Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - November/December 2021 - 35

by Renee Gordon, CDM, CFPP, DTR
rgordon95@comcast.net
Mentoring Cooks and
Dietary Aides to Pursue
the CDM, CFPP Credential
We hear a lot about the importance of
mentoring. What exactly does that mean?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a
mentor is an experienced person who advises
and helps somebody with less experience over
a period of time. Specifically, mentoring is a
process in which an experienced individual
helps another person develop his or her
goals and skills through a series of timelimited
one-on-one conversations and
other learning activities. It is different from
training an employee.
In these busy times you may be saying
" Who has time for that? " Although
mentoring does require thought and
action, it's worth the extra effort. A
mentored employee generally feels more
enthusiastic about their job and the
profession, and is often more committed to
the organization.
Mentors themselves draw benefits from
the mentoring relationship as well. In my
experience these past two years, we had to
train staff to perform certain office tasks-
just in case COVID-19 sidelined the
CDM, CFPP and/or the DTR. We were
teaching dietary aides and cooks how to
print meal tickets, get new residents in the
system, look up diet information, etc., and
I noticed something: I had staff members
who were eager to learn and take on other
tasks, even as simple as being the one in
charge of recognizing residents' birthdays.
As time-strapped CDM, CFPPs I think
we sometimes forget that we should be
mentoring our workforce. Whether it's
helping team members get their ServSafe
certificate or encouraging them to start
the process to earn their CDM, CFPP
credential, it's important to advise your
employees on how to grow and advance in
this profession.
Not every person in the kitchen wants
to or can perform the additional
responsibilities. That said, there are
usually a few individuals who desire to
do more and can simultaneously work in
the kitchen while pursuing CDM, CFPP
certification. They just need to have the
information, receive some guidance, and
know that there is an opportunity for
career growth and personal fulfillment.
That is mentoring! You increase your
circle of engaged team members when you
mentor. Managers of mentored employees
gain from greater productivity in the
workplace and fewer mistakes.
Through training, delegating tasks,
and guiding, you gain help in the daily
operation of the dietary department.
Make sure your employees understand
how your workplace supports them.
Does the company provide tuition
reimbursement? Pay for certification
costs and continuing education? Allow
time away for skill-building events and
Renee Gordon, CDM, CFPP,
DTR lives in Pennsylvania, but
works in St. Clairsville, Ohio
for Park Health Center, part of
Foundations Health Solutions.
She started out in restaurants
and catering at age 16 and
worked her way up to chef. She
found her true passion in longterm
care. In 2016, she earned
her CDM, CFPP credential.
At age 52, she earned her
associate's degree in Science and
added DTR to her skill set.
activities? Briefing employees on what is
financially supported by the company is
a start. You may have mentioned some of
these perks when onboarding your staff,
but it's important to reinforce how your
employer rewards career growth.
We are in tough times. As often as we've
heard it, we need to protect our time
to recharge. The demand to pick up
extra shifts and support colleagues has
affected our personal growth. Education
is one way to reignite the fire and
generate enthusiasm for the demanding
yet fulfilling foodservice profession-
especially in a post-pandemic world.
Mentoring builds self-confidence for both
the mentor and the mentee, especially
with all the protocols and paperwork
required. In the healthcare arena we are
losing members to retirement and burn
out. We need to consider precepting
students to support the growth of
healthcare teams.
These steps will ultimately assist you
in gaining much-needed help that is
enthusiastic and committed to a job well
done. Support your workforce and they
will support you. E
NUTRITION & FOODSERVICE EDGE | November-December 2021 35
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - November/December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - November/December 2021
