Encouraging students to go to places to eat and take photos is a great idea. Creating a discussion with the class about their dining experience and the same applies to instructors to stay current.
It is very important to be role model for the students and pass along all the information to sparkle their interest or the passion about knowledge of food. We need to keep in contact with the "real world" and we can do this in any different ways.
A chef instructor should stay up to date with the industry as it is constantly changing. It is valuable to impart this kind of thinking to the students so that they understand education is ongoing. I also believe that promoting travel as a medium of education is important to our students in this global culinary world we are now engaged in.
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There were several important topics presented here;
1. That instructors need to stay up to date on industry topics & trends - This information needs to be presented & discussed with the students
2. Encouraging Travel , being exposed to / Trying new foods and with that being exposed to different aspects of our industry such as ice carving
As a professional chef I have never stop educating, reading, researching and tasting new trends of food.
It is important to understand that as life moves food does as well. In our days the fact that communication (specially internet) and traveling, has shorten the distance amongst cultures and countries. We are visually exposed to foods that a while ago you could find only in textbooks. Therefore, this is one of the best times to apply all this tools to oneself learning.
I continue to work in industry, attend ACF meetings, and read trade journal articles and visit food web sites daily to stay in the know about trends and even updating my own skill set. I bring in recent articles or food blog sites to share as discussion with my students. A favorite of mine is cooks illustrated; as it provides great testing and skill development of dishes/recipes. I tell my students that culinary is life long learning and encompasses so many areas from culture, to ingredients, to psychology, and business. I learn new things each and every day.
