Continued Education – a Difference Our Guests Can Taste

Continuing Education

As a leader in the hospitality industry, Delaware North is committed to the highest levels of training for our chefs and sous chefs. Delaware North requires all salaried chefs to achieve professional culinary certification through the American Culinary Federation or Culinary Institute of America.

The certification levels for our chefs include the following:

• Level I, Certified Sous Chef (CSC) or ProChef – This certification is taught, managed and tested by the Culinary Institute of America.
• Level II, Certified Chef De Cuisine (CCC) or ProChef II – This certification is taught, managed and tested by the Culinary Institute of America or the American Culinary Federation.
• Level III, Certified Executive Chef (CEC) or ProChef III – This certification is taught, managed and tested by the Culinary Institute of America or the American Culinary Federation.

CHEFS® Program Sets the Bar Even Higher

Delaware North in 2022 announced the launch of a new, industry-leading talent development incubator for the company’s culinarians: Culinary & Hospitality Excellence for Future Success — or the CHEFS® program.

CHEFS is a 12-month talent development opportunity, developed alongside the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), which pairs executive chef mentors with emerging culinarians, who earn a salary while taking customized CIA coursework online. The CHEFS program establishes a formal approach to talent development of culinarians within Delaware North.

A key goal of the program is to ensure participation and advancement of a diverse cadre of culinary talent for Delaware North.

Culinary Challenges Spark Food and Beverage Creativity

Each year, Delaware North hosts two Culinary & Hospitality Challenges, friendly competitions bringing internal food and beverage together on teams to develop business cases for new concepts and menus focused on the latest industry trends, such as plant-based and quick-service. The Culinary Challenges involve months of group work, and nearly 30 F&B team members meet for several days to create their menus for a panel of internal leaders and share knowledge among peers. Watch a video of company executives, culinarians and beverage leaders sharing their experiences with these internal challenges.