Challenges or Opportunities?
01 May 2014
The chancellor of Johnson & Wales University tells chefs to follow their passion to achieve success while also becoming agents of change in their industry and careers.
By Mary Petersen
Dr. John J. Bowen, chancellor of Johnson & Wales University, was the American Culinary Federation Northeast Regional Conference keynoter at the opening general session in Providence, R.I., April 12, 2014.
He began by recognizing one of his mentors, Certified Master Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt from The Culinary Institute of America. The lesson he learned from Sonnenschmidt, Bowen said, was to find your passion and follow it, and you will be successful.
Bowen has been with Johnson & Wales University for more than three decades. Throughout his career, his leadership has directed JWU’s success and cemented its commitment to preparing students for professional success through academics and professional skills, community-leadership opportunities and its unique career-education model. As chancellor, Bowen oversees more than 17,000 students and approximately 2,000 employees at four domestic campuses.
In his keynote presentation at the ACF’s regional conference, Bowen cautioned the assembly to not only be concerned with their “product,” but to look at their careers in terms of people and focus on the sustainability of the culinary/hospitality profession.
Some of the challenges he identified in his remarks referred to graduates of culinary-arts programs. He questioned whether or not the industry is looking to the future to deal with the job expectations as compared with the value of students’ educations. As cost for higher education is rising, the fact is that the job market is not rising at the same rate.
An opportunity might be to look at new career horizons, e.g., the program that Johnson & Wales is piloting with Tulane University in the field of culinary medicine.
Bowen cautioned groups to constantly be looking at what is possible in the change equation. He urged attendees to look for “what can be.” His advice was to be mindful, be engaged and, when you determine what your challenges are, embrace change and become a “change agent.”
His presentation included several stories that exhibited people’s abilities to adapt, as well as to appreciate. Bowen urged the audience of chefs, students and culinary educators to focus on what a difference one person can make and advised them to embrace change and never forget who is supporting them.
Mary Petersen is the founder and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ). Contact her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..