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"Every day,
Concerned about the issue of unemployment in his community, Hernandez decided to lend his culinary skills to develop a course teaching cooking and kitchen basics to youth and adults as a means to employment. With the support of
Two to three times a year, he teaches the four-week course for about 10 students, covering techniques for preparing everything from sauces to desserts. At the end of the course, he invites local employers – including
"We have already hired two from the classes at Baylor and are looking at a third," Hernandez said. The students were hired into both catering jobs and cooking positions.
The course is now a significant part of Mission Waco's Mpowerment job training program that also teaches unemployed and underemployed computer skills, job search skills, and life skills such as goal-setting and budgeting.
Hernandez, who is also a regular and active volunteer in several other nonprofit organizations, like the
Born in
"I remember how humbled he was by what we were doing, and I started to see the pieces of the picture – how volunteering together changed the team's relationship, how our coach beamed with pride, how grateful the man was," he recalled.
Hernandez, an all-city, all-district football star, started college on a full scholarship, but returned home after a year, and went to work as a hotel cook.
"I looked at the chef there, and he was practically a celebrity," Hernandez said, so he set his sights on a becoming a chef. Within a year and a half, he had advanced to executive chef. He joined
Hernandez said it was "overwhelming, surprising and wonderful" to be honored as Volunteer of the Year. "Working for
"Chef Ben is a humble man and sees the culinary arts as a way for people to make a life for themselves and improve their situation in life," said
Hernandez and his wife of 28 years, Claudia, live in
About
Aramark 2015 Outstanding Volunteers |
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Employee Name |
Line of Business |
City |
U.S. |
||
Elissa Godfrey |
Uniforms |
Los Angeles (CA) |
Stephen Luke |
Uniforms |
San Antonio (TX) |
Theo Meacham |
Uniforms |
Lexington (KY) |
Travis Keller |
Uniforms |
Joplin (MO) |
Willie Walker Jr. |
Business Dining |
Jersey City (NJ) |
Simon Elliot |
Business Dining |
San Francisco (CA) |
Francine Miroslaw |
Corporate |
Philadelphia (PA) |
Brian George |
Global Business Services |
Nashville (TN) |
Ashley Pitts |
Healthcare |
Beaumont (TX) |
Ben Hernandez |
Higher Education |
Waco (TX) |
Brenda Jackson-Lee |
Higher Education |
Tampa (FL) |
Catherine Maharg |
Higher Education |
Harrisonburg (VA) |
Eugene Walters |
Higher Education |
Cleveland (OH) |
Jo Ann Jolly |
Higher Education |
Washington (DC) |
Shawn Combs |
Higher Education |
Lenoir (NC) |
Jaclyn Lang |
Corrections |
Chicago (IL) |
Rick Fida |
Corrections |
Kansas City (MO) |
Robert Catley |
Sports and Entertainment |
Pittsburgh (PA) |
International |
||
Lynn Paris |
International - Canada |
|
Alejandro Gainza |
International - Argentina |
|
Maritza Toro |
International - Chile |
|
Grace Avendano |
International - Colombia |
|
Laura McMahon |
International - Ireland |
|
Bianca Sandoval |
International - Peru |
|
Ashley Allen |
International - UK |
|
Witek Sypniewski |
International - UK |
Contact:
215-238-7110
rucci-mary@aramark.com
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150709/234865
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131212/PH32713LOGO
To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aramark-honors-chef-ben-hernandez-for-extraordinary-volunteer-commitment-in-waco-tx-300111458.html
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