McQuaid, Hinman, Rios take top CulinArt honors - CulinArt Group

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McQuaid, Hinman, Rios take top CulinArt honors

RYE BROOK, N.Y., Nov. 15, 2022—Heather McQuaid has been named Chef of the Year for CulinArt Group, as part of Envision Group’s Chef Appreciation Week activities. Denee Hinman and Andres Rios were named as CulinArt’s Managers of the Year as part of the Compass Night of Stars celebration.

McQuaid serves as regional executive chef for CulinArt in the Mid-Atlantic Region, reporting to District Manager Joe Ginder. She joined CulinArt in 2017 as a chef at Penn State University’s Abington campus, moved to Bucks County Technology Park, in Trevose, Pa., as catering manager, and ascended to chef manager there in 2020.

McQuaid spent the better part of 2021 helping Ginder and region VP Healthcare Harry Williamson open new and existing accounts, as well as executing catered events and training new managers. “Food quality, food cost, catering execution, and customer satisfaction would not be at the robust levels they are today in CulinArt’s Mid-Atlantic Region if we did not place Heather in her current role a year ago,” Ginder declares. “She has been a big part of our sales processes and, as part of the team, has contributed to the successful acquisition of multiple new pieces of business, including the opening of eight units in the past year.”

Hinman joined CulinArt in 2017 as the director at Forman School, in Litchfield, Conn., after 18 years in dining services including a stint with Flik Independent Schools.

Hinman was nominated for her achievements in Inclusion Excellence. “Denee has created a group of people with a diverse set of talents by maintaining a trusting workplace environment where each person can shine,” says District Manager Hilary Ham. “She prides herself on highlighting the strengths of the individual and promoting from within. She also strives for inclusion when it comes to ensuring students’ dining services needs are met—and that they feel completely comfortable within the dining realm.”

Rios joined CulinArt in 2000 as a utility worker, rose through the ranks to become chef manager at Group M, a world-renowned advertising agency, and is now director of dining services at Norton Rose Fulbright, a global law firm, headquartered in New York City.

District Manager Ed Jakubiak hails Rios for going Above and Beyond in managing the reopening of the law firm’s program as the pandemic waned. “Norton Rose reopened to a condition better than ever before,” Jakubiak says. “The firm had the latest and best food programs, quality offerings, and trendiest line of retail items, all served by a staff of courteous, and well-trained team members. The program is a true reflection of Andres and his relentless expectations of quality food, superior service, and profound presentation.”

Click here to view the CulinArt award video from the Night of Stars event in Orlando, Fla.

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  • November 15, 2022
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What our clients are saying

“What a wonderful dinner we had tonight for our international families. The food was delicious and well presented as well.”

“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

“Thank you and your staff for all the care and thought you give CSW adults and students. You approach events with such care and elegance- I don’t know how you do it! Especially day after day. Please thank all your staff for their wonderful work and kind manner with all of us. Here is to a great year!”

“Many, and I do mean many, thanks for a great Parents Weekend.  I heard from so many happy parents and you all work very hard to make it happen.  In gratitude and kindness…”

“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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