Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2024 - 48

CDM, CFPP SPOTLIGHTS
The CDM, CFPPs profiled here are
making a difference in their facilities
and their profession.
TRAVELING CDM, CFPP HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF
TEAMWORK AND HARD WORK
MISTIN WARKENTHIEN,
CDM, CFPP, CFPM is a National
Director of Culinary Services
overseeing a team of traveling CDM,
CFPPs and RDNs. She has been in
the role for nine months and has
been a CDM, CFPP since 2023.
Warkenthien started working at a
hospital where she later became the
supervisor, which required taking a
CDM, CFPP course. Warkenthien sat
for the exam and was hired to be a
National Consultant.
" I feel like I found a mix of passion
for cooking and my desire to help
others through nutrition and
dietetics, " she said. " I couldn't be
happier with how I found my way
here. "
Due to being a traveling CDM, CFPP,
Warkenthien and her employees do
not have a permanent facility. Her
role consists of going into a location
and helping improve dietary
programs for residents and the
dietary team along with staffing,
filling in shifts, training, coaching,
and implementing and monitoring
systems and procedures.
Being a traveling CDM, CFPP allows
Warkenthien and her team multiple
opportunities to innovate at a
facility. One change is allowing
staff a large say in what can be done
in the department.
" NO MATTER WHAT YOU WANT DONE,
if the staff doesn't agree, it's almost
impossible to achieve. I like to make sure staff
help me come up with the solutions. "
" No matter what you want done,
if the staff doesn't agree, it is
almost impossible to achieve, " says
Warkenthien. " I like to make sure staff
help me come up with the solutions,
making it easier for me to assist them
in implementing the change instead of
forcing the implementation. "
Regarding challenges in her position,
how to handle difficult staff members
is Warkenthien's biggest obstacle.
" I go into difficult conversations and
push back with the mindset that many
of the people I work with have been
through a lot, " she said. " ... They've
been doing their best and you're there
to tell them things aren't correct. I
really try to sit down with them and
just have a conversation. "
Warkenthien's favorite part of the
job includes the compliments from
residents on the changes in food and
service.
" I can't begin to describe how much
emotion wells up in me when a
resident increases their intake or just
48 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024
comes with a huge smile because
the food was so great, or they had a
wonderful experience with an aide, "
she said. " Nothing beats that. "
To stay on top of trends in the
industry, she turns to social media
and emails from associations.
" I have found that LinkedIn has the
most posts from different chefs
and directors on their events and
the foods they are serving, and I
absolutely love seeing it, " she said.
Warkenthien's advice to those just
getting started in food service is to
think outside of the box and reach
out to others for help.
" If you reach out to your local ANFP
chapter, or even other state ANFP
chapters, [or] ANFP in general,
there are mentors and leaders that
have been in this industry who are
chomping at the bit to help us and
support us as we start this journey, "
she said. " They want us to begin
the path to leading and helping the
industry thrive. "
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - September/October 2024
