fresh perspectives on what they like or dislike.

FE&S: How does this initiative support your overall business objectives?

TM: Ultimately, programs like these allow us to see our equipment in action. Commercial cooking equipment must be easy to use. This helps us get a better idea of what the end-user needs to operate our equipment in order to prepare and serve the best food possible.

FE&S: Is there anything else about these programs that you'd like to add?

TM: Bringing these students into our manufacturing facility enables them to see how the equipment is designed and assembled and gives them a chance to interact with the people that make it happen. This is an excellent first-hand learning experience for these students.