Chop, Shuck & Roll: Summer Professional Development

Each summer, University of Richmond Dining Services takes advantage of the slower campus pace and shortened meal hours by offering employees a wide variety of professional development opportunities. Activities this year included everything from attendance at multiple culinary conferences to a pig fabrication demonstration, a trip to an oyster farm, and a pastry arts seminar.

In June, twelve members of the Catering and Heilman Dining Center (HDC) teams traveled together with a representative from our sustainable seafood vendor ProFish to Windmill Point in Virginia’s Northern Neck. There they learned about the history of the oyster aquaculture industry in the region and got a hands-on lesson about the farming, harvesting, and processing of local oysters. White Stone Oysters company founder Tom Perry even let them sample fresh Bay Blue Oysters shucked straight from their floating cages in the Chesapeake Bay.

In July, representatives from Smithfield Foods arrived in the HDC catering kitchen to teach the entire Dining Services team about pig fabrication. Participants learned how to break down a whole pig, from butchering to cooking various cuts of pork that are served at our campus dining locations. The Bakeshop participated in two days of baking and pastry arts seminars with Chef Elise Chonko, focusing on the science of baking as well as cake decorating techniques.

Dining Services sent employees to several national conferences this summer, where they had opportunities to learn about collegiate dining trends and network with fellow professionals in the field. Chef de Cuisine Andy Kerscher, Café Manager Rachel Singer, Line Cook Robyn Smith, and Lead Cook Dylan Moore attended the 29th annual Chef Culinary Conference at University of Massachusetts Amherst where they earned silver medals at the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) collegiate competition.

Production Manager Peter Torneo and Sous Chef Campbell Tucker attended the Menus of Change conference at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, where they gained valuable insights into sustainable culinary practices and plant-forward cooking. Nine Spiders represented UR at the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) national conference in Baltimore, where Marketing Director Kirsten McKinney presented.

Along with Torneo, Retail Managers Amanda Boyd, Rachel Singer and Mike Scampoli led annual ServSafe and Food Handling Safety trainings, allowing staff to receive professional certifications and maintain the highest standard of food safety for our customers.

"We are committed to providing our employees with the resources they need to succeed," said Terry Baker, Executive Director of Dining Services. "These professional development opportunities help our employees stay up-to-date on the latest trends and learn new skills, which benefits our program and the entire campus community."