As part of its mission to create a more sustainable, equitable, and delicious food system, the James Beard Foundation (JBF) is developing a food waste prevention training program for culinary school instructors. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, JBF will develop and pilot a food waste reduction curriculum with instructors working across a wide range of institutions—from technical schools to community colleges to four-year universities. The program will offer skills training and the curricular tools needed to inspire current and future generations of culinary students to minimize waste, and maximize use of ingredients.

According to research conducted by ReFED, 63 million tons of food, valued at $218 billion, is wasted annually in the United States. Of that, one third is wasted by restaurants and commercial foodservice businesses.

To combat this startling and untenable trend, the James Beard Foundation seeks to support an industry-wide change in the way our nation’s restaurants value and respect our food resources.

At the CAFE conference you will:

• Have an opportunity to sign up for a pre-conference hands on Master Class emphasizing waste-reducing and repurposing methods you can use in your classrooms
• Have an opportunity to hear a panel discussion highlighting the new curriculum which will be ready to launch in 2018
• Have an opportunity to talk with some of the leading educators who have been involved with this project
• And a Special Addition: You will be able to view the movie “Wasted” which highlights the topic of restaurant waste and is moderated by Anthony Bourdain (sorry, he’s not coming!)

Click here for conference registration and hotel info.

Watch your mail this week!

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) and CAFE partnered to send out a mailing to CAFE’s educator list. Inside are two great offers:

1. The opportunity to sign up as a CAFE member
2. A WMMB contest which is lots of fun and for everyone!

The WMMB offers a free online cheese training for your students. If you could incorporate this test into your culinary curriculum, they offer it as a valuable educational tool.

Your students will have to complete the program and show you their certificate. WMMB will also keep track so the students need to register their full name and school. The instructors (one per school) will be awarded the following cash prizes based on the number of students who complete the test:

First Place: $500
Second Place: $400
Third Place: $300

The contest will run January 1, 2018 until April 1, 2018.

The Wisconsin Cheesecyclopedia is available here. Register and enter the code CCY to begin the test.

This certificate is worth 2 continuing education credits with the American Culinary Federation.

2018 Awards

Brightwater Award for Sustainability

Brightwater Award for Entrepreneurship

Idaho Potato Commission Awards for Innovations in internships/externships/work experience

Sysco Awards for Teachers of the Year

CAFE CALENDAR 

January 28, 2018
Deans and Directors Retreat Hotel Deadline

March 2-4, 2018
6th Annual Deans and Directors Retreat, San Antonio, TX

March 30, 2018
Deadline for Green Award and Food Entrepreneurship Award

April 1, 2018
Deadline for IPC Innovation Award and Educator of the Year Award

June 14-16, 2018
14th Annual CAFE Leadership Conference, Milwaukee, WI