Rowan College at Burlington County educator Desmond Keefe received the 2024 Runner Up Entrepreneurship Award from Kendall College National Louis University and the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ). The award was open to culinary instructors nationwide and recognized ideas and initiatives that positively impacted a college and community.

Keefe created a National Restaurant Association-endorsed professional Foodservice Management Experiential Learning certificate. Program graduates will be qualified foodservice managers with 800 hours of industry experience, all gained through culinary work on the college campus. The program also includes seven courses over four terms.

Under this instructor’s tutelage, students begin working at large and small catering events such as cooking for the Board of Trustees and special events such as the Spring Cookout. As students progress, they eventually take over the college’s foodservice operations for three meal services per day. Menus will include hot entrees, sandwiches, salads, and grilled and fried items. This instructor plans to expand the program and create theme-menus for holidays and events and offer catering services for office meetings. 

Click here to go back to the 2024 CAFÉ award recipients list.