New Bistro To Go menu

Bistro VerdeBistro Verde, LLCC’s student run café, is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday as Bistro To Go and on Wednesday and Friday as Bistro Grab & Go.

View the new fall Bistro To Go menu. Bistro To Go has soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, coffee drinks and smoothies available for takeout. Orders can be placed in person, at 786-2821 or at bistroverde@llcc.edu (instructions on the Bistro Verde website). View the fall Bistro To Go PDF menu.

Bistro Grab & Go offers premade soups, salads, sandwiches, snacks, baked goods and other quick items. Beverages such as tea, sodas, coffee and specialty coffees will be available too! Sorry, no call ahead orders for Bistro Grab & Go. View the fall 2018 Bistro Grab & Go menu.

Culinary and nursing cross-disciplinary learning simulation

The culinary and nursing programs have been working together to enhance their knowledge of nutrition and patient care. Students were divided into teams and given medical case studies. Teams diagnosed their assigned patients and created appropriate dietary plans. Friday, Oct. 12, the teams had the opportunity to prepare the food, evaluate each other’s work and debrief on the challenges faced and lessons learned during the simulation. Goals of this cross-disciplinary opportunity include giving students a taste of what patients who are on restricted diets go through in making food shopping and meal choices and also to show there are opportunities to enhance patient care by helping teach patients how to create satisfying meal options that still meet their medical needs.

Culinary and nursing studentsNursing-Culinary simulationNursing-Culinary simulationNursing-Culinary simulationNursing-Culinary simulationNursing-Culinary simulation

LLCC hosted NRAEF meeting on apprenticeships yesterday

Apprenticeships meeting in Bistro VerdeLLCC hosted a National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) apprenticeship accelerator meeting yesterday, Sept. 24, in Bistro Verde to introduce the nation’s first restaurant management apprenticeship program to interested restaurant employers in the Springfield area. Caroline Eckert, manager of program development, NRAEF, spoke to 24 individuals in attendance who learned about the employer-driven training program.

The NRAEF conducts apprenticeship accelerator meetings across the country to explain how the program works and demonstrate how it can address restaurant industry challenges to find and retain top talent.

In 2016, the NRAEF and the American Hotel & Lodging Association received a $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the first-ever federally registered hospitality sector apprenticeship program. The program places individuals in paid apprenticeships focused on management-level positions across the hospitality and food service industries, translating into increased skills, higher wages, recognized credentials and a career advancement plan.

Caroline Eckert Nancy Sweet

LLCC to host National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation meeting on apprenticeships Monday

National Restaurant Association Educational FoundationLLCC will host a National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) apprenticeship accelerator meeting Monday, Sept. 24 to introduce the nation’s first restaurant management apprenticeship program to interested restaurant employers in the Springfield area.

The NRAEF conducts apprenticeship accelerator meetings across the country to explain how the program works and demonstrate how it can address restaurant industry challenges to find and retain top talent. The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. in Bistro Verde.

In 2016, the NRAEF and the American Hotel & Lodging Association received a $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the first-ever federally registered hospitality sector apprenticeship program. The program places individuals in paid apprenticeships focused on management-level positions across the hospitality and foodservice industries, translating into increased skills, higher wages, recognized credentials and a career advancement plan. Read more.

Teen Career Launch

Career Launch teensThe teens in the Boys and Girls Club of Central Illinois’ Career Launch spent yesterday afternoon on campus learning about a variety of applied technology and workforce programs and careers. The teens then had the opportunity to learn about small business ownership, automotive technology, truck driver training, construction and electrical maintenance. They even had the opportunity to work on a single-switch wiring project and to build their very own washer toss games!

Those assisting with the afternoon program included: Jolene Adams, Jim BettsBrian Earley, Jim Gain, Bob Howard, Kevin Lust, Julie Rourke and Tom Spears. Career Launch will continue on Monday afternoons at LLCC through July 30.

Kevin Lust presenting to Career Launch teensBrian Earley showing Career Launch teens the automotive technology labLLCC semi truckBob Howard talking to Career Launch teens about truck driver trainingJim Betts assisting Career Launch teen in constructing a washer toss game boxCareer Launch teen working on single switch wiring project

LLCC co-hosted Bread Camp for professionals

breadLLCC co-hosted the Springfield location of Spence Farm Foundation’s 2018 Bread Camp on Sunday, July 8. The event was planned and organized by Nancy Sweet, director of culinary programs and operations and Jolene Adams, coordinator, LLCC Culinary Institute. Sean Keeley, culinary specialist, cooked lunch for guests on Sunday at LLCC with produce from local community gardens. The event also included a farm tour in Pana and talks from industry experts and baking bread at Danenberger Family Vineyards.

Bread Camp class

Led by 2017 and 2018 James Beard Award Outstanding Baker nominee Greg Wade from Publican Quality Bread, students had an intensive two-day camp on baking, focusing on utilizing organic whole grains, the role of fermentation in baking, and bio-dynamic farm systems and their incredibly important role in the entire bread and grain supply chain.

Industry professional students learned from and networked with a variety of industry experts such as

  • Erika Chan – executive pastry chef at the Publican, Chicago
  • Jill Brockman-Cummings – miller, The Mill at Janie’s Farm, Ashkum
  • Keith Seiz  – The National Honey Board
  • Liz Moran Stelk – executive director, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Springfield
  • Fred and Carolyn Gerberding – local beekeepers
  • Jack Erisman – Erisman Farm, certified organic farm, Pana
  • Woody Woodruff – conservation expert, including soil and crop rotation, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Springfield

Touring farmBeekeepingMillingBaking bread

LLCC alum chosen to drive Ride of Pride

POW-MIA hood on Ride of PrideLLCC alum David Buck was recently chosen by Schneider to drive the its newest Ride of Pride truck. David will drive the truck across the country, making appearances at military events, schools, driver recruiting events and other special occasions. The Ride of Pride is a truck series designed to be a rolling tribute to members of the United States military – past and present. A couple of the events that he will be involved with throughout the year include: “Rolling Thunder” in which he will travel with a group of veterans on motorcycles across the country, culminating in a motorcycle rally through capitol hill in Washington D.C. on Memorial Day weekend, and in December, he will be transporting a truckload of wreaths from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in support of Wreaths Across America
Ride of Pride and LLCC trucksDavid Buck and Ride of PrideGroup in front of Ride of PrideImage of soldiers on Ride of Pride