Delaware North’s Culinary & Hospitality Academy invited chefs from across the United States for an immersive training Jan. 27-31 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, home of the Texas Rangers and where the company serves as hospitality and retail partner.
Nine executive chefs and sous chefs – who hail from Delaware North’s Patina Restaurant Group, Parks and Resorts, Sportservice and Gaming divisions – are all connected through the CHEFS® (Culinary & Hospitality Excellence for Future Success) program in which they serve as mentors and emerging culinarians.
For the first two days, the chefs completed a practice run of the formal skills validation practical for ProChef® I certification. Developed by the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), ProChef is a three-tier certification program that builds on a chef’s technical expertise and business acumen through practical cooking exams, written assessments and performance evaluations conducted by CIA-certified judges.
ProChef I candidates are tested on culinary fundamentals and kitchen operations, including knife skills, cooking techniques, food safety and sanitation, time and station management, flavor development and nutrition/dietary considerations.
Lou Piuggi, vice president of culinary for Delaware North; Kevin Doherty, director of culinary for Sportservice; Cristobal Vazquez, executive chef at Globe Life Field and ProChef proctor; Larry Johnson, executive chef at Busch Stadium; and Benjamin Kaye-Smith, sous chef at Globe Life Field and CHEFS graduate, guided the mock cooking exam, serving as judges to replicate the ProChef testing environment to prepare the members of the group for a ProChef I exam later this month at the CIA’s Texas campus in San Antonio.
“I am very passionate about teaching others culinary fundamentals and classic techniques,” said Doherty, who is ProChef III certified. “Strengthening our culinary foundation through these kinds of trainings is the secret sauce for preserving Delaware North’s reputation of culinary excellence for years to come.”
CHEFS, which formally launched in 2022 and now has over 100 participants across the U.S., is a 12-month development program focused on one-on-one mentorship, culinary proficiencies and leadership development to prepare emerging culinarians to earn ProChef I certifications.
“One of the most rewarding things about being part of the CHEFS program is that you have a big support system – everyone is someone’s mentor, big brother or big sister,” said Kristina Olson, executive chef at the Holiday Inn Estes Park in Colorado and a CHEFS mentor. “Working with chefs from different subsidiaries is a real treat. We share experiences and best practices that help build our culinary standards. We all have the same goals – to deliver excellent service, teach our teams and keep growing.”
Many seasoned executive chefs who are mentors in the CHEFS program are also pursuing ProChef I and II certifications to help them provide better mentorship to future emerging culinarians.
The training at Globe Life Field concluded with a three-day workshop focused on a core menu item across the company’s divisions – the sandwich. Chefs were guided on training their teams for consistency and quality to ultimately create better products, more guest delight and greater efficiency in kitchens.
Main caption: Delaware North chefs pose for a photo during a five-day culinary training at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Pictured in the back row (left to right) are Larry Johnson, Busch Stadium; Vice President of Culinary Lou Piuggi; Kevin Doherty, Sportservice; Allen Childs, Great American Ball Park; Anthony Lucido, Petco Park; Kristina Olson, Holiday Inn Estes Park; Phil Dumlao, Petco Park; Alex Gonzalez, Climate Pledge Arena; Chris Stephens, Great American Ball Park; and Gary Davis, Great American Ball Park. Pictured in the front row (left to right) are Kashiea Lotts, Southland Casino Hotel; Carol Wilson, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack; and Cristobal Vazquez, Globe Life Field.