Joan Froling: Dog Trainer, Consultant and Author

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Service Dog (Photo by Betta5 via StockXchang)

In contemporary work settings, people and dogs are finding new work related partnerships. Specially trained service dogs make it possible to pursue a livelihood despite a disability that impacts mood or mobility.

Who trains the seeing eye dogs that help legally blind owners navigate the bus route to work? Who trains the mobility dogs that help owners with MS, Parkinsons’ or paralysis keep their balance, pull wheelchairs or bring a fallen chair back upright?  Who teaches psychiatric service dogs to recognize the signs of disorientation and lead their owners back to a familiar space where they can regroup safely? Who understands the medical needs of illnesses such as diabetes or epilepsy so they can train service dogs to
warn of an impending attack, ease a person to the ground, and fetch help or necessary medication?

Meet Joan Froling, a veteran dog trainer who parleyed her skills in training show dogs… with her courage in facing a life threatening illness… and her commitment for advocacy

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Food Entrepreneurs: Panther Coffee, Tiny but Mighty Popcorn and Scrumptious Pantry

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Lee Greene of Scrumptious Pantry at the Good Food Festival in Chicago.

Consumers seek affordable luxuries even as they trim their budgets elsewhere. Food entrepreneurs are paying attention, and the recent Good Food Festival in Chicago brought together thousands of growers, chefs, marketing companies, buyers and consumers—a global farmers market.
A recent New York Times Magazine article called “Don’t Mock the Artisanal Pickle Makers” by Adam Davidson, noted that “craft businesses may portend the future of the U.S economy.” We met some of these “hipster capitalists:”

Kevin Sabo of Chicago was  in the plumbing supply business and getting an MBA when he found himself in an exciting new food start-up start-up called Tiny But Might Popcorn.

Joel and Leticia Pollock bring the art of roasting coffee beans to the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami. Their coffee house, Panther Coffee, is located in the nerve center of Art Basel Miami every December but it provides a community gathering place all year round.

Leticia Ramos Pollock and Joel Pollock are the co-owners of Panther Coffee in Miami.

Lee Greene of Chicago used her MBA in marketing and strategy, her work as a management consultant and a six year apprenticeship in at a winery to she help Midwestern family farms create jams, sauces and pickles that are affordable luxuries for people who appreciate good food with her Scrumptious Pantry products.

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Jeremy Houghton: Sommelier

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Jeremy Houghton is a trained chef. Some of his favorite culinary experiences have been in Alaska and New Mexico where he has cooked bear, antelope, elk and moose.

He wanted something more. He decided to go back to graduate school—studying wine and earning level two certification as a sommelier.

A sommelier is a trained professional who specializes in wine selection, service and food matching. A sommelier may also be responsible for developing wine lists, for the delivery of wine service, and training for the other restaurant staff. He works with the culinary teams to pair and suggest wines that will best complement food menu items, drawing on a deep knowledge of how food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages work in harmony.

For those of us who’ve been considering going back to school for additional training, we asked Jeremy about the career path of a wine expert. It’s a lot harder than I’d imagined…

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Brian Phelan and Dean Mike Hampton: Taking Hospitality in a New Direction

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Preparing for South Beach Wine & Food Festival: Dean Mike Hampton and FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management students. (Photo courtesy of FIU.)

This is the high season in South Beach Florida, and we revel in the festivals that take advantage of our sunshine and mild winter weather.  Last week’s event was the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.  We attended the festival and met up there Dean Mike Hampton.  He’s the Dean of Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Hampton was kind enough to sit with us amongst the hustle and bustle in the Grand Tasting Village and share his insight on where the business of hospitality is going. Dean Hampton explained what he thinks the hospitality industry has to offer people at all points in their careers, including college students at the entry level and professionals looking for encore careers.

Of course, the essential skill in the hospitality business is the art of welcoming guests and being personable.  Technology is a newer component that provides new ways of connecting with guests and customers. Dean Hampton gave the example of the restaurant Bone’s in Atlanta, which uses iPads to facilitate wine and food menu choices.

After the festival, we connected with Brian Phelan, Director of Procurement for Feeding South Florida.  Phelan and his team coordinated a massive food rescue effort after the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.  Food rescue means safely using unserved and still consumable food.  In the case of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, chefs and restaurants have to overprepare so they don’t run out of food. This year, Phelan and his team rescued about 40,000 pounds of food.

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