By Dr. Susan Tinnish, Dean of the School of Hospitality Management

Walter Vasconcelos, the director of marketing for the Brazilian Tourism Board recently announced that 147 new hotels will open in the country in time to host World Cup travelers. Brazil will host the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a 30-day soccer tournament that will travel to 12 cities in Brazil.

Sixteen major global brands will be represented including Sofitel, Hilton and Marriott. Brazil also has invested US $16.5 billion to build seven new stadiums, expand airports, and enhance transportation and telecommunications. Most of the stadiums that will host the games are equipped with green technology, including seven that use solar power as an energy source.

Why is this news important to Kendall’s School of Hospitality Management and Kendall students?

Five things to take away from this article:

1. This infrastructure expansion demonstrates the importance of hotels to support tourism.  This event will trigger an expansion of hotels and hotel jobs which is directly tied to two of our concentrations – Hotel Lodging and Food & Beverage concentrations.
2. This event verifies the importance of sports as business, which will be showcased in our new Sports Management concentration.
3. The supporting infrastructure necessary to sponsor an event is enormous – in terms of jobs and economic impact.  Event management is a concentration at Kendall as well as a focus on events certain classes within the Sports Management concentration.
4. The emphasis on environmental resource use (solar power, green technology) demonstrates the need for hospitality sector and events to be more focused on sustainability – the center of another Kendall concentration, Sustainable Management in Hospitality and Tourism.
5. Destination marketing associations are another source of career opportunities in the hospitality industry such as the Brazilian Tourism Board, Choose Chicago or the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Hospitality is a global business with opportunities in the United States and throughout the world.  We are excited to watch the situation unfold in Brazil as it plans both the World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Source:  Edelstein, L. (2013).  Brazil to Open 147 New Hotels Before FIFA World Cup 2014.  Meetings & Conventions May 15, 2013.  Retrieved May 15, 2013 from http://www.meetings-conventions.com/article_ektid54742.aspx?cid=eltrMidWeek.

In the foodservice realm, Bayless, owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, Xoco and other well-known eateries in greater Chicago, is arguably America’s foremost expert on authentic regional Mexican cuisine. His PBS television series, “Mexico – One Plate at a Time,” along with his gourmet retail lines and award-winning cookbooks, have made Bayless a household name from coast to coast.

“In 1987, Rick started to change the landscape for restaurants in Chicago by demonstrating that Mexican cuisine is extraordinary—and not just tacos,” said Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, HAAC, vice president, Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts and the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts. “Beyond his award-winning restaurants, Rick has accomplished more than anyone else in the United States in introducing Americans to real Mexican cuisine.”

At the dedication ceremony, Bayless, who said he’s “just a person who loves the craft of cooking,” called Kendall culinary-arts students the “hope of our generation.” He added that he has always loved Kendall College for embracing the teaching of global cuisines in ways that culinary-arts programs elsewhere may not.

Encouraging students to reach for the stars in their careers and make a positive impact on society, Bayless recalled his first trip to Mexico when he was 14. “It changed my life,” he said. “The cuisine spoke to me. We can share our voices through food, which brings people together. So go wherever food leads you.”

Bayless has a longstanding relationship with Kendall College, including developing the Frontera Scholarship, launched in 2007—a full tuition scholarship to send a Mexican-American student living in Chicago to Kendall College to study the culinary arts. The 2013 scholarship recipient is third-year baking-and-pastry student Mareli Castellanos, who will accompany Bayless to Oaxaca in late June for a five-day immersion in Mexican baking and pastry arts.

In his day-to-day as a department head, Imran handles a myriad of hotel guest requests while overseeing the front desk, concierge, bell/valet desk and reservations. “I truly enjoy the “Moments of Truth” that I have with guests whether it is guest recovery or creating a great experience.”

Currently a Front Office Manager, he hopes to be a General Manager in the near future. “I was in the industry for 10 years prior to completing my degree at Kendall.  I like to say that while I walked in to Kendall as an experienced manager, I walked out as a leader,” says Jivani. “The advice, curriculum, and environment at Kendall really allowed for professional and personal growth that has made me much better in my career.”

