While most of the staffing issues endured by the restaurant and food service industry in Rhode Island have improved, there continue to be labor shortages. Vacancies take longer to fill, workers calling out create short-term hardships and there is still a lack of up-and-coming employees.
Business owners from chefs to human resource directors are looking for any avenue to attract workers.
Students with little to no employment experience received an opportunity to have a seat at the hiring table when they were invited to attend the daylong Rhode Island High School Hospitality Student Career Conference held by the Rhode Island Hospitality Education Foundation on April 5 at the Providence Marriott Downtown. Participating schools included the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center, Chariho Career & Technical Center, Exeter Job Corps Center, and the Cranston Area Career and Technical Center.
These schools competed earlier in the spring in the national ProStart culinary and management skills scholarship challenge. This time, they were there to meet with and learn from local industry professionals.
“One of the education foundation’s main goals is to prepare Rhode Island’s next generation of hospitality industry influencers for life after school,” said Heather Singleton, chief operating officer of the foundation.
Traci Dufresne, director of hospitality and education, said students and professionals alike left feeling invigorated and inspired.
[caption id="attachment_437463" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
CAREER PATHWAYS: Hospitality and food service industry professionals discuss their career pathways at the Rhode Island High School Hospitality Student Career Conference. They are, from left: Trio sous chef Cameron Vicente, Omni Providence Hotel Director of Associate Services Kim Paquette, Kin Southern Table + Bar owner Julia Broome and Pizza Marvin owner Robert Andreozzi.
COURTESY RHODE ISLAND HOSPITALITY EDUCATION FOUNDATION[/caption]
Following the ProStart competition in recent years, some of the judges adapted and adopted some of the dishes that the students had competed with on their menus. For example, Jennifer Luxmoore of Providence’s Sin Bakery put a grapefruit tart created by a student team on her menu. Her customers loved it so much that she ended up keeping it on the menu for the entire month of April and it is still available.
As of May 22, Newport Restaurant Group’s Avvio restaurant is spotlighting a veal chop created by the Exeter Job Corps team. It was clear to the industry professionals the potential and the talent was there to be cultivated. Advantage to the savvy employers who recognize this potential.
That was the simple idea of the career conference. A distinguished panel was co-chaired by Joanna Arrighie, area director of sales and marketing at Meyer Jabara Hotels, and Tom Riel, senior vice president at the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. More than 100 students heard from panelists discussing their pathways to success. They included chef Robert Andreozzi from Pizza Marvin, a 2023 James Beard-nominated chef, and Kim Paquette, Omni Providence Hotel director of associate services.
A breakout success story was told by sous chef Cameron Vicente. He was in the ProStart competition during his senior year in high school. He was approached by Newport Restaurant Group at the competition. The restaurateurs were so impressed with Vicente’s skill that they put him on a career track. He is now in the kitchen of their restaurant Trio in Narragansett. It was the culinary equivalent of being scouted by the pros on the athletic field.
At the career conference, employers conducted on-the-spot interviews, allowing students to be introduced to hiring professionals and go through the basics of interviewing.
“I’ve been connecting students with professionals constantly since the event ended,” Dufresne said. “We’re already planning the next one!”
“Dining Out With Bruce Newbury,” syndicated weekly on radio, can be heard in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont and Indiana. Contact Bruce at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
