Industry partners with CAFE to present the latest industry trends so that you/your classroom is not only up to date, but also on top of the future of food!

The Leadership Conference is June 20-22 and hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina, by Johnson & Wales University and Central Piedmont Community College.

This conference is designed specifically for foodservice educators: helping you keep up to date with industry and to share educational best practices. No other conference is this precise as to what you are facing both now and for the future.

Industry Outreach Day

Some of the trends presentations you will have a choice to hear and learn from industry chefs:

• What to do with bone-in pork belly
• How important/necessary is it to consider the standards and suppliers of farm-raised seafood?
• What exactly is the plant-forward food revolution?
• The Changing Plate: what does it mean?
• Using a basic ingredient to teach students both versatility and methods
• Peanut butter?

We are fortunate to have two amazing keynoters: Louis Foreman, a product development and Innovations Expert and Mark Allison describing Culinary Wellness.

To see the rest of the agenda and read about the presenters, click here.

Any job openings at your school?

Send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a free listing on our job board!

New Awards Deadline

Don’t forget: we have extended the awards deadline to April 8. Click here for information about these CASH awards which also offer plaques, comp conference registrations and press releases!

High School Discounts!

CAFE has traditionally offered a $100 discount to any high school instructors from the conference host state. So North Carolina high schools: take us up on this great offer!

Registration for the conference is here. Ask to be invoiced and we will subtract the amount due and send you a bill.

Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food: Sponsor of TWO Awards

• Green Award: Recognizes culinary programs that promote and incorporate sustainability efforts as part of their curriculum and operations. Click here for information about the Green Award
• Food Entrepreneurship Award: Identifies culinary programs that either 1) teach or encourage entrepreneurship in their programming or 2) implement revenue-generation and cost-savings into their operations. Click here for information about the Entrepreneurship Award

Idaho Potato Commission Innovation Awards

CAFE is proud to be partnering with the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) once again as they sponsor the Innovation Awards for 2019.

This Award recognizes educators and/or programs at both the secondary and postsecondary levels who have shown to be innovative in their approaches to effective culinary arts education.

Examples of innovations can be in the areas of:

• New programs or
• New delivery methods or
• New partnerships or
• New relations with the local community

Click here for more information about the Innovations Award.

Sysco Educator of the Year Award

Thanks to Sysco for again sponsoring the Educator of the Year Award for 2019! This award is open to secondary and postsecondary educators as well as culinary educators working within the non-profit training sector. There will be two awards given.

The Committee will be looking for:

• a description of methodologies that exemplify innovative teaching techniques. Give examples.
• evidence of the educator’s professional commitment to the educational community and foodservice industry which might include school committee work, professional networking, and community involvement.
• a resume with the application.
• descriptions of ongoing professional development in both instructional and technical skills in the last few years.
• overall evidence that the educator has proven leadership in his/her profession; examples may include peer reviews, student evaluations, letters of recommendation, certificates and honors received, etc.

For more information about the Educator of the Year Awards, click here.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2019

April 8, 2019
Award Applications Due

May 29, 2019
Hotel Deadline, Leadership Conference

June 20-22, 2019
15th Annual CAFE Leadership Conference, Charlotte, NC