Get Your Students Hired
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Introduction to Culinary Instruction --> Roadmap to Culinary & Hospitality Success
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Students often come in with preconceived notions of what life is like in the culinary field. Much as they believe the life of a detective is a glamorous as they see on television, they may have the same perspective of a chef. Exposing them to different aspects and places they can utilize their skills is necessary. Not only to learn but also experience. This also gives them working knowledge and applicable skills. I especially liked putting students in charge of their own learning in having them post a phone app. This generation listens to pod casts and uses apps to keep up to breast on news and topics. It is the perfect way to blend technology with trends.
I enjoied the importance of staying informed about current culinary trends and technology. I also liked the ideas on how to use classroom projects to expand their knowledge.
Professional development for a chef/instructor is extremely crucial, as well as staying in touch with the current trends of the industry. When considering the nature of trends, and the repetitiveness that occurs over time, Chefs are able to educate students of this important detail when composing their menus or proposals.
I practice these tools in the classroom. I will adopt the idea of further explaining professionalism with students, great ideas to dissect the word and actions behind professionalism. Incorporating additional tools to make content comprehensive and approachable, using technology as learning tools. I honor the idea of instructors staying current with the trends of our industry to deliver fresh material.
The examples of standards provided a great refresh on ways to engage students and instill professionalism, along with creative activities to help them recognize what professionalism looks like in the industry. I also believe this ties into the concept of 'leading by example'—being professional ourselves, staying curious, and continually seeking knowledge and education to remain up-to-date and impactful as instructors.
I continue to work in industry, attend ACF meetings, and read trade journal articles and visit food web sites daily to stay in the know about trends and even updating my own skill set. I bring in recent articles or food blog sites to share as discussion with my students. A favorite of mine is cooks illustrated; as it provides great testing and skill development of dishes/recipes. I tell my students that culinary is life long learning and encompasses so many areas from culture, to ingredients, to psychology, and business. I learn new things each and every day.
As a professional chef I have never stop educating, reading, researching and tasting new trends of food.
It is important to understand that as life moves food does as well. In our days the fact that communication (specially internet) and traveling, has shorten the distance amongst cultures and countries. We are visually exposed to foods that a while ago you could find only in textbooks. Therefore, this is one of the best times to apply all this tools to oneself learning.
There were several important topics presented here;
1. That instructors need to stay up to date on industry topics & trends - This information needs to be presented & discussed with the students
2. Encouraging Travel , being exposed to / Trying new foods and with that being exposed to different aspects of our industry such as ice carving
A chef instructor should stay up to date with the industry as it is constantly changing. It is valuable to impart this kind of thinking to the students so that they understand education is ongoing. I also believe that promoting travel as a medium of education is important to our students in this global culinary world we are now engaged in.
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It is very important to be role model for the students and pass along all the information to sparkle their interest or the passion about knowledge of food. We need to keep in contact with the "real world" and we can do this in any different ways.
Encouraging students to go to places to eat and take photos is a great idea. Creating a discussion with the class about their dining experience and the same applies to instructors to stay current.
As an instructor you need to be able to have realistic expectations. You can't take years of experience that you have and push that onto the student. I also think that cell phones are a great resource, as long as they are monitored. They can become a huge distraction if not.
As instructor and role model I believe it is important as mentioned to share our experiences and explain to students the various culinary paths that exist in the industry without presenting a bias. It’s imperative for the industry to guide students with passion and the the urge to improve their skill and craft to all parts of the industry.
It is also important for us to continually be educating ourselves whether it be with food trends, food science, latest ingredients, food politics, food systems, etc to really be able to answer and students questions or intrigues they have for us.
It is really important to set realistic expectations for the student to understand them. Also following the trend, showing them skills up to date is really important right now for the new generation of students and it's necessary for the instructor to keep up with the trend and go on stages to develop smore skills.
The resources available to students and chefs to develop and hone their skills are continuously expanding. Cell phones, internet food discussion platforms, and participating in professional associations provide a bevy of exposure to information and skills. It is important for chef instructors to guide students through these processes so the learners understand their relevance to the industry.
Professional development for faculty is critical. Considering the generation that we are currently teaching I believe that staying on top of culinary based technology is also a must. Students often know more about food blogs, pod casts and current associations than their instructors. We can learn much from our students in this regard.
I suggest students go out and eat, see what cuisines are available, and try something new. Train your palate, experience new flavors and combinations. Also take a picture of your food in class, and see how your plating has progressed.
I think traveling is an important part of learning. Not just to see how other people eat,but how other people live and thrive in their community. This can be a few towns over, not just abroad. It's a great idea to encourage students to use technology to learn new trends and also what is classic, which they may not know. I love seeing the photos of dishes that my student took and I urhe them to share with each other and talk about them.
This module really is about a fun and inspiring part of a culinary program, learning the importance of professional behavior will instill the foundation needed to work in the field no matter what position a student will fiind after graduation. Exploring career paths while in school helps a student to focus on potential jobs that will fit into their interests instead of just taking the first job that they find which might not be the path they desire. Students need to understand that culinary learning never ends and the program that they are in and hopefully finish is just the begaining.