Kennesaw State wins two national awards from the National Restaurant Association
University wins Innovator of the Year and Operator Innovations Award for Sustainability Click here…
Georgia (May 20, 2013) —
University wins Innovator of the Year and Operator Innovations Award for Sustainability
Click here for a video on Kennesaw State’s award-winning culinary sustainability program
Click here for a photo of Kennesaw State students working in one of the sustainable farms.
KENNESAW, Ga. (May 20, 2013) — It was a clean sweep for Kennesaw State Saturday night, as the university won two
national awards from the National Restaurant Association — the “Innovator of the Year” and Operator Innovations Award for Sustainability.
Citing its “comprehensive, closed-loop waste management program” and “Farm to Campus
to Farm” initiative, this is the first time an educational institution has been selected
to receive the prestigious Innovator of the Year award.
“It is an incredible honor to be the first university to receive this prestigious
national award,” Kennesaw State President Daniel S. Papp said. “This award recognizes
the leadership and excellence that are the hallmarks of KSU’s culinary sustainability
program.”
The innovative restaurant operators were revealed in Chicago, at “Destination: Celebration,”
the gala event for the 2013 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel
Show. Selected by an independent panel of expert judges, the winners were recognized
in five categories for their achievements in driving advancement in the foodservice
industry.
Winners in each of the five award categories of Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Menu
Development, Sustainability and Technology were eligible for the Innovator of the
Year award.
“The NRA awards are like the Oscars of food service,” said Gary Coltek, director of
Culinary and Hospitality Services, which operates the University’s campus farms and
manages the Farm to Campus to Farm initiatives. “This award truly speaks to the direction
that college and university food service has taken over the past few years. A strong
component of our sustainability program is education and outreach, and this award
has given us the opportunity to promote what we’re doing and hopefully motivate other
operators to do the same.”
In claiming the Innovator of the Year title, Kennesaw State bested Walt Disney Parks
and Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., the Operator Innovation Award for Technology
winner; and the U.S. Air Force, the Operator Innovation Award for Health & Nutrition
winner. Other finalists included Ninety Nine Restaurants in Woburn, Mass., the Food
& Safety winner; and HMSHost in Bethesda, Md., the Menu Development winner.
“These restaurant operators have found solutions for their businesses with programs
and initiatives that combine creativity and hard work,” said Jeffrey W. Davis, convention
chair for NRA Show 2013 and IWSB and CEO of the United States Beef Corp. “The 2013
Operator Innovations Award winners redefine how the industry views innovation, and
will serve as benchmarks for other operators to apply the same innovative spirit within
their own operations.”
In naming Kennesaw State a finalist for the Operator Innovations Award for Sustainability,
the National Restaurant Association cited: “The University’s 5,000 guest/day dining
operation incorporates a comprehensive, closed-loop waste management program through
a variety of efforts, including a robust organic "Farm-to-Campus-to-Farm" program,
water reclamation, aerobic digestion, composting/recycling programs, oil-to-biodiesel
conversion and more to significantly reduce costs, minimize environmental impact and
qualify the facility for a LEED Gold certification.”
The National Restaurant Association recognition is no flash in the pan for Culinary
and Hospitality Services. Beginning in 2011, Kennesaw State was ranked among the top
25 schools for best food by Newsweek. That nod was followed by a string of accolades beginning last summer when Kennesaw
State joined Stanford and the University of Massachusetts in receiving top honors
from the National Association of College and Food Services (NACUFS) for sustainability
outreach and education. In September, The Daily Meal, an online publication dedicated to culinary trends and news, ranked Culinary and
Hospitality Services 10th in its “52 Best Colleges for Food in America.” Kennesaw State last month received
a prestigious NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Award for its dining hall, The Commons.
“While Kennesaw State seeks to make a substantial impact on our campus, in our community
and across the globe, we strive to reduce any negative impact on our environment,”
President Papp said. “Along those lines, we recently launched anew bachelor’s degree
in Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality that moves the farm-to-table concept from
the plate to the bottom line, looking at the economic advantages of implementing sustainable
practices throughout the food service industry.”
As part of the new degree program, students will complete their internships in The
Commons, which will include the opportunity to harvest honey from 42 bee colonies
and grow heirloom varieties of vegetables and herbs across Kennesaw State’s three
campus farms.
"Graduates of our program will have a competitive advantage in the job market because
they will have experiential learning in managing a facility at the top of its game,"
said Christian Hardigree, founding director of the Institute for Culinary Sustainability
and Hospitality.
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Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering 80
graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business and
nursing, and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the University
System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential institution with
a growing population of 24,600 students from more than 130 countries.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
