Friday, March 13, 2009
PRINCESS ANNE, MD – The eighth annual Eastern Shore Seafood Education Seminar for restaurant chefs, managers, wait staff, new employees and retail seafood market staff takes place at the new Holiday Inn on 17th Street in Ocean City from 9 a.m. 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8. Limited to the first 40 registrants, a $40 fee includes all lectures, seafood cooking demonstrations, the luncheon and the handouts.
Sponsored by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Food Science and Technology Center, the Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program, the UMES Rural Development Center, the UMES Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management, the Maryland Department of Seafood Marketing and the Delmarva Chefs Association, the seminar offers a variety of presentations by professionals addressing important topics for area seafood business owners. Restaurant chefs, cooks, managers, wait staff and individuals working in the local retail seafood marketing or distribution sector stand to benefit from presentations about new seafood products and consumer trends, sourcing and marketing locally harvested seafood, seafood safety in the kitchen (including HAACP), staff training for better sales, fishery resource/media issues and quality control in the kitchen. The workshop will be informal, with emphasis on seafood handling, training and education.
“Seafood is part of Eastern Shore regional cultural heritage and regional tourism,” said maritime heritage specialist Charlie Petrocci. “For many area visitors, seafood dining is important to their overall travel experience. And restaurants need to stay on top of ever changing consumer demands and perceptions.”
Seminar highlights include a special seafood cooking demonstration using locally harvested species, wine sampling from a local winery, and a seafood luncheon at the new Hemingway’s Restaurant located in the Holiday Inn.
“With rapid changes in food product development, people working in the seafood service industry need to constantly update themselves to keep abreast of changing consumer trends,” said Dr. Jurgen Schwarz, director of the UMES Food Science and Technology Program.
“This seminar is a great opportunity for new kitchen staff, floor managers and retail sales to experience a mini culinary arts seminar,” adds executive chef Mark Mayers of the Harrison Group in Ocean City. This program is credited by the American Culinary Federation continuing education program.
Get an edge on seafood buying, safety and marketing for your seafood business. To learn about new products and quality control or to share ideas and mutual challenges and earn more profits for your business, call Tamela Wise at 410-651-8497. Registration deadline is Friday, April 3.
###
Dr. Jurgen Schwarz, director and associate professor, UMES Food Science and Technology Program, 410-651-7963, jgschwarz@umes.edu.
Suzanne Waters Street, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, sstreet@umes.edu.
