Annapolis, Maryland, November 14, 2011 – The Center for the Advancement of Foodservice
Education (CAFÉ) is pleased to award its Endorsement Program seal to the Idaho Potato
Commission (IPC) Foodservice Toolkit, a comprehensive teaching resource.
With the Idaho Potato Commission Foodservice Toolkit, foodservice educators and their
students can explore how Idaho® potatoes win culinary accolades for performance and
consistency and why leading chefs across the country insist on the “Grown in Idaho®”
brand. Contents include Idaho potato history and propagation; scientific distinctions
and specification/purchasing basics; potato-cooking chemistry and problem solving;
preparation how-to and typical cooking yields; “Potato 101” knife and cutting skills; and
a cost-per-serving calculator.
The 65-page manual is available to educators at no charge as a published resource or as
a digitized file that is easily downloaded from the Idaho Potato Commission’s Web site
and shared. Additionally, the “Potato 101” module, with related video tutorials, can be
downloaded independently for specific knife-skills instruction.
The purpose of the CAFÉ Endorsement Program, which launched in March 2011, is
to recommend select educational resources as applicable and desirable for use in
a foodservice-educational environment in high schools and postsecondary schools
nationwide. The Idaho Potato Commission Foodservice Toolkit earned the CAFÉ seal
following thorough review by a panel of distinguished educators to determine value and
relevance to foodservice education.
“Year after year we accumulated and revised information about basic tips on potato
preparation, along with the steps for planting, harvesting, sorting and shipping of Idaho
potatoes,” says Don Odiorne, the Commission’s vice president of foodservice. “With the
Idaho Potato Commission’s 75th anniversary coming up in 2012, the timing just seemed
right to put it all together into a Foodservice Toolkit to share with culinary teachers and
students. I place a lot of emphasis on education and training as being vital to the growth
of a vibrant foodservice potato program, so it is a real honor to have this material be
recognized by CAFÉ.”
About the Idaho Potato Commission
The Idaho Potato Commission is a state agency that is primarily responsible for
expanding the markets for Idaho-grown potatoes through advertising, promotion and
research. The Commission also protects the use of the “Idaho® potato” and “Grown in
Idaho®” seals, which are federally registered Certification Marks that belong to the IPC.
These Marks ensure that consumers are purchasing potatoes that have been grown in
the state of Idaho. For more information, visit www. idahopotato.com.
About the Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ)
Founded in 2002, CAFÉ links the foodservice classroom to the foodservice industry
to provide needed resources to educators so that they may more successfully train
students for vibrant, fulfilling careers in the ever-evolving foodservice industry.
Through its Web portal, online magazine “The Gold Medal Classroom” and annual
Leadership Conference, as well as its series of regional skills workshops nationwide,
CAFÉ is dedicated to addressing the unique needs of highly specialized professionals
who wear two hats as culinarians and teachers. For more information, visit
www.CafeMeetingPlace.com.
