Industry News for December 7th, 2024

Hot Off the Presses

Sodexo Live!, the hospitality partner to the world’s most iconic venues, has joined forces with the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) to revitalize the city’s hospitality industry. This innovative partnership will focus on upskilling workers, expanding career opportunities, and preparing the next generation of industry professionals. The multifaceted partnership will include professional development training at NOCHI for Sodexo Live! team members to help bolster their skill sets with specialized training courses such as knife skills, sauce making, front-of-house hospitality skills, and more. NOCHI students will also benefit from exclusive internships and on-the-job training opportunities at Sodexo Live! properties in the New Orleans area and around the world. To launch the partnership, Sodexo Live! and NOCHI are hosting two free, three-hour Taste of Hospitality trainings on Tuesday, December 3, and Wednesday, December 4 at NOCHI, 745 Howard Avenue, New Orleans. Open to all New Orleans hospitality workers, Sodexo Live! Experience Makers and NOCHI hospitality trainers will facilitate the workshops to help frontline staff prepare for the major events New Orleans will host in the coming months. The next training sessions will be announced later this month, and are open to all hospital industry professionals. 

People on the Move

Pacifica Hotels, owner and operator of over 30 brand and boutique hotels on the Pacific Coast, is excited to announce a roundup of new hires and promotions. Ron Herrera promoted to Executive Chef at Jamaica Bay Inn. A seasoned culinary professional with over 20 years of experience, Herrera has been promoted to Executive Chef at Jamaica Bay Inn. Prior to this role, Herrera served as Sous Chef at the award-winning hotel. His extensive career also includes key culinary positions at The Manchester Grand Hyatt, Seasons of La Jolla, Hyatt Regency, and Embassy Suites. 

Association Updates

Each year, the American Rental Association (ARA) honors individuals for outstanding service to the association and the rental industry. This year’s inductees into the Rental Hall of Fame, the industry’s highest honor, will be recognized at The ARA Show™ 2025 in Las Vegas. ARA created the Rental Hall of Fame in 2000 to honor those individuals who have changed the trajectory of the equipment and event rental industry. Each year, nominations are accepted to recognize outstanding industry leaders who have made a substantial and lasting impact on the industry’s success and growth at the national and/or international level. The three inductees this year include:

Products on the Market

The Campbell’s Culinary Reserve line provide operators with more ways to incorporate global and comfort food flavors onto menus. Recent market research has also shown that consumers want more global soup flavors, and that consumers also indulge in comfort foods at least once a week. The new varieties in Campbell’s Culinary Reserve include both global ingredients and familiar favorites:  

The chef-inspired frozen soups provides operators with an easy one-stop shop for premium options available in both 4-pound frozen pouches of ready-to-eat or ready-to-cook soup and 4-pound frozen tubs of condensed soup. Food recalls have impacted grocery stores and restaurants in recent months at what feels like a heightened level, which can be a positive, indicating that suppliers are taking proactive safety measures. However, recalls can also keep consumers from purchasing certain products or dining at certain restaurants. The last thing any business in food services wants is an employee introducing contaminants into food accidentally, but mistakes can be made, and safety equipment can fail on occasion. For example, waterproof bandages can fail, and employees may not immediately realize a wound has been exposed.