The Sous Chef™ multimedia culinary arts training system will be showcased in May at the National Restaurant Association Show 2006 in Chicago. The show is the largest annual gathering of foodservice professionals, managers, educators and suppliers in the world.

The Sous Chef™is a simple, highly cost-effective way to create or enlarge a culinary training program for all types of commercial and institutional foodservice operations, according to Sous Chef™publisher, KP Educational Systems.

The Sous Chef™ exhibit will be located in booth 7853 in the North Hall, Level 3, of the city’s lakeside McCormick Place convention center.  The product has also been chosen for listing in the show’s Hot New Products category.

The Sous Chef™ is offered in specialized configurations and editions for both large and small schools or training programs. Also available are versions for businesses, students, and home learners.

“The Sous Chef™was originally conceived for the educational market, but demand from the commercial sector prompted us to offer a business version,” said Nai Wang, KP president and co-creator of the Sous Chef™.

“The true value of the Sous Chef™in the commercial sector is how training can add to the bottom line,” he said.

Both the Business and Education editions of the Sous Chef™ will be on display in Chicago, along with Culinary Fundamentals, a new four volume series highlighting specific training areas. The new Culinary Fundamentals are used for online college courses and self study.

Companies using the Business Edition for training have reported “increased productivity, decreased waste, and the learning or reinforcement of basic kitchen techniques and skills,” Wang said. “They tell us it also helps to ensure consistency and even can inspire new ideas and menu items.”
  
As a result, the Sous Chef™has found a wide range of use in the professional foodservice arena. Not just for schools and other formal education venues, the Sous Chef™can effectively add value to any commercial or institutional culinary training program – large or small, structured or casual.

The system is currently in use at over 500 schools as well as a range of restaurants, hotels, caterers, and even cruise ships. Institutional and non-profit users of the technology include hospitals, school kitchens, and the military. 
Any size or type of facility that cooks and serves food can start or add to a culinary training system with the Sous Chef™.

Small independent operations (restaurants, caterers) use the Sous Chef™ for enhancement and advancement. They can install the Sous Chef™ on a work computer and let employees learn new skills and ideas.
Larger kitchens are sometimes able to create “classrooms” as part of a lounge or employee area where individuals and small groups can view the Sous Chef™ on a large monitor or projector screen.

The training structure can be varied according to the needs of the operation.  Some companies offer individual, one-on-one training where the chef or a more experienced employee works with a trainee using the Sous Chef™as a teaching tool.  Other companies organize groups of similar interests to work and learn together.

When not being used formally, the Sous Chef™is available, with just the click of the mouse, to answer specific culinary questions or just to “browse” for a new idea or a specific kitchen technique to learn or review.

The pace of Sous Chef™ training can be adjusted to the unique requirements of the foodservice operation. Some trainers prefer a formal schedule with regular meeting times and a set curriculum. Other kitchens offer self-paced instruction with managers and employees setting goals and instruction periods as needed. 

Even the outcomes of using the Sous Chef™ can be varied according to the needs of the operation.

In smaller operations, the Sous Chef™ is a great resource and reference for informal cross-training and advancement.  According to one of our owners who uses the Sous Chef™ in his small restaurant, his “dishwashers can become line cooks” and “line cooks can become chefs” partly by using the Sous Chef™ to learn new skills and techniques.

In larger kitchens or multi-location operations, a formal organized system of competency training and testing can be established. This type of arrangement can easily be joined to a job classification and wage advancement structure.

This type of program gives your employees (and you) a clear set of guidelines for their career development. KP Education Systems can help create such a system for your multi-unit or large kitchen operation.

Whatever the size of your foodservice operation, the Sous Chef™ can be a valuable start, or addition to, your culinary training program, according to the Sous Chef™ staff. Begin “Teaching With Technology” today.