Columbia Dining Staff Sharpen Skills in Annual Training
It may be summer break for students, but Columbia Dining staff are hard at work in the kitchen, building their culinary competencies.
Chef Mike reviews technique in the knife skills session.
Over two days, 53 team members participated in a series of in-house classes covering knife skills, roasting and braising, stewing and boiling, frying and grilling, sautéing, dish presentation, and kitchen safety.
Columbia Dining is committed to serving the student community high-quality food—and that starts with a strong, well-trained team. This annual training plays a key role in preparing staff to excel in their roles while also supporting their professional growth both inside and beyond the kitchen. Columbia Dining has a strong track record of internal advancement, with some staff progressing from porter roles to first- or second-cook positions—a three-grade advancement.
“This is a great opportunity to invest in our staff and our organization,” said Christian McKenna, Executive Sous Chef. “At the start of the program, Chef Mike emphasized that we want all staff to develop the skills needed to move across roles and advance within the kitchen. That way, they can take on bigger opportunities and better serve our students at every meal.”
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Slide 1: Chef Mike opened with an overview of the sessions, the importance of communication, and the value in training
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Slide 2: Teams prepared sauteed chicken cutlets with spinach
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Slide 3: Staff prepare mirepoix for New England Clam Chowder
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Slide 4: Chef Marcos checked in on prep for the chowder
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Slide 5: Chef Christian discussed roasting and braising techniques
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Slide 6: Chef Jerome reviews plate presentation
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Slide 7: Perfecting plate presentation
The kitchen safety course focused on allergen awareness, preventing cross-contamination, and strengthening communication. “Clear communication in the kitchen is critical—it’s like a relay race; you don’t want to drop the baton,” said Vicki Dunn, Assistant Vice President of Columbia Dining. “Cooking teams must stay focused on production: follow recipes and adhere to allergen protocols. Because we batch cook, runners relay what’s needed in the servery so cooking teams know what to prepare next. Efficient teamwork results in an excellent product.”
On the first day of training, teams rotated through each class. On the second day, they put those techniques into practice—developing menus, prepping ingredients, and cooking full meals for one another.
“This week I learned two different ways to braise beef,” said Charlie White, a short-order cook at JJ’s Place. “It’s helpful because it gives you more options in the kitchen. Plus, it’s fun to learn something totally different from my normal routine. I love it.”
The fall semester will be here faster than you can prepare a mirepoix for braised short ribs – and the Dining team will be ready!