Letter from an Eighth-Grader

By John Kinsella, CMC, CCE, WGMC, AAC

Today I recieved a letter from eighth-grader Karen Takatori, who says she loves to cook and serve meals to her mom and family. What an insightful eighth-grader she is. She doesn't think she will be a chef in the kitchen or in a restaurant for her entire career. In time, she would like to teach. So, she asked what classes you need to take to become a chef. Of course, I strongly advised her to develop great reading, writing and math skills, and become bilingual. As she lives in California, I'm sure Karen will be exposed to a bilingual society where she will thrive.

This was just one of the many letters I receive; in fact, I get more than 50 e-mails a day, some from our national office and my board, but lots from you, the members. Some of you tell me of your concerns with ACF, or your progress in school, and you also bring up many other issues. Most of you talk about how much you like the way ACF is going today, and I thank you for that. After attending the first two regional conferences, I had great conversations with members who were present.

One of the greatest issues we are all facing, as I see it, is the economy, and the reduction of discretionary dollars that our guests will be spending in our establishments. It is going to be more challenging for us to maintain the workforce levels that we have today as the economy becomes weaker. In the sunshine states, we are seeing a lot of foreign investors buying up premium properties and moving to their new homes. As the dollar weakens against the euro and the pound, we are going to see more international foods on our menus. It is going to be challenging for us to provide such dishes, in great quantities, for our guests. Yes, most tourists come to the United States to eat American food, but as our economy has gone global, there is more demand for other styles of food in our restaurants.

When the economy starts to slow, most of us return to school to educate ourselves to meet the needs of a changing dining population. We cannot become set in our ways, because then we will not be able to meet the demographic change that is occurring in our society. Take Karen, who is just starting high school. Her learning style will dramatically change during that period.

Let's face it, home-meal replacement, which was the buzzword in the '90s, is now a reality. Some major supermarket chains are creating menus within their establishments and putting them online. Customers go to the site and order fully cooked meals for their families. They also tell the supermarket what time they are going to pick it up, and pay by credit card. You say this is not reality. Yes, it is, because we are starting to see more and more people ordering takeout to eat at home.

More chefs are becoming personal chefs to those who can afford them. This is another reality check of what's happening to our industry: We are seeing people seeking the services of the American personal chef. Back in 1993, I was involved in some demographic research on future careers for chefs and cooks in the 21st century. The final report found that one in three chefs would be cooking either in the supermarket or as a personal chef. Only one out of three would be working in restaurants, hotels, clubs and resorts, and one out of the three would be working in healthcare.

Even in retirement communities, residents are demanding high-quality internationalstyle foods for their discerning palates. As the baby boomers retire, they are going to demand high-quality food and service. When the average American needs half a million dollars to retire comfortably, the day of the average restaurant or hotel establishment is short.

So, if Karen graduates from a culinary program, she will probably, at first, be working in one of the fields that I've described. But the key message is this: If you're frightened to accept change, you are doomed to mediocrity and a limited career. Those who embrace the changing demographics of our profession will be extremely successful and have fruitful careers.

Please keep your letters and e-mails coming. I enjoy reading every one of them, and I try to respond to everyone when I can, for communication is the most important part of being a chef in the 21st century. And thank you, Karen, for reminding me of the importance of reading and listening.

Have a great cooking day.