Facilitating a two-way partnership between foodservice educators and the foodservice industry is at the core of CAFÉ’s mission. Fulfilling this directive requires assistance from professionals who share our vision and participate in its achievement. CAFÉ’s supporters help drive the organization’s success.

Three years ago, CAFÉ announced its Champion Award recognizing a recipient’s contribution to the organization and belief in the importance of education for the next generation of hospitality career seekers – a champion of culinary educators.

Mary Petersen, CAFÉ President, has awarded the 2021 Champion Award honor to Chef Paul Sorgule, MS, AAC, and Harvest America Ventures LLC President.

Chef Paul has been a CAFÉ partner from the beginning. He writes a popular Gold Medal Classroom column Think Tank. He has served on CAFÉ’s National Advisory Board and presented at numerous CAFÉ Leadership Conferences. This past year he has single-handily created, hosted and executed more than 30 CAFÉ Talks Podcasts.

His Podcasts include a wide variety of hospitality professions including chefs, restaurant owners, flavorists, futurists, and even Michael Escoffier. The podcasts have had over 6,000 unique downloads and in each segment Chef Paul brings humor and warmth to this incredibly challenging world of hospitality.

The seasoned veteran with over 50 years of food industry experience holds a master's degree in Hospitality/Service Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a member of the American Academy of Chefs and attained national prominence as a member of the gold medal-winning New England Culinary Olympic Team competing in Frankfurt, Germany. Chef Paul’s other posts include: serving as executive chef for a Four-Diamond resort, director of food and beverage, restaurant manager, culinary educator, and program dean and vice president of culinary education at two prominent culinary institutes. In 2001 he was recognized as the national Culinary Educator of the Year by the American Culinary Federation.

Chef was invited to cook at the James Beard House in 2008 and is author of two novels: "In the Shadow of Cooks," and “The Event That Changed Everything.” His third novel is in the publication process. His industry blog Harvest America Cues boasts nearly 2 million views and through his consulting company Harvest America Ventures, he has worked with nearly 50 restaurants, culinary schools, and commodity boards on various projects.

Previous Champion Award honorees include Don Odiorne, formerly of the Idaho Potato Commission, and Cathy Scruggs, director of product development for American Technical Publishers.