The School of Hospitality Management at Kendall College currently offers concentrations to fit a variety of hospitality-related interests, including: Hotel/Lodging Management, Restaurant Management, Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE), Sustainable Management in Hospitality and Tourism, and Beverage Management.

“My advice [for current students hoping to enter the hospitality industry] would be to sincerely work with integrity while developing key relationships with all stakeholders (i.e. guests, associates, peers, and executive leadership).  This is the key to success in many fields, but in hospitality, you have to have a gracious nature that is based in a service-first mentality,” says Jivani. “Always go above and beyond what is expected of you and offer your time/ help to anyone who needs it.  You cannot grow in this industry with a ‘not my job’ mentality.”

While Jivani enjoys San Francisco and says “it has too much available to create a list of favorites. I always enjoy a simple day in my neighborhood, Hayes Valley, reading a book and enjoying gourmet single drip coffee,” he is “a Chicagoan since birth” and misses “everything about Chicago, especially Deep Dish Pizza.”

Learn more about the Global Hospitality Management program at Kendall College in Chicago. Any questions for Imran Jivani? Leave them in the comments!

The competition, which was sanctioned by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), called for two-person teams to submit concepts reflecting North Carolina regional cuisine via an appetizer for fine dining, a shareable appetizer for casual dining and a fine-dining or casual-dining dessert. Stein and Mestan beat two other teams with their three-concept entry that comprised an “N.C. BLT,” fried shrimp-and-grits ravioli with Texas Pete dipping sauce, and “The Ultimate Southern Sundae.”

Prior to the competition, teams prepared commercialized versions of their concepts and shipped them to Charlotte. On competition day, each team created the gold standard, fresh versions of their commercialized concepts and was judged in part against how well the plated, commercialized products matched up against the gold standards prepared on site. Entries were judged by a panel of culinary R&D experts against criteria that included originality of concept, nutritional profile, manufacturing feasibility, flavor, aroma, texture, presentation and safety standards.

The discipline of Culinology was pioneered by the Research Chefs Association with the organization’s founding in 1996. The RCA represents more than 2,000 members including chefs, food scientists, technologists, writers, nutritionists, academicians, researchers, consultants, sales and marketing professionals, suppliers, co-packers, distributors and students. RCA is the premier source of culinary and technical information for the food industry and is committed to the advancement of Culinology—the blending of the culinary arts and food science. For more information, visit www.culinology.com.

Photos courtesy of Research Chefs Association, 2013.

Spicy Breakfast Sausage
Yield: 5 lbs.

Nothing beats the heady aroma of pork sausage sizzling in a skillet—unless it’s the sausage you made, yourself. Making breakfast-sausage patties is not difficult, and the results are superlative.  This recipe also packs a punch to help jump-start your morning.

Ingredients
4¼ lbs.pork shoulder (the meat and the fat)
¾ lb. pork fat back*
2 T. salt
2 t. black pepper
1½ t. white pepper
2½ t. ground sage
2 t. chile flakes, ground in the spice grinder
½ t. nutmeg
1¼ t. ground thyme
½ t. ground ginger
1¼ t. ground coriander
1 T. sugar
¾ c.water cold water

Directions
1.Cut the pork and fat into a large dice. Place in freezer until they are very cold. Grind in a meat grinder (with a plate with approximately 3/16” holes) or in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
2.In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
3.Pour the liquid spice mixture into the cold ground meat and fat. Mix vigorously until the meat becomes slightly elastic.
4.Form the meat into small patties about 3” in diameter.
5.To cook, sauté the patties over moderate heat until they are cooked through (165°F with an instant-read thermometer), 5 to 10 minutes.

*Pork fat back is the firm fat from the back of the hog, although the fat from the leg will also work.

Want to learn more about culinary school in Chicago? Take a tour of Kendall with Chef Koetke!

Sheboygan-style Bratwurst
Yield: 20 links (about 5 lbs.)

