Four foodservice educators representing Florida, Kentucky, and New York were honored as the best in their field in the 2016 CAFÉ/Sysco Corporation Educator of the Year Awards presented at the 12th Annual Leadership Conference of the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) in Chicago on June 23.
Sysco, the world’s leading foodservice distributor, is in its second year of supporting this annual award that acknowledges the tremendous industry contributions of foodservice instructors throughout the U.S. The recipients—who received endorsements from their administrators, program and industry colleagues, and former and current students—are trained culinarians with commercial work experience prior to teaching.
This year’s honorees are:
Postsecondary Educator of the Year—Dr. Michael Riggs, CEC, CCA, CFMP, program coordinator and professor, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, Bowling Green.
Runner-up, Postsecondary category—Patrick Hayes, CHE, professor, Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College, New Rochelle.
Secondary Educator of the Year—Cary York, family and consumer-sciences educator, Kentucky’s Jessamine County School System.
Runner-up, Secondary category—Ana Plana, culinary -arts instructor and department head, Maritime & Science Technology (MAST) Academy High School, Key Biscayne, Fla., and adjunct professor, Miami Culinary Institute.
“Sysco is dedicated to recognizing the unparalleled commitment, enthusiasm and influence of America’s instructors of professional foodservice,” says Neil Doherty, director of culinary development. “Those who teach in the fields of culinary arts, baking and pastry, beverage service, food R&D and applied nutrition exert enormous impact on the menus and food products of tomorrow. By molding the next generation of professional cooks and arming them with the technical and critical-thinking skills that define the highest time-honored standards as well as the latest advancements in flavor, ingredients, cooking methods, plating and service, foodservice teachers are the original trendsetters. That’s why we at Sysco want to support their efforts while lauding them as the under-appreciated industry leaders they are.”
Each top recipient in the postsecondary and secondary categories received a $1,500 grant. All four recipients received a commemorative plaque from Sysco Corporation and complimentary full registration to the 2016 CAFÉ Leadership Conference at Kendall College in Chicago, June 23-25.
Complete information to apply for third-annual CAFÉ/Sysco Corporation Educator of the Year Awards will post at www.CafeMeetingPlace.com in August 2016. Deadline to apply is April 1, 2017 (postmarked). Awards will be presented at the 13th Annual CAFÉ Leadership Conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, June 22—24.
