2010 Culinary Educators Training Conference
The 2010 Culinary Educators Training Conference will be held July 9-11 at The Texas Culinary Academy in Austin, Texas. For registration information see http://content.onlineagency.com/sites/65221/pdf/2010cetcbrochure.pdf
Chef Meg’s 6 Favorite Kitchen Tools (video)
As a world master chef, you would think that Chef Meg’s kitchen would be full of fancy tools. Nope. She prefers to keep it as streamlined as possible. She shares her 6 favorites with SparkRecipes.com.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/videos.asp?id=28
AAFCS Pre-Professional Assessment and Certification (Pre-PAC) Program
As the end of the academic year quickly approaches, AAFCS and the FCS Credentialing Center are pleased to announce the official launch of assessment products associated with the Pre-Professional Assessment and Certification (Pre-PAC) Program. Assessments first launched in December, 2009; however, additional assessments will be launched and available for purchase and subsequent administration on Monday, April 19, 2010.
With the addition of these assessments, the Pre-PAC Portfolio of Products available for testing this spring includes a total of NINE assessments (* indicates new product available April 19, 2010):
(1) Broad Field Family and Consumer Sciences
(2) Culinary Arts*
(3) Early Childhood Education
(4) Education Fundamentals*
(5) Family and Community Services*
(6) Fashion, Textiles, and Apparel*
(7) Interior Design Fundamentals*
(8) Nutrition, Food, and Wellness*
(9) Personal and Family Finance
Before assessments can be purchased, sites will need to submit a Test Site Approval Agreement. AAFCS is continuing to accept agreements for 2009-10. To locate the agreement and the “Getting Started Administrative Guide” which outlines the instructions and procedures for electronic submission, visit the Pre-PAC Management System website at http://www.aafcs.org/prepac/testing/index.html and click on “Test Forms and Procedures.” Once the agreement has been submitted electronically and processed, test sites will receive via email (within 2 business days) a test site approval code and further instructions for assessment purchase, registration, and administration.
Remember, the first available date for purchase of the new products is April 19; however, test site approval can occur prior to that date. Please share this information with supervisors and teachers and encourage them to review the procedures and submit their Test Site Approval Agreement.
Join the excitement! Be on the cutting edge – utilize Pre-PAC to empower and recognize students and programs in your state!
Chef Camp at Texas Tech University
The department of Nutrition, Hospitality, and Retailing in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University is hosting Chef Camp 2010 for ages 14 to 19 or entering or completing 9th-12th grade. Chef Camp 2010 is dedicated to enhancing each campers knowledge of culinary arts — ranging from lessons and activities on plating and presentation to learning about foods from around the world. Campers explore the world of culinary arts, but at the same time learn many aspects of their own personal style. Everyday is beneficial, creative, and tons of fun. After a week full of culinary arts activities, the students will present their skills through a reception for their friends and family.
The first session will be for beginners and will take place June 21-June 25. The second session will be for intermediate campers and will take place June 28-July 2. In order to find out whether you belong in the beginner or intermediate session, you may take the survey we have provided on our website, www.chefcampttu.com, under the application tab.
The deadline to turn in an application is May 1st and there are limited openings so act today! The application may also be found on our website.
If you have any further questions please email Amy Reed at chefcamp@ttu.edu or call at (806)742-3068.
City Restaurants Required to Post Cleanliness Grades
Will New York restaurants make the grade? The New York City Board of Health voted to rate the cleanliness of the city’s more than 24,000 restaurants with publicly posted letter grades.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/nyregion/17inspect.html
Try This: French Cooking
Along with flavor, technique is the foundation of French cooking. The classic French methods continue to influence food not just in Europe but around the globe. Techniques pioneered by French chefs in the 19th and 20th centuries are the building blocks of modern American cuisine: culinary stars across the country point to French masters as their jumping off point for brilliance. Aspiring young chefs attending cooking schools learn these techniques on a daily basis-we bring you a plain language primer you can use as your starting point for your own inspirations.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/delicious-ideas/stories/2010/march/Pages/French-Cooking.aspx
Food Tech (new television show)
Food Tech, a new History Channel show, started in January (Thursday nights at 9, Eastern and Pacific times; 8, Central time). The show gives glimpses into the mass food production industry – How many tomatoes does it take to fill a bottle of ketchup? The host isn’t an example of healthy eating habits, but the show is fast passed, interesting, and may give your students a glimpse at a part of the industry they haven’t considered.
Congratulations to John Jay High School Culinary Arts Students
John Jay High School Culinary Arts Students placed in the top three at the Austin Regional Competition held this past Saturday.
The team has accepted an invitation to advance to the State of Texas competition. State Competition will be held in Austin at the Texas Culinary Academy this Saturday March 6th, in Austin, Texas.
The top performer in the State event will advance to the National Competition to be held in Overland, Kansas later during the school year.
The culinary arts students are under the direction of Timothy M. “Chef” Kelly
Chef Instructor of the Culinary Arts at John Jay’s: “The Mustang Chalet”
8 Kitchen Commandments
Read our 8 Kitchen Commandments to follow the rules that we followed in creating our new best-selling book: Cook This, Not That. These simple rules will make your home-cooked meals delicious and healthy – what more could you ask for?
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/8-kitchen-commandments?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-2010_02_26-_-HTML-_-1