READING ASSIGNMENTS
OBJECTIVE: To expose you to the wealth of up-to-date information available by regularly
reading professional publications.
DUE DATES: there are 4 assignments and they are due on different dates. See the class
schedule on page 2 page of this syllabus.
READING PORTION GUIDELINES:
Read 4 feature length articles. (Again; each is due on different weeks of the semester.
Check the calendar on page 2 of this syllabus):
Two need be from major trade journals websites and two from other web sites.
Journals such as Chef Magazine, Restaurants & Institutions, the National Culinary Review,
Prepared Foods, Modern Baking, Food Service Director, Restaurant USA, etc. are suitable.
Consumer magazines (Bon Appetite, Gourmet, etc) are not acceptable for this assignment.
Readings must be from 4 of the following general categories:
1. Back or front of the house operations
2. Ethnic cuisines
3. American regional cuisine
4. Marketing of food services or restaurants
5. Management skills useable by a chef
6. Starting or financing a business
7. Menu design, menu development
8. Purchasing techniques, vendor relations, theft prevention
Two (2) selections should be from non-journal web sites or blogs:
Only 1 article can be selected from each web site or journal. For example, if you choose a
feature from Chef you cannot use that magazine for any other selection. Pick another journal.
WRITING PORTION GUIDELINES: Articles must be typed; hand written papers will not be
graded. Type a brief (2 to 2 1/2 double-spaced pages, with no spacing between paragraphs) paper
for each article read. Attach a link to the article. If you choose to use a physical magazine scan
and attach the article in a PDF file format with your paper.
Do not write a summary of the article. Depending on the topic, you might write the article from
several different angles, such as:
A. Explain how this reading will benefit your current work or career.
B. Discuss why the topic you read is or is not popular in the culinary field.
C. Comment on how a management skills article can guide you by improving your people
or management skills.
D. Use quotes from parts of the article to describe how you arrived at the conclusions that
you did and about the message the writer was projecting. I want to hear your option,
but in context to what the writer was saying in the article.
E. The best suggestion is to pick a topic that interests you and will help you move forward
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