Campus Dining Today 2024 Winter - 26

The UC Davis
Student Housing
and Dining Services
Culinary Training
Program's class
of 2024, including
seven culinary
students, two
sous chefs, and
Latitude Restaurant
Executive Chef
Roger Thompson,
is pictured with
their prepared
food. (Photo by
Liam Patrick Peck,
University of
California, Davis)
How does one create an environment where employees
can succeed? That is the question that University of
California (UC), Davis Student Housing and Dining Services'
executive chefs found themselves needing to answer. In
the aftermath of the COvID-19 pandemic, similar to many
restaurants, UC Davis was experiencing a shortage of
culinary job applicants.
Turning their eyes toward internal candidates, they
discovered that many of their existing foodservice workers
lacked the skills to advance to the cook position. The
solution? They launched a nine-week intensive culinary
training program to teach their foodservice workers the
culinary fundamentals they would need to successfully
apply, interview, and be promoted to a cook.
UC Davis, now in their third year of running the program,
won the grand prize for Employee Development Program
of the Year at NACUFS' 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining
Awards for their success in this endeavor.
Training & skill development
Roger Thompson, the executive chef of Latitude Restaurant
at UC Davis, developed the entire curriculum and teaches
each day's lecture session.
" (The program) gives culinary students the skills and
knowledge they need to go to the next level of career
advancement, " Thompson said. " During the program, the
culinary students are exposed to a diverse range of global
cuisines, with backgrounds and education points on each. "
The culinary students are also taught by three sous chefs,
a safety manager, and various representatives from human
resources.
The course begins with the basics. Culinary students are
instructed on safety skills, an overview of the cook position
and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
training. Next, culinary students are introduced to various
knife skills, where they practice consistency by chopping
vegetables into various shapes and sizes.
Next, is a deep dive into major proteins. They learn about
and cook chicken, pork, beef, seafood, lamb and shellfish,
along with various starches and vegetable side dishes,
all using existing recipes served on campus. Culinary
students also are instructed on product quality, cooking
techniques, meat fabrication, seafood fabrication, weights,
and measuring. Once they have their fundamentals, it's
practice time. Culinary students learn how to open and
run service out of the various platforms and execute a
full-service meal. Smaller groups of culinary students then
rotate through the platforms and work with cooks in a fully
open and operational environment to give them the feel of
actual service.
26
CAMPUS DINING TODAY | COOKING UP EMPLOYEE SUCCESS
Campus Dining Today 2024 Winter

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