Utah Valley University instructor Troy Wilson received the 2024 Runner Up Community Outreach Award from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ).

The national award recognizes a culinary/hospitality program or individuals making a positive impact in their community via outreach programs such as food banks, recycling efforts, skill development for the disadvantaged and other services.

Wilson engaged the community in numerous community-service events. One such event was “Cowboys for Cancer,” a fundraiser for 800 people. Wilson and his culinary program donated and transported kitchen equipment like mixers, pots, containers and sheet pans and spent three days prepping, cooking and serving food for cancer patients and their families. This event raised over $400,000.

Additionally, Wilson’s program feeds over 500 homeless and under-served people for Thanksgiving. Another community outreach event saw the chef donate his time as an auction item. The chef offered to prepare an in-home meal service for 20 guests of the highest bidder. This auction item alone generated a winning big of $10,000.         

Wilson spreads his time talents throughout the community and contributes to many worthwhile causes.

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