Skills for Todays Restaurant Kitchen

Developing a Collaborative Approach to Culinary Education in Ireland

Ruth Hegarty Secretary-General, Euro-Toques Ireland

TASTE Council Summer School Ballymaloe House, 3 May 2013

Overview

A vision for the Irish restaurant sector What skills, knowledge and attitude are required Where did we stand in relation to Chef Training Where are we now Euro-Toques IoT MOU The Next Steps Obstacles & Gaps Future Opportunities What we need to do to move forward Proposals

What kind of chefs to we want to train?

What are we training them for?

What kind of industry do we want to create?

How do we help create chefs who understand where food is at in Ireland & where it can get to
& who have the passion and drive to take it forward?
Craft Food Tourism Artisan Provenance Seasonal PRIDE Identity Skills Local Influential Gastronomy Irish Tradition Responsible Sustainable Innovation Heritage

Chefs who like our Basque colleagues are proud of how far we have come, of where we were born and raised
who work with Tradition Origins Heritage Evolution in mind

What Skills ?

What Abilities ?

Basic Skills Traditional/Classical Skills Contemporary Techniques Product sourcing skills Taste & Organoleptics

To deal with fresh, unprocessed ingredients To recognise Quality To understand real Taste & Flavour and what works To deal fairly & responsibly with suppliers To run a business

Business & Customer Service Food Safety Training Basic food science

What it means for us in a practical sense? Some examples

Recognising species of fish, knowing how to tell they are fresh, knowing how to skins, fillet etc Knowing the different cuts of meat how they are butchered/prepped, how they need to be cooked Having knowledge of native ingredients, their seasons, how they are grown Tasting everything! understanding the impact of seasoning

Beyond Skills
KNOWLEDGE

In-depth knowledge of ingredients Understanding of Agriculture & Food Production Awareness of Culture & Heritage Awareness of our impact on society, the environment etc

Beyond Skills
ATTITUDE

Expectations Humility Pride

APTITUDE Cant teach this, about making sure we attract the right people

Hotel & Catering Review, August 2011 Sharpening our Skills

We can produce the goods when it comes to ingredients, but are we producing the professionals to do them justice?

Why ask this question?

Starting in Summer 2011 constant call from industry chefs complaining they could not get good kitchen staff

They complained of:

Skills gaps primarily a worrisome lack of good knife skills & basic traditional/classical skills Lack of knowledge of ingredients Lack of understanding of Taste General de-skilling & move towards catalogue cooking Unwillingness to do the hard graft Unrealistic Expectations Had also been conscious for some time of lack of exposure of trainee chefs to quality local & seasonal ingredients

Led to more questions?

What was happening in our training colleges? What challenges were they facing? What was industry doing to help? Who was leading/guiding culinary education in Ireland?

Started asking a lot of questions and it wasnt always easy to get the answers!

Up to 2011
Certificate? Degree? Apprenticeship? CERT ? BORD FAILTE? CITY & GUILDS?

Euro-Toques Chef Development Programme Since 2007

supported by La Rousse Foods

Aim of Programme
To tackle some of the issues identified in the industry and to make a practical contribution the training of Chefs by: - Exposing students to excellent top ingredients - Introducing them to Euro-Toques principles of sourcing (local, seasonal etc.) and exposing them to local/artisan producers, farmers etc. - Teaching the fundamental importance of TASTE - Demonstrating traditional/forgotten skills - Keeping them up to date on industry trends - Exposing them to industry chefs and industry realities

How?
- Bring industry chefs and their suppliers into colleges on regular basis to carry out workshops/demo s

SUCCESSFUL?
YES - Well received by colleges - Built from 3 or 4 colleges in YR1 to holding workshops for all 10 colleges each semester - Huge enthusiasm from certain lecturers - Rewarding for students and industry chefs alike

BUT
-

Communication was difficult/ad hoc Varied levels of attendance often not effectively communicated No official arrangement with the colleges Little understanding of what else was happening in the colleges or how we could contribute Feeling it was drop in the ocean; no influence on rest of curriculum, food being cooked, ingredients being used Sense of some fear/lack of welcome from some faculty staff

But THEN
Couple of things happened

Approached by CAIT NOONE of GMIT to work on Food Pillar Team for Volvo Ocean Race, June 2011 started discussing our frustrations with regard to influencing culinary education Published article on Chef Skills in Hotel & Catering Review, Aug 2011 drew attention from colleges

