Christopher Koetke, MBA, CEC, CCE, dean of Kendall College School of Culinary Arts, and vice president of the Laureate International Universities Centers of Excellence in Culinary Arts, was honored in Boston, at the Chefs Collaborative Sustainability Awards Dinner. Dean Koetke received the organization’s Pathfinder Award for his dedications to raising awareness of the importance of sustainability in the food industry.
The Pathfinder Award recognizes leaders who are advocates for change beyond the culinary kitchen. The Chefs Collaborative is a non profit network of chefs that fosters a sustainable food system through education and collaboration with a broader food community.
“Dean Koetke is so deserving of the Pathfinder award,” said Melissa Kogut, Chef Collaborative’s executive director. “Through his tireless outreach efforts across the country, he has helped chefs embark on their own sustainability journey, educators integrate sustainability into their curricular, and students train to be a transformative force in making sustainability mainstream throughout the foodservice industry.”
“This honor was unexpected, but gratefully accepted,” said Dean Koetke. “At Kendall, we began our sustainability journey about five years ago. Today, it is a cornerstone of our mission and integral to both our curriculum and operations. We are proud to be able to share our knowledge and that of other experts through our national outreach program.”
Since January 1998, Dean Koetke has been teaching at Kendall College School of Culinary Arts (www.kendall.edu), and was named dean in 2005. His title of vice president of the Laureate International Universities Centers of Excellence in Culinary Arts was added earlier this year.
The sustainability program was launched in 2005, and in 2007 the school was honored with the Green Award presented by Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI), the first ever presented to a culinary-training program. Today, Dean Koetke is in high demand as a speaker at industry conferences across the country.
Posted 10/15/10
