David Yanisko
Biography
David brings over 20 years combined experience in independent restaurant operations and post-secondary culinary arts & hospitality management instruction to his role as Professor of Practice. Prior to his time at Virginia Tech, Dave was an Associate Professor of Culinary Arts in the Business, Food Service and Agricultural Management Department at the State University of New York (SUNY) Agriculture and Technical College at Cobleskill. Serving as the department Chair from 2019 – 2021. He obtained his MS Ed in Career and Technical Education from SUNY Oswego in 2016, the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) Certified Executive Chef (CEC) in 2017 and the American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute’s Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) in 2021. Dave is also National Restaurant Association ServeSafe Manager Certified.
Prior to his academic career, Dave spent 10 years as a chef in a la carte and private event dining in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C and the resort areas of Southern New Jersey. He is heavily influenced by and trained in the French brigade system and contemporary restaurant operations. Dave has taught introductory and fundamental culinary arts and restaurant management classes, as well as sanitation and ServeSafe certification, purchasing and cost controls, catering management, garde manger, customer service and restaurant operations practicum.
David has served as host chef to the Chaine de Rotiseurs “Le Jeune Chef Competition,” and has been an advisor/coach of student competition teams including “Le Jeune Chef Competition,” San Pellegrino “Almost Famous Chef Competition” and various NY Beef Council Competitions. He is a member of the American Culinary Federation New River Valley Chapter, the Center for the Advancement of Culinary Education (CAFÉ) and the NY Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Advisory Committee.
Teaching
HTM 3414 Food Preparation, Purchasing and Management
Education
2016 M. Ed. Career and Technical Education, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY
2003 AAS Culinary Arts, Johnson and Wales University, Denver, CO
1997 BS Geological Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
Certifications
American Culinary Federation, Certified Executive Chef
American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, Certified Hospitality Educator
National Restaurant Association ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification, Instructor and Proctor
Professional Affiliations
American Culinary Federation (ACF), New River Valley Chapter
Center for the Advancement of Food Service Education (CAFÉ)
Previous Teaching Experience
8/2013 – 8/2023 Associate Professor, SUNY Cobleskill Agricultural and Technical College
Department of Business, Food Service and Agricultural Management, Cobleskill, NY
7/2012 – 7/2013 Culinary Arts Faculty Member, The Restaurant School, Philadelphia, PA
Professional Engagement
Invited Lecturer:
6/2017 Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy, “Food Production of the Po River Valley” Summer Session
Academic Fellowship
April 2022 Institute for Rural Vitality, in partnership with Liberty Partnership Program, created and delivered eight, on-hour of Farm to Table “follow-along” cooking and nutrition videos, targeting high school students and their families.
Presentation had an emphasis on healthy and nutritious options.
Professional Presentations
August 2020 Izmir University of Economics, Dept. of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Turkey, Educator Discussion Series, “Virtual Culinary Arts Education and the Covid-19 Pandemic”
March 2018 NY FCCLA Culinary Career Lecture and Demonstration, Cobleskill, NY, “Fabricating Chicken Cutlets and Handmade Fresh Egg Pasta”
October 2016 NY Beef Council #BeefTogether Blogger Beef Tour, Canandaigua, NY, “Fabrication of the 112A Boneless Beef Ribeye
August 2016 & July 2015 FFA “InTENse” Agricultural Career Experience, Cobleskill, NY, “Preserving and Quick Pickling: An Introduction to Value Added Products”
June 2015 Center for the Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) Leadership Conference, Niagara Falls, NY, “The Science of Culinary Arts Education: Integrating Molecular Gastronomy into the Classroom”
Relevant Industry
Chef de Cuisine, The Diving Horse, Avalon, NJ and Pub and Kitchen, Philadelphia, PA
Chef de Cuisine, Blackfish Stone, Harbor, NJ
Sous Chef, The Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley, PA
Sous Chef, Rae Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA
Line Cook, Ritz Carlton, Tyson’s Corner, McLean, VA
Line cook, LaCroix at the Rittenhouse, Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia, PA.