In Wisconsin, brats are a way of life. Variations of the brat, however, range from sausage that is finely emulsified to that which is more coarsely ground. This recipe is for the latter, and is easy to make. Pork can substitute for veal if desired. Serve with plenty of caramelized onion and lots of strong brown mustard.

Ingredients
1 lb. veal (leg or shoulder)
3½ lbs. pork butt (fat and meat)
½ lb. pork fat back*
1 c. milk
½ c. cream
2 eggs
2 t. ground white pepper
½ t. ground mace
¾ t. ground ginger
¾ t. ground nutmeg
2½ T. salt
1½ T. onion powder
¾ t. ground thyme
¼ t. dried sage
1 T. sugar
12 to 14 ft. well-rinsed hog casing

Directions
1. Cut the veal, pork and fat into a large dice. Freeze until very cold. Grind in a meat grinder (with a plate with approximately 3/16” holes) or in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
2. In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the hog casing.
3. Pour the liquid spice mixture into the cold ground meat and fat. Mix vigorously until the meat becomes slightly elastic.
4. Using a sausage stuffer, stuff the meat into the hog casing and twist into 6” individual sausages, or form into patties.
5. To cook the links, simmer them in a generous quantity of water or beer (enough so the links are not crowded in the pot and the entire surface area of each link is well exposed to simmering liquid) until they are cooked through (150°F with an instant-read thermometer), 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Lightly brown the links in a sauté pan or on a grill until they reach 165°F with an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes.  Char on all sides.  (To cook patties, sauté or grill them like a hamburger until they are cooked through, about 5 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the patties.)

*Pork fat back is the firm fat from the back of the hog, although the fat from the leg will also work.

Note: Cooking twice results in a moister sausage and increases its flavor.

Morocco is at the crossroads of many different cultures resulting in a panoply of flavors from West Africa, Asia and the Middle East, Europe and the New World—which helps explain the generous use of diverse spices in merguez. These sausages are great on a bun or as part of a tagine or couscous. While traditionally stuffed into sheep casing to form links, they can be cooked as patties.

Moroccan Merguez
Yield: 10 links (or 12 patties)

Ingredients
1¾ lbs. lamb meat, trimmed of most fat
½ lb. lamb fat
2 t. salt
½ t. ground anise
1½ t. ground cumin
½ t. ground coriander
2 t. ground sumac (optional, available from specialty spice shops)
2¾ T. Hungarian sweet paprika
½ t. cayenne
½ clove garlic, finely minced
½ t. oregano
1/8 t. cinnamon
¼ t. ground black pepper
½ c. pomegranate juice
6 to 8 ft. well-rinsed lamb casing

Directions
1. Cut the lamb and fat into a large dice. Freeze until very cold. Grind in a meat grinder (with a plate with approximately 3/16”) or in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the lamb casing.
3. Pour the liquid spice mixture into the cold ground meat and fat. Mix vigorously until the meat becomes slightly elastic.
4. Using a sausage stuffer, stuff the merguez mixture into the sheep casing and twist into 8” individual sausages, or form into patties.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
6. Grill the links over moderate heat or roast in a 325°F oven (until the internal temperature reads 165°F using an instant-read thermometer), 5 to 10 minutes.

Want to learn more about culinary school in Chicago? Take a tour of Kendall with Chef Koetke!

Green Chorizo
Yield: 8 servings (about 2 lbs.)

Chorizo verde is a specialty from Toluca, Mexico. Like its red cousin, it crumbles when you cook it, but that is where the similarities stop. Its unique flavor profile resulting from diverse ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, green chiles, cilantro and spinach make it a standout. Serve it with eggs, as part of a taco or quesadilla, or in any dish made more delicious with red chorizo.

