Ongoing Culinary Education During Coronavirus

A series in which hospitality professionals discuss the changes they’re making during the Coronavirus pandemic and the positive effects those changes are making for them and their clients.

My fourth interview is with Ken Rubin, chief culinary officer at Rouxbe in Portland, Oregon. Rouxbe is the world’s leading online culinary school, with more than 500,000 students around the globe. Rubin oversees course curriculum development and recruitment for the company.

The Coronavirus pandemic has caused this already online business to look for ways to help existing chefs and culinary students facing new challenges.

Liz: How are you taking this difficult situation and making it better or easier?

Ken: There are a few things we’re doing here at Rouxbe to help the industry during these hard times. 

For one, we’re offering a free course on Food Safety. We’ve updated it to include content specifically around the Coronavirus and what a food handler needs to know to prepare and serve food safely.

For the consumer side of our business, we are also opening up our membership for 30 free days. 

We’ve have also partnered with dozens of high schools and culinary school programs to provide the Rouxbe platform for students currently enrolled in culinary school, to ensure that they don’t have a break in their learning. 

"Fine dining and cruises will suffer more than places that can create some volume and efficiencies with takeout or delivery."

Liz: How has your day-to-day changed since the Coronavirus pandemic started?

Ken: Here at Rouxbe, I’ve always worked remotely for the most part, so the day-to-day isn’t markedly different in terms of the office. My family, wife and kids, however, are now home with me. That is a change. 

There is also clearly a shift of focus at the organization as we think of ways we can help the hospitality industry given the current state of things. We are all heads down working on ways to support the industry and our students during this time, as well as how our technology can help. 

Liz: When the situation has calmed down, how will your practice or industry be changed?

Ken: This is really challenging for the industry as a whole. So many businesses and restaurants have closed, and many may never re-open.

Liz: Some say that the industry will never be the same. What is your interpretation of that statement?

Ken: Those that make it through will need to show creativity, flexibility and resilience, but some segments are just positioned better than others. Fine dining and cruises will suffer more than places that can create some volume and efficiencies with takeout or delivery. 

Liz: What has impressed you most about how the hospitality industry is reacting to the situation?

Ken: We’re seeing a lot of people supporting others right now, which is wonderful, but there’s still so much to rebuild and re-imagine. We are an industry that is here to help and feed people, make them feel welcome, so that makes the response even more meaningful. 

Liz: Anything else you’d like people to know?

Ken: We will have a very low-cost option and some new free program options for enterprise and industry partners. We will remain flexible and service-oriented to make sure we can meet the needs of our partners and students as they make the move towards the future. 

Operators, chefs and all others in hospitality: Would you like to be interviewed? See the original call for submissions here.