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Third cohort of CHEFS® emerging culinarians graduate from the program

The third cohort of 18 emerging culinarians on Jan. 14 will officially complete Delaware North’s CHEFS® (Culinary & Hospitality Excellence for Future Success) program, the largest group of graduates since launching in 2022.

The CHEFS program – which has more than 100 emerging culinarian and executive chef mentor participants from every U.S. division (Gaming, Patina Restaurant Group, Parks and Resorts, Sportservice and Travel) – provides promising sous chefs with formal development through mentoring, continuing education and hands-on training.

“Congratulations to our largest group of emerging culinary stars to graduate from the CHEFS program,” said Amy Latimer, Delaware North executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Your passion for learning and growing your profession inspires all of us and pushes Delaware North to keep raising the bar in food, beverage and hospitality. You’re at the heart of what makes us shine in the culinary world.”

Delaware North launched the CHEFS program in 2022. The 12-month talent development opportunity and retention tool creates a formal talent pipeline of future culinary leaders, fosters networking and collaboration across the enterprise and advances consistent standards for culinary training.

The third cohort, preparing for the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) ProChef® I certification exams later this year, invested countless hours into CHEFS coursework led in collaboration with the CIA, which developed the three-tiered ProChef program as a professional training and credentialing system for culinary leaders. The ProChef certifications, a globally recognized industry standard for two decades, measure culinary, managerial and financial acumen through hands-on and written assessments.

Most of the emerging culinarians from the first cohort successfully earned their ProChef I certifications after completing the CHEFS program. The group is continuing their careers with the company and pursuing ProChef II certifications. Emerging culinarians from the second cohort are preparing for the ProChef I exam next month.

Several executive chefs who serve as mentors are training to become ProChef testing proctors so Delaware North can run future ProChef exams with their oversight while continuing to work with the CIA.

Caption: Delaware North’s third cohort of 18 emerging culinarians successfully graduated from the CHEFS® (Culinary & Hospitality Excellence for Future Success) program on Jan. 14. Pictured above are recent graduates and emerging culinarians (left to right) are Heidi Eutsey, The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ohio; Ramon Moreno, Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs in Florida; Joey Baez, Space 220 at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT in Florida.