Page 21 - Sodexo-Vidant View_March 2019

CELEBRATING FY18 I JAN 29-30

AREA AWARDS

A W A R D C A T E G O R Y : T A L E N T D E V E L O P M E N T
WINNER: Andrew Loesch
Executive Chef at Vidant Duplin Hospital

At Vidant Duplin Hospital, during a Stay Interview process with our Executive Chef, Andrew Loesch, I came to realize through
the series of questions and answers, Chef Drew really enjoys his work, the employees at Vidant Duplin Hospital, his FANS team,
the flexibility of his hours, and the customer service aspects of his job! He expressed a desire to expand his career with Sodexo
and wanted to pursue becoming a Certified Chef. He also had aspirations to provide culinary support for the regional hospitals
in the Vidant Health System. When I asked what I (Leadership) could do to best support these goals, he shared… help him
become a member of the ACF and achieve his certification, allow time for additional Culinary Foundation Training and continue
to support him through the processes.
Late in the summer of 2017, the journey began. He worked on the application paper work, took additional on line courses to
meet the requirements, joined the ACF, completed training with Mike Kester, planned his practical menu and practiced it, then
scheduled his final exam to take place in March 2018. All of the preparation was over and above his normal work load.
Chef Drew traveled to Virginia over a weekend in March 2018 to complete the last part of his certification- the Practical Exam.
This included preparing a three course meal using basket ingredients while showing a specific set of cooking and plating
techniques. The Practical Exam took three hours and was evaluated by eight Certified ACF Chefs from the Northeast. The exam
was designed to show skills the Chef had acquired over his career as well as adding validation to his chosen profession. After
the exam, Chef Drew received notice he had passed!
During his preparation, his commitment to serving his customers and team continued to be a priority. His hard work and
dedication to developing and growing his production team was evident by their work. He consistently supported the Sodexo
resources by providing a safe working environment, skills and culinary training, and meeting regulatory and budget standards.
Chef Drew would be very deserving of the Talent Development Recognition.