Ingredients
2½ oz. washed baby spinach, blanched and well squeezed to remove excess moisture
½ c. packed cilantro leaves
½ c.packed parsley leaves
1 oz. green pumpkin seeds
2 cloves minced garlic
½ t. ground cumin
½ t. dried oregano leaf
¼ t. ground black pepper
2 Serrano chiles, minced
½ c. cold water
1¼ lbs.pork shoulder
¼ lb. pork fat
2 T. minced cilantro
1 T. minced parsley
1 T. salt
3 T. vinegar

Directions
1. In a blender, process the spinach, cilantro leaves, parsley leaves, pumpkin seeds, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, Serrano chile and cold water until it forms a smooth purée.
2. Cut the pork and fat into a large dice. Freeze until very cold. Grind in a meat grinder (with a plate with approximately 3/16” holes) or in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
3. Combine the ground pork and fat, salt, spinach purée, minced cilantro and minced parsley.  Knead the meat until it comes slightly elastic. (Be sure it stays very cold while mixing). Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4. To cook, sauté sausage in a sauté pan over medium heat until it is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. (It will crumble like ground beef during cooking.)

Recipe developed by Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, HAAC, vice president, Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts and the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts.

“We know it can be difficult and sometimes painfully confusing for students to transfer colleges,” says Kendall President Emily Williams Knight. “As more students apply for admissions at Kendall with existing credits from other institutions, we knew we needed to put tools in place to make the transition as easy as possible.”

Kendall College is thrilled to announce transfer agreements with the following schools:
Black Hawk College
Ivy Tech Community College
City Colleges of Chicago (CCC)
Joliet Junior College
College of Dupage
McHenry County College
College of Lake County
Moraine Valley Community College
Elgin Community College
Normandale Community College
Harper College
Parkland College

“The feedback we’ve received from students about our transfer guides in particular has been terrific,” says Jeanette Konieczka, Kendall College Admissions Manager. “One student said it was the easiest process he had encountered at any of the schools he was applying to. That’s exactly what we’re going for!”

Coming up on April 2, Kendall will host an open house just for transfer students and adult learners. This “Transfer Tuesday” event will give students the opportunity to learn about Kendall’s programs in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business and Early Childhood Education.

Nick Bondi, a Junior in the School of Hospitality Management studying Hotel and Lodging Management & Global Hospitality Management, transferred to Kendall College in July 2012.

“I chose Kendall because of the size of the classroom settings and the reputation Kendall has in and around Chicago. It can be intimidating to move to a new school, starting with figuring out how your credits will transfer,” he said. “I think it’s great that Kendall is focusing on helping transfer students. I’ll be at the Transfer Tuesday in April – hope to see you there!”

Attendees will have an opportunity to speak with current students and alumni who transferred to Kendall College, as well as meet with the President, Deans and faculty. In addition, students can learn about financial assistance opportunities, speak to the Registrar about Kendall’s Military benefits and discuss credit transfers directly with the Admissions team.

Attendees should bring transcripts (official or un-official) from all previous colleges attended for accurate advising.

How did The Festive Frog became a reality? DeBoom and McClenahan were both soon-to-be empty-nesters and thinking about the next chapter of their lives. Three years ago, DeBoom helped McClenahan plan a bridal shower for her niece and noticed how plain the options were for tableware from the rental company they were using.

“From there the seed was planted to create our own rental company offering unique and vintage tableware that party planners, event planners and designers wouldn’t find anywhere else.” Says DeBoom.

DeBoom and McClenahan combed through antique malls, stores and online resale shops to build their collections. They now have a collection of more than 5,000 pieces from vintage teacups and glassware to plates, bar carts and tabletop decor.  The pair names many of their collections after inspiring women of the era they came from, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Dorothea Lang and Rosa Parks.
From the seed of an idea to a functioning small business, The Festive Frog has steadily grown their inventory and rent to event planners for weddings, parties and fundraisers.

“Everyone from brides to corporate party planners will now be able to wow their guests with a one of a kind table setting” adds DeBoom. “We’re so proud that a small idea between friends has grown into a business we feel so passionate about. I know my time at Kendall College helped prepare me for a lifetime of pursuing my passion.”

Stay up-to-date with The Festive Frog on Facebook, and click here to learn more about pursuing your passion for culinary arts at Kendall College.