Sharing and Giving Back with Cooking in 2023

Sharing and Giving Back with Cooking in 2023

Looking back to move forward! As I grow older I strive to become wiser and through this lens of hope for 2024 I celebrate how the the past year has been. Here we go… The main reason for this post is to share with you three concepts that I have found over the years to…

Looking back to move forward! As I grow older I strive to become wiser and through this lens of hope for 2024 I celebrate how the the past year has been. Here we go…

Teaching the high school teachers at the annual MOEFACS conference in the summer of 2023

The main reason for this post is to share with you three concepts that I have found over the years to help others and that has also given me great satisfaction. These points are:

• Sharing and giving back
• Networking
• Building a community

The American Culinary Federation Springfield/Branson chapter has seen some great meetings and events in the past year. These photos are from the Emerging Chef Challenge, 50/50 Scholarship dinner and our Certification Seminar held at Ozarks Technical Community College. In 2024 I will again be serving as the education chairman for the chapter. With the board we are planning some exciting meetings and events for the upcoming calendar check our our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/SprinfieldBransonACF

Guest panelist at CAFE (Center for the Advancement of Food Service Education) teachers and directors retreat held in Charleston SC. Had a great time speaking, cooking and networking at this annual event. The focus of my speech was on how to teach like a trainer. This group’s main focus is on formal culinary school and hospitality management education. I was invited to speak by Chef/Author Paul Sorgule and I also helped prep for his food station at the reception. Chef Paul has a great blog that focuses on working in restaurant kitchens at https://harvestamericacues.com

To read more about the Center for the Advancement of Food Service Education go to their website at: https://cafemeetingplace.com

Canned Peaches is a five-part podcast series focusing on food, stories and traditions that are associated with specific foods such as honey, chestnuts, wild mushrooms and of course canned peaches . I was asked to host an event to help promote the podcast launch at OTC and offered a tasting menu that focused on honey and executed with help from some my top students. The commentator/host of the podcast is award winning author and former J school professor from the University of MU, Nina Fursteneau. For more on her works go to: https://www.facebook.com/NinaMukerjeeFurstenauAuthor

Canned Peaches launched in November, and is presented in partnership with the Missouri Humanities with support from the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund. Partners are Harvest Public Media, Vox Magazine, the Missouri School of Journalism’s Missouri News Network, and the Lee Hills Chair for Free-Press Studies.



Check out the podcasts at: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1213099099/canned-peaches?fbclid=IwAR1G_u-IKMHDYkJ4QcMiaO0i2BfwrNKNSBwd-CNwbjL8eioTKEUht5bqP4o

Writing articles on some great restaurants in Missouri in my column “Find Dining” for Missouri Life magazine has been a fun side hustle for me and I always get to try some great food and make a connection with some talented chefs and owners. The restaurants that I dined at and visited prior to writing about them were 1932 Reserve located at the lake of the Ozarks, the Indian restaurant in Springfield Newabs and The Order in the Vandivort hotel in downtown Springfield. To read the full articles go to my Articles page on this blog or go to the archives page at Missouri Life at: https://missourilife.com/?s=daniel+pliska

The fall semester in my culinary classes at Ozarks Technical Community College featured some great classes and events along with the fall season of our ala carte restaurant “Scallions” which experienced a record season that was sold out for most of the days. Additionally, this semester I taught in the newly remodeled Savory Kitchen Lab. For the latest on our formal accredited program go to the site- https://academics.otc.edu/cul-hsm/



Teaching what you know, sharing your talents with others and building community through networking and joining organizations is not only for chefs but for anyone in any chosen field. In 2024 with so much angst and uncertainty I urge you to reach out and give back for in the end I believe that is what we are all meant to do.