Hormel Launches Continuing Education For Chefs

Culinary Enrichment & Innovation Program, partnership with CIA, offers leadership skills for restaurant and non-commercial chefs.

HYDE PARK, N.Y.—Late last October, 16 chefs gathered at the Culinary Institute of America for three days of classes and tours. This by itself is not unusual; the CIA operates a robust continuing education program and chefs are always on site improving their knowledge and skill base.

No, what made this unusual was what brought these chefs, from nearly every segment of the industry, together: a new program sponsored by Hormel Foods Corp. Called the Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program, this partnership with the CIA seeks to draw top chefs from across the country to gain new experiences and insights into aspects of their business that go far beyond knife skills and cooking techniques.

“We want to invest in the future of the culinary arts, creating an innovation-focused program to prepare today’s best and brightest for leadership in the field,” says Dennis Goettsch, vice president of marketing for the foodservice division of Hormel.

To that end, Hormel and the CIA got together to create a series of four three-day sessions, spread out over 18 months. The classes, according to Ron DeSantis, CMC, project director of CIA Consulting, fill a “void in advanced education that provides perspective on creativity, innovation, leadership and management for chefs at the five-year-and-above experience level.”

Each of the four sessions will focus on a topic that Hormel and the CIA have determined is particularly relevant to the next generation of culinarians. The first class in this ongoing program included 11 chefs from several non-commercial segments: colleges, hospitals, continuing care retirement communities, and the military.

Their first session was entitled “Flavor Dynamics and Flavor Exploration,” and was led by Chef Rudolph Speckamp, senior culinary consultant, CIA Consulting. (The other chefs who will be teaching during the four sessions are DeSantis; Mark Erickson, vice president, CIA Consulting; Victor Gielisse, associate vice president, CIA Consulting, and Thomas Griffiths, the CIA’s associate dean for curriculum and instruction for culinary arts. All are certified master chefs.)

The first day was spent in the classroom exploring  the concept of flavor and subtly flavors can work to enhance a variety of foods. Included in the day was presentation by two chefs from New York City-based International Flavors & Fragrances, who work with flavorists at IFF to help create flavorings for items such as steak sauce and vanilla extract.

Jonna Anne, executive chef at the State University of New York at Geneseo, said the first day was her favorite part of the initial session.

“It made us sit back and really think about flavor,” Anne says. “We went into the kitchen and we really had to talk about why we put different things together and what you want to get out of a certain dish. What can you add to get the result you want?”

Eric Cartwright, executive chef at the University of Missouri, says the flavor session has helped him communicate better with his staff.

“There were these moments of clarity where I was able to understand how to get others to understand what I’m talking about when I talk about flavors,” Cartwright explains. “Since the class I’ve been able, in flavor pairings we’ve done with management staff, to explain how we’re building flavor through cooking techniques.”

The second day of the session was spent mostly outdoors in chilly, wet weather as the chefs toured the Hudson Valley learning about local and sustainable products. The chefs were taken to a dairy farm, organic farm and hydroponic farm, as well as the only distillery in New York State.

“For me, touring the local vendors was most significant,” said Michael Edwards, executive chef for the U.S. Navy at the Pentagon. “We just started working with Dragon Creek farms in the D.C. area, and so touring the farms and learning how to talk with vendors was very helpful.”

On the final day, the chefs were paired up and got to practice enhancing the flavor profiles of dishes through an unofficial culinary competition.

“A lot of times when you get chefs together you get a lot of egos, but there was none of that here,” says Cartwright. “Everyone respected everyone else, and was intrigued by what their colleagues was doing. We all wanted to taste what each other was making.”

The chefs will return to Hyde Park at the end of March for the second session, “Contemporary Approach to Health and Wellness.” However, some already have bonded with classmates or instructors.

“To be able to work with master chefs is amazing,” says Edwards. “I’ve already called Chef Speckamp a couple of times for help as I’ve worked to develop some new dishes.”

Later session will focus on “Leadership and Innovation Strategies,” and Innovative Menu Development for Profitable Operations.” At the end of the program, chefs will receive advanced certification from the CIA and will become members of Hormel’s Circle of Innovation. This group will become a resource for Hormel and the CIA, as well as for each other through ongoing dialogue on relevant food topics. The Circle will grow as more chefs graduate from CEIP.