By Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC

If there is one thing the current political climate has taught us is that partisan representatives only seem interested in convincing us to buy into their point of view without compromise. One of the most valuable parts of offering a balanced education is to present all options in a truthful, unbiased fashion, provide opportunities for open debate, and then allow students to form their own opinions and build their portfolio of “stakes in the ground.”

Chefs have never been known to be individuals without opinion. We all tend to believe what we choose to believe and then encourage (sometimes demand) others learn to agree. There are situations in a kitchen where this formula may be appropriate, but in an educational environment we should teach, open eyes and minds, provide many options, and allow a student to find what works for him or her.

I happen to be a strong advocate for traditional, scratch cooking, for use of natural and fresh ingredients that are sourced (whenever possible) from local and regional producers, and for avoiding shortcuts that might play with the integrity of a dish as it was meant to be. These are my food stakes in the ground and I work very hard to ensure I live by that rule. This should not mean my way is the only way, nor should my points of view be so rigid to never allow for compromise. If I were to present my food philosophy as the only right way to a class then I would be doing them a disservice, taking away their freedom to build their own point of view.

The professional kitchen may be the right environment for establishing the way that the chef wants things done, but the classroom should be more open. The classroom is a place where the land is tilled and the seeds are planted, but each student must establish how those seeds will be cultivated, harvested, packaged and used.

If this makes sense, then it would be important for faculty to take advantage of various ways to bring diverse thought into the classroom or bring the student to that diverse environment. The curriculum and individual course content may be rigid in an effort to reach specific outcomes, but a program designed to help students build their food and operational philosophy including numerous other points of view will allow students to develop their uniqueness. Program directors and faculty might consider numerous ways of welcoming this diversity into their classrooms – these can include the following examples:

Guest Speakers
Invite speakers who can intelligently and factually address both sides of a particular issue (example: Pro and Anti Genetically Modified Organisms) and allow ample time for students to interact with the presenters. Assign research articles to students in advance so that they come prepared with questions and opinions.

Guest Demonstration Chefs
Invite chefs to present preparations and presentations that may be contrary to your defined procedures in class or a new product that changes how cooks and chefs think about ingredients (examples: sous vide, use of meat bases vs. scratch stocks, freeze dried herbs vs. fresh, fresh fish vs. frozen, etc.). This will allow students to assess if and where these new applications might work and not violate their established philosophy of cooking.

Diverse Media
Assign articles from reputable sources that address both sides of an issue, a product, a process, or a presentation. Remember, students are still in the formative phase of defining what they believe in and how these beliefs will impact their future decisions as a chef. Providing a portfolio of reputable sources will also help them to differentiate between fact and fiction.

Topical Debate
After assigning articles addressing both sides of an issue, create an opportunity for formal debate in your class. Assign Protagonist and Antagonist representatives, outline the protocol for controlled debate, and allow the balance of the class to assess the person who won the debate. This will allow both sides of an issue to come to the surface for critique.

Field Trips
Faculty members typically understand the value of field trips. However, if they became a structured part of a curriculum and class lesson plan, then they would have an even greater impact. Instead of simply visiting sites – send them some points that you would like addressed during the visit and make sure students are prepared in advance with key questions that tie into your lesson plan. Rather than allow field trips to be an option for courses – require all classes to integrate them at some degree and build in an assessment piece that demonstrates each visits value.

Unique Externships/Internships
While most culinary programs require some type of internship or externship, many fail to direct students to a particular property based on their skill and philosophical developmental needs. A student who has little interest in the farm-to-table movement might be best served by a property that embraces the concept. A student who claims to not care for the taste of fish and seafood and resists embracing its preparation might be best served in an operation where seafood is a centerpiece. A student who is a card-carrying meat lover and who admonishes those who choose to select a vegetarian or vegan diet might benefit from an externship at a quality vegetarian restaurant. The internship experience should push a student beyond his or her comfort zone; this is how they truly learn.

The best programs are those that allow multiple points of view to serve as “food for thought” inside and outside the classroom. To build these “thinking points” into a curriculum is to provide choice, divergent thought, true thinking and ideation, and strength in individual student philosophy. Through this process – students and faculty will be able to separate fact from fiction, truth from falsehoods, and develop a commitment to a belief structure that will define their career. This is what education is all about.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC, president of Harvest America Ventures, a mobile restaurant incubator based in Saranac Lake, N.Y., is the former vice president of New England Culinary Institute and a former dean at Paul Smith’s College. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..