Delaware Restaurateur

Quarter 1

s po t l i gh t

4. Tell us a little bit about your relationship with the

students at Lake Forest - what kinds of things are you

helping them with?

We quickly found that textbook learning, while great and

holding many benefits, doesn’t necessarily capture the essence

of the industry like hands on experience does. You must

see, touch, and taste to create the excitement and sense of

accomplishment. We focus on life lessons and expectations

while learning the techniques and it seems to be absorbed at a

much better pace. Knife skills, veggie and poultry fabrication,

safety and sanitation, and of course meal production come

together throughout the process and generates natural growth.

Team building and communication are also major benefits of

the program. The student/mentor relationship quickly develops

into a family atmosphere with great respect and admiration.

5. Future Predictions - where do you think the restaurant

and hospitality industry in DE is headed? Any obstacles/

issues you think need to be overcome?

The trends in Delaware will follow suit with the rest of

the country. Sourcing out local vendors will only continue

to grow. In a state as small as Delaware it is great to see

establishments partnering with local vendors and using this as

part of their marketing. There is much more “house cooking”

and moving away from processed foods. There has been more

innovation in the past ten years than probably the previous

twenty-five. Many specialty restaurants are opening. Patrons

are much more health conscious. Menus are being geared to

dietary needs. There is greater concern for our environment.

Food trucks are the next big thing. The biggest obstacle facing

the industry is the workforce and pay scales.

ProStart students from Lake Forest High School, competing in the

culinary competition of the 2016 Delaware ProStart Invitational.

Pictured on left, Dj Silicato of Harrington Raceway and

Casino, accepting an award for New Member of the

Year from the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Milford