Kendall College Renowned Chef and Educator Chris Koetke Honored at 2016 Worldchefs Congress & Expo with Prestigious Education Award

Koetke, Vice President of the institution's School of Culinary Arts, has nearly 20 years of excellence in culinary education and is highly regarded around the world

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Kendall College

Nov 14, 2016, 04:09 ET

THESSALONIKI, Greece and CHICAGO, Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- During its biennial Congress & Expo, the Worldchefs Congress presented Christopher Koetke, Vice President of Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts, with the prestigious Education Award, in honor and recognition of his commitment to educating up and coming chefs and current members of the international culinary community. Koetke received the honor because of his tireless dedication to Kendall College, its students, alumni and partners in countries from around the world.

Worldchefs Congress presents its prestigious Education Award to renowned chef and educator, Chris Koetke, vice president of Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts in Chicago. Koetke was presented with the award in honor and recognition of his commitment to educating up and coming chefs and current members of the international culinary community, as well as for his tireless dedication to Kendall College, its students, alumni and educational partners in countries from around the world. Pictured (left to right): Chef Charles Carroll, immediate past president, World Association of Chefs Societies, and Chef Christopher Koetke, Kendall College.

The Worldchefs Education Award was established in 2008 for the purpose of recognizing the work and efforts of an individual who has contributed to the aims and mission of Worldchefs and their role of developing educational programmes for Worldchefs members and chefs community across the globe. The award is presented every two years during the congress event by the President in the presence of both delegates and sponsors and is a recognition of the recipient's commitment to fostering and promoting the role of education, which is a primary focus for Worldchefs.

"Teaching and mentoring the next generation of industry leaders is something I truly love, but I also learn so much from my students in the process," said Chris Koetke, vice president of Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts. "I believe that when education is a two way street, that is when it's at its finest point. I am grateful and thrilled to receive this recognition from my peers."

The Worldchefs Congress & Expo, an event that began in 1930, attracts up to 2,000 delegates from all over the world. This premiere program, held in Thessaloniki, Greece, is an opportunity for participants to showcase cuisine, culture and traditions to an international culinary community.

This year's event featured culinary competitions, trade exhibitions and an education component. Koetke was one of the event's feature speakers. His presentations focused on the importance of educators setting sustainability standards for the food industry. He also served as a moderator of a panel of international experts who discussed the future trends and challenges the industry faces.

"No one who is more deserving of being recognized by the Wordchefs Congress for their contribution to culinary education," said Kendall College Interim President Kim Shambrook. "Chris is much more than a teacher. He is a leader who inspires his students and colleagues."

Koetke joined the Kendall College faculty in 1998, and in 2005, he became Dean of the School of Culinary Arts. Five years later (2010), Koetke was elevated to the role of Vice President.

"Kendall College has a world-class staff with a student body that is among the brightest in the world. Providing them with skillsets that they use to make a difference is something that I enjoy immensely," Koetke added.

Kendall College was recently ranked as the top educational institution for preparing students for careers in hospitality management and culinary arts (TNS Global – 2013 Survey).

For more information about Kendall College and its degree programs, visit www.kendall.edu.

About Worldchefs

The World Association of Chefs Societies – Worldchefs is a non-political professional organization, dedicated to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of global cuisines.

We accomplish these goals through Education, Training and continuing professional development of our international membership. As an authority and opinion leader on food, Worldchefs represents a global voice on all issues related to the culinary profession.

About Kendall College:

Kendall College, founded in 1934 and located in Chicago, offers undergraduate degrees in culinary arts, hospitality management, business and early childhood education to a diverse and passionate community of more than 2,100 students each year. The curriculum combines strong academics with practical experience and international educational opportunities to give students in business, hospitality and culinary arts programs the skills and expertise to be leaders in their professions. Kendall College was ranked the No. 1 program in Chicago for preparing students for careers in hospitality management and culinary arts in a survey of hiring managers at Chicago's leading hotels and Michelin Guide restaurants (TNS Global - 2013 Survey) and was rated a top 50 Global Hospitality Management School by CEOWorld. Kendall College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. For more information, visit www.Kendall.edu.

Kendall is part of the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 80 campus-based and online universities in 28 countries. For more information, visit www.laureate.net.

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SOURCE Kendall College