Have a listen to 2 Barstools and a Knife episodes free, on demand.  2 Spirits professors and a chef talking about what's going on in the hospitality industry; then, now, and in the future!  This week the guys are joined by the CEO & President of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Mr. Wayne Chaplin. What a great conversation with family stories, business insights, and a discussion about the future of hospitality education. As this episode was recorded before Thanksgiving, Wayne shared stories of his family and the early years of Southern Wine & Spirts, including how he left the legal profession and joined the family business to create a beverage industry juggernaut!    “This is a must listen for anyone in or wanting to join the hospitality/beverage industry,” said Prof. Connors.  Listen here.

ChutneyMex: Hospitality students' new restaurant concept wins top prize
A team of four Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management students took home first prize recently in the Redesign the Restaurant of the Future competition during Restaurant Finance Week. Their concept may be the first of its kind Indian-Mexican fusion restaurant.  The judges said that Neeti Ayare, Jean Carlos Baltodano, Tameria Benjamin and Edward Del Portillo made their mouths water and made them hungry when presenting their unique concept. Led by Chaplin professor and team adviser John Noble Masi, the students spent countless months and hours developing their idea. Read more here.

Attention restaurant operators! Learn how to slow and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your restaurant with a FREE, one hour training developed by the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality, “COVID-19 Restaurant Safety and Compliance".  Training materials are available online in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole and can be accessed at any time. Participants who pass the post-training quiz will be mailed a certificate of course completion to display in their establishments. For more information click here.

Hotel employees who have been furloughed or lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for admission into this program. The Hotel Worker Relief Grant Program is a collaboration that brings together three key elements: Higher education in the form of MDC’s grant administration and curriculum activation, local government resources with the assistance of Mayor Gimenez's office, Commissioner Eileen Higgins and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, and program development through The Greater Miami and Beaches Hotel Association. Together, this coalition of forces is focusing on providing real support to those in need. For further details click here.

Miami-Dade County commissioners approved a $30 million grant program to boost the county's small restaurants. The Hospitality Industry Grant Program authorizes establishment of a County Attorney $35,000,000.00 business grant program for hospitality industry relief from the 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Coronavirus Relief fund, to provide financial support and assistance to local independently owned and operated restaurants and non-home based caterers impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; approving term sheet for grant agreement by and among Miami-Dade County, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and Florida International University Chaplin School to provide an amount not to exceed $5,000,000.00 in funds from the business grant program to the Hospitality Industry Relief Fund to assist eligible establishments that have had to temporarily cease operations, lay off or furlough employees, or whose businesses have been severely diminished due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and directing County Mayor to negotiate and execute the grant agreement and to provide reports.  This grant program comes just over a week after Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez issued an emergency order closing indoor dining rooms for all restaurants in the county to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Hospitality Institute will provide online COVID-19 re-opening training to employees at hundreds of hotels in both the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, as part of the county’s ongoing initiative, The New Normal: A Guide for Residents and Commercial Establishments, issued by Miami-Dade County Mayor and MDC alumnus Carlos Gimenez to safely re-open businesses. The program prepares a “lead trainer” who then provides ongoing training to other employees. 

ONE FAIR WAGE Emergency Fund for Tipped, and Service Workers is raising money for hospitality workers and will be making temporary cash gifts to workers as funding becomes available: 
• To contribute to this cause, please click here 
• To apply for these resources, please click here