On Wednesday, May 28, we wrapped up the membership year with an unforgettable social event filled with fun, connection, education, and celebration!
We gathered at The Blooming Bistro, Las Vegas’ newest restaurant serving up hope for at-risk youth and adults who are in recovery. The Blooming Bistro provides on-the-job training for disconnected youth and adults to gain careers in the hospitality industry.
The Education: Free Food Allergen Safety Techniques Cards
May is Food Allergy Awareness Month, and to celebrate, our friends at Restaurant Hospitality Institute (RHI) provided our members with a free code to take their Food Allergen Safety Techniques course. Cara Steele, Co-Founder of RHI, was on-site to proctor the in-person exam and talk about RHI’s offerings. Congratulations to all our new members who now have another course to add to their resume!
The Celebration: President Angela Armstrong Shares Updates
After some time for socialization, President Angela Armstrong shared details on what’s coming up in the next few months for the chapter. Here’s a quick recap:
- Chef of the Year is being postponed until next year!
- July – ACF National Convention is in Vegas. Email us if you are interested in volunteering!
- August – Join us for Friends & Family with the Aces, Thursday, August 21
- Monthly meetings will resume in September and we have a fantastic lineup of topics including, but not limited to: A panel with top F&B influencers, bringing back a wine and/or beer pairing event, mocktail ready for dry January, incorporating vegan dishes into your menu, sake and dim sum pairing, women in the culinary industry panel, managing stress/mental health in the workplace, and more!
Angela also gave a special shout out to Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation who is helping to fund educational events like tonight. Charity Mills, Foundation Manager, joined us for the evening to share in the fun and learning. Thank you to Charity and Timothy S.Y. Lam foundation for helping us further our efforts to provide educational opportunities to current and aspiring chefs!
The Mission: Serving up Hope with The Blooming Bistro
During the meeting, we also heard from The Blooming Bistro’s Co-Founder, Samantha Steele, about the organization’s mission. The Blooming Bistro provides disconnected youth and adults with employment opportunities and on-the-job training for a career in hospitality. All program participants receive rigorous training from Restaurant Hospitality Institute, both in-class and on-the-job. The goal is by the time students complete the program they will have the skills, and work experience, to continue their career elsewhere in the hospitality field.
Program participants Diego and Scarlette shared their life experiences and what the program has meant to them, and in short – it’s everything. It has provided them with important learning opportunities to not only help them gain employment now, but in the future.
Time to Nosh & Network
As the food was served, everyone enjoyed talking amongst themselves, making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. We think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all.
We look forward to seeing you for an exciting lineup of events in the Fall!