What Transpired..
Discovered existence of the IOTI Head of Dept Tourism Education group Many many meetings between Ruth Hegarty & Cait Noone, GMIT (Chair of Group), Sept -Dec 2011 CN & RH draft Memorandum of Understanding between Euro-Toques & Institutes & Euro-Toques Membership Proposal for Institutes Cait Noone invited to meet Board of Commissioners & Food Council of Euro-toques, January 2012 Ruth Hegarty invited to meeting of IOTI Tourism Education, made up of HOS/HOD from colleges offering Tourism & Hospitality courses , March 2012, CIT Memorandum of Understanding signed with 9 IoTs May 2012 Institute Membership launched Sept 2012 with full take up.

What it means..
MOU Student Work Placements in Euro-Toques establishments Faculty Professional Development staff work placements Possibility of pursuing funding for collaborative activities (eg. Springboard) Participation of Euro-Toques in: - Curriculum Planning & design (Advisory & Programme Boards) - External examining - Careers Fairs - Guest lecturers, seminars etc Institute Membership Full Membership of Euro-Toques for 2 nominated Culinary Arts Lecturers Honorary Membership for relevant HOD/HOS Free Membership for final year Culinary Arts students 2 industry workshops per academic year in each member institute Guest lectures from Euro-Toques chefs Access to Euro-toques events & activities for staff & students

Means much more than what is on paper

Relationship with colleges on firmer footing Official lines of communication Real chance to influence curriculum & content of training courses for chefs Opportunity to communicate the Euro-Toques philosophy to the industry chefs of the near future Better understanding of the challenges and obstacles faced by the training colleges

Realisation that Industry also needs to take responsibility for its role in the training and development of chefs Firm policy decision within Euro-Toques to WORK WITH the institutes in development of culinary education

Still it is only a FIRST STEP

But an important one:

Towards a Collaborative Approach to developing Culinary Education in Ireland

A Future based on Collaboration the next steps

Currently Springboard Application collaboration between 5 IOTs with IHF and Euro-Toques to deliver additional chef courses (meeting industry demand) Developing Minor/Special Purpose Awards
Guidelines/Policy around Work Placement & Workplace Training Advancement of Continued Professional Development for Culinary Arts Faculty Establishment of Euro-Toques Education Council Coordinated collaboration at local level

Some things we would like to see happen

Course Content/Curriculum

External industry workshops & guest lectures to become part of the Curriculum A stronger emphasis on Craft skills & practice of same Modules to be introduced on Irish food heritage, developing Irish gastronomy Specific modules aimed at teaching chefs how to source local & seasonal food Visits from and to Farmers, Fishermen, Small-scale food producers Updating of all course content to reflect the vision for todays Irish restaurant industry Removal of content which is outdated or irrelevant in todays Irish industry context

Obstacles/Threats/Gaps

Cost of Courses The Practical vs The Academic FOOD PROCUREMENT Never in my life have I had a good meal without using top quality produce. Its like needing air to breathe Juan-Mari Arzak Attracting the right people LACK OF POLICY/LEADERSHIP

Current & Future Opportunities

New Funding streams new courses to meet needs of industry Institute Mergers opportunity to develop centres of excellence, but only if true industry collaboration route is taken Green Public Procurement the EU has handed us an opportunity for better food sourcing, why has Ireland not taken it? Transition Year Module a chance to tell the story of food in Ireland and ignite passion and interest in young people

What needs to happen?

The Big Picture

Green Public Procurement rolled out

Clarification of roles Development of a Vision Policy & Leadership from the top Change in Attitude

What needs to happen?

On the Ground

Chefs need to go to schools to talk about the realities of a career as a chef College need to invite industry chefs to talk to 1st year from Day One No course developed/reviewed without quality industry consultation Industry must commit itself in a serious way not only to working with the colleges on course development but to providing a training environment in the workplace

Industry Patrons for each Institute?

Thank You
Ruth Hegarty Secretary-General Euro-Toques Ireland The European Community of Chefs & Cooks ruth@euro-toques.ie www.euro-toques.ie

T: @eurotoquesirl

Promoting Local Sourcing Protecting Culinary Heritage