Identifying the characteristics of and quality indicators for associate degree culinary arts programs: A survey of educators and industry

Since 1981, the number of associate degree culinary arts programs in the United States increased from four to 261. Little academic literature exists about these programs and their diversity makes clear comparisons of culinary programs difficult. This study addresses the research question: What are the common characteristics of associate degree culinary arts programs and to what extent can each of these characteristics be used as indicators for evaluating the quality of the programs?;The researcher performed content analysis of 232 associate degree culinary arts program requirements worksheets to determine the typical curriculum. She analyzed information from guidebooks and websites to develop a database of the characteristics of 261 programs; The researcher conducted a thorough literature review of quality assessment theories and ranking and accreditation systems. Using Dillman\u27s (2002) Tailored Design Method, she developed a survey to assess culinary educators\u27 and industry chefs\u27 perceptions of the importance of teaching specific professional and general education subjects in associate degree culinary arts programs and of using certain program characteristics to determine program quality; The survey was mailed to 296 culinary educators and 1107 active chef members of the American Culinary Federation. Five hundred ninety-four surveys were returned for a response rate of 42.33%. The researcher determined the mean importance ratings of the subjects and program characteristics. The most important professional courses were by highest mean score, were Sanitation, Basic Cooking/Hot Foods---Lab, Food and Beverage Cost Control, Menu Development, and Saucier. The most important general education classes were Business Math, Computer Concepts, Public Speaking, Business Writing, and English Composition. The five important quality indicators were Sanitation of Kitchen Laboratories, Industry and Subject Experience of Faculty, Required Internship, and Placement Rates. Statistically significant differences existed between the opinions of the educators and chefs regarding 20 subjects and 17 potential quality indicators; The researcher used the results of analyzing the databases and survey responses to develop a recommended curriculum and lists of quality indicators for associate degree culinary arts programs. Culinary educators, foodservice industry employers, the American Culinary Federation, and potential students and their families can use the findings to evaluate and compare associate degree culinary arts programs

Food Companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility Regarding Food Safety: A Content Analysis of Restaurant Websites

Nowadays, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concern of the food industry because of its wide range of potential benefits. Though CSR issues in the food industry are complicated, food safety rises as the ultimate CSR issue and receives the most attention from customers. With the development of the Internet, more and more food companies use websites to showcase their CSR on food safety and fulfill marketing goals. This study will conduct content analysis on the websites of the top 50 U.S. restaurant companies and discuss their involvement in food safety issues and their commitment to CSR regarding food safety. The findings of the study intend to shed light on how food companies should design their websites to better communicate their CSR of food safety

Changing Food Safety Behavior Among Latino(a) Food Service Employees: The Food Safety Belief Model

Reducing the risk and occurrence of foodborne illness is a constant priority for the foodservice industry. Latino(a)s represent 22% of the foodservice workforce. While food safety training programs translated in Spanish are available in the marketplace, a model specifically incorporating Latino(a) cultural preferences has not been developed. This study uses the Health Belief Model to investigate Latino(a) foodservice employees attitudes towards food safety and antecedents of food safety behavior. Results showed that food safety knowledge significantly influenced ‘perceived susceptibility’, ‘severity’, and ‘barriers,’ but not food safety behavior. The analysis indicated that ‘perceived benefits’ and ‘cues to action’ have a direct impact on food safety behavior

Work Experience and Education: Their effect on food safety practices of university students

The continued prevalence of foodborne illness (FBI), the large population of young adults in the foodservice industry, and the contradictory results of previous studies indicate a need for further investigation of food safety practices among young adults. The goal of this study was to evaluate the personal food safety practices of undergraduate students based on their level of foodservice industry work experience and college major. Being a hotel major did significantly affect practices, but having foodservice work experience did not. This suggests that industry operators are not doing an adequate job of educating their staff about proper food safety practices

The industry experience gap: hospitality faculty perceptions of the importance of faculty industry experience

It is estimated almost half of the current hospitality educators in the United States will be retiring within the next 10 years. In their place, the junior faculty who remain, as well as new hires, will have substantially less industry experience than their predecessors. This research sought to determine the perceptions of both hospitality students and faculty regarding the importance of faculty industry experience. The findings of this study are valuable to administrators who wish to maintain rigor within their academic programs and thus may serve as a benchmark for future hiring purposes