Two Chicago Chefs Release New Textbook: The Culinary Professional

Chefs and authors John Draz and Christopher Koetke are pleased to announce the release of The Culinary Professional (ISBN: 978-1-60525-118-9), a comprehensive learning tool for students new to culinary arts and the foodservice industry, published by Goodheart-Willcox Publisher.

According to the National Restaurant Association (NRA), even in today's tough economy, restaurants remain a direct and indirect generator of jobs and careers, creating occupations that will grow considerably in the next decade. The restaurant industry is the nation's second-largest private-sector employer, representing more than 9% of the nation's total jobs. The long-term outlook is for continued growth-the industry is expected to add an additional 1.8 million positions over the next 10 years, boosting the industry's workforce by 14% to 14.8 million people in 2019.

The Culinary Professional is a landmark introductory textbook developed for students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 as well as the first two years of postsecondary training. Designed in a colorful, easy-to-read format, the 831-page book offers complete explanations of culinary techniques, identification of the vast array of equipment and foods used in a professional kitchen, and an introduction to the knowledge and skills needed to work in and manage a foodservice operation. Besides providing students with an excellent foundation in the study of classic and contemporary cuisines, The Culinary Professional also explores the vast range of opportunities encompassing traditional and emerging food careers.

"Amid the wealth of culinary textbooks available in the marketplace, we saw great opportunity to tie solid culinary training to the realities of today's evolving foodservice industry," says Draz. "Cooking remains a noble art in America, but more than ever is also an exciting option for young people who wish to have fulfilling careers with life-management flexibility throughout their lives. Our book gives prospective professional cooks the knowledge they need to be successful."

Additional highlights of The Culinary Professional include:
� More than 1,000 illustrations facilitating product and equipment identification and step-by-step techniques for essential culinary skills
� More than 160 professional recipes
� Thorough glossary of key terms and index to locate terms and subjects covered
� Regularly appearing features on history, workplace issues, safety and sanitation, science and technology, culture and cuisine, culinary tips, menu trends and nutrition principles
� Chapter activities on workplace math, problem-solving and critical-thinking challenges, as well as minilabs

"As dean of one of the world's foremost culinary schools, I'm reminded daily of the critical need for students to receive proper information and training as early as possible to perform at their greatest potential at every stage in their educations," says Koetke. "Chef Draz and I wrote The Culinary Professional from the standpoint of arming tomorrow's chefs with a foundation in contemporary cooking, giving students a solid platform from which to launch their careers with confidence earned from fully understanding the basics and their applications to modern foodservice."

Additional student materials in digital format-including identification and vocabulary activities, math activities, primal-cuts activities, recipes and related Web links, as well as printable common foodservice forms and worksheets-are included on a companion CD conveniently sleeved into the back cover of each book. The CD also provides students with a username and password to access an online recipe database, allowing them to convert recipe yields, search by title and browse by recipe category.

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