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COMMANDER’S UPDATE

will enhance their military food service skills, as well as service teams were developed and challenged to utilize
inspire long-term hospitality careers. knowledge gained to develop a plan to open a new food
The forum also provides an opportunity for restaurant and beverage operation to include facility design, menu
industry leaders and sponsors to engage with those serv- development and labor. Teams presented their plans to a
ing our country, provide mentoring and participation in panel of industry experts to critique their presentations.
roundtable discussions with attendees. All training costs This training was a huge success and teams received out-
are funded by the National Restaurant Association Edu- standing feedback from our industry experts. Plans are
cational Foundation. underway to conduct similar training, emphasizing the
top military initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle for
Government Food Service: Participation in the Forum our military customers. The knowledge gained through
expanded to about 46 culinary specialists in 2017 from 41 this exercise will be utilized by our food and beverage
in 2016. Is participation expected to grow again in 2018? managers throughout the Department of Defense when
Will the training program change this year at all? tasked to renovate or build new food operations.
Turner: Participants are selected by each service’s Government Food Service: Also, tell us about how the
awards program during the on-site evaluations by industry 2017 Hennessy evaluations went and if any changes are
travelers. This program will continue to evolve at a pace planned for this year’s evaluations.
supported solely by industry funding, sponsorship and
support to the foundation. Our programs simply would Turner: Our John L. Hennessy program dates back to
not survive without it. These industry partners help sup- 1956, and while our day-to-day operations have evolved
port the foundation’s mission and vision for our military over time through this industry partnership, we are excited
programs. Their support makes possible the Hennessy/Hill to say it continues to improve all of our operations globally.
Awards programs and the Armed Forces Forum for Culinary We learn so much from our industry partner travelers as
Excellence. To support restaurant-career training, military they volunteer and give back through this program. They
hospitality programs and small-business ownership op- educate us on better ways to exceed customer expecta-
portunities for military personnel, contact Alyssa Prince tions. Also, our operators in the field provide us great
at (202) 973-3679 or check out the National Restaurant feedback for process improvements. While conducting
Association Educational Foundation Industry Impact and evaluations, our travelers learn first-hand what we need
Military Partnership website (http://www.restaurant.org/ to improve upon and glean knowledge from our fellow
Industry-Impact/Giving-Back/Military-Foundation/Sponsors). industry travelers. Upon conclusion of evaluations, the
team develops a comprehensive trip report used around
Government Food Service: NRA culinary training partici- the globe to improve all of our Air Force Food and Bever-
pants spent a day visiting booths on the exhibit floor and age operations. Amazingly, the vision of John L. Hennessy
two days in training at Kendall College, which included plan- since 1956 was just that … constant process improvement
ning a dining facility. Talk about the plans they presented. through an industry-sponsored spirited competition …
and 2018 marks 62 years of continued success.
Turner: The culinary training in Chicago (Kendall —GFS
College) was attended by Air Force Food Service manag-
ers from installations that competed for the Hennessy
award. Last year, the first day was used to conduct industry Airman 1st Class Albert Homa, a food services
training. The next day and a half, joint apprentice assigned to the 28th Force Support
Squadron, serves a customer inside the Raider
Café at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., Jan. 11,
2018. (Photo by Airman 1st Class Donald C.
Knechtel, USAF, 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs.)

A customer is served at the Marshall Dining Facility
at Kadena Air Base, Japan. In addition to breakfast,
lunch and dinner, the DFAC also offers midnight
meals for members on night shifts. (Photo by Senior
Airman Quay Drawdy, USAF, 18th Wing Public Affairs.)
30 GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • APRIL 2018