Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2024

BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF

THE WINNING RECIPE High School Chefs Compete In Appetizer Contest At AXC

BY SARAH BELING

Left: In competition sponsored by Areas USA, students from four high school culinary programs had the opportunity to showcase their skills during the opening night reception at the Airport Experience Conference.

“[After COVID], many students are still quite timid,” said Seglem. “This experience helped students find their voice and confidence to proudly represent their culinary art and their school.” Participants found the window into airport concessions valuable too, said Seglem. “The students generally have the same surprised reaction when we share all that goes on in airport concessions. Many students have never been to the airport. Unless you work in our industry, you really don’t understand the vast depth and layers of dedicated staff that makes our industry thrive,” she added. Partnerships like the Areas-ProStart one are a “pivotal platform” to building a pipeline of local talent ready to fill open positions across airport concessions and the restaurant industry at large, said Heather Pickett, foundation director of the Texas Restaurant Foundation . Areas is also extending its reach to further uplift ProStart students, having already “adopted” two Chicago-based teams, with plans to do so in every market they operate, added Seglem. And while there could be only one winner at the AXC Areas competition — Arlington ISD Dan Dipert Career & Technical Center ’ s risotto cakes took first prize by a slim margin — all of the participating schools received donations to their ProStart program, said Seglem. More than anything, Schneider added, the organization’s affiliation with ProStart is “what this industry is all about — we take care of one another and find opportunities to lift up those with the drive to succeed and learn this amazing craft, just like my mentors did for me.”

Association’s vice chair as well as on the board of its Education Foundation. “I grew up in the restaurant industry and know first-hand the vast opportunities it can lead to,” said Schneider. “At an early age, I washed dishes at my family’s restaurant. From casinos and sports entertainment to global hospitality in airports, I’ve had the fortunate honor to explore a variety of leadership roles with the help of a host of mentors along the way,” he added of the importance of extending professional opportunities to young chefs interested in pursuing hospitality careers. The Areas team — which has regularly judged competitions and mentored ProStart participants since Schneider joined the company — found the AXC conference a “perfect fit to not only exercise new skills in networking but also see how expansive the airport hospitality industry stretches,” said Julie Seglem, Areas’ director of business development. Seglem added that AXC attendees “were blown away” not only with the quality of student recipes but with the poise and professionalism exhibited by teen chefs interacting with AXC guests.

oung chefs got a taste of the airport hospitality industry during the opening night reception of the

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Airport Experience Conference. Students from four local high school culinary programs had the chance to showcase their skills through a competition sponsored by concessionaire Areas USA . Participants from the National Restaurant Association ’ s two-year high school culinary arts and restaurant management program, ProStart , submitted their own appetizer recipes for Gaylord Texan resort staff to serve at AXC’s expo hall on behalf of Areas. Offered a choice of pan-seared scallops, risotto cakes, basil pesto crostinis and brisket bao buns, AXC attendees were able to sample and vote for their favorite dishes, as well as chat with chefs on their recipe development process. Giving young culinary students the occasion to experience a large-scale hospitality setting as well as learn more about the airport concessions industry is a passionate priority for Areas Chief Development Officer Richard Schneider, who serves as the National Restaurant

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AX NEWS APRIL/MAY 2024