The Pan Pacific’s Executive Chef, Daryle Nagata works as an assessor with the Multiple Assessment Pathways (MAP) project.

“In the restaurant industry, working under the old system of standardized written assessments, we had known for some time that the certification system wasn’t fully meeting the needs of the industry.” It’s true. Prior to the introduction of ITA’s MAP system, chefs were expected to pass traditional, one-dimensional tests in order to attain certification. “But how do you judge taste on a written exam?” Daryle asks. “So when a chef presented their certification with their resume, it was a start, but we still had a lot of work to do to determine if the chef met industry standards.”

“Of course, we still do our homework, you always have to when you hire someone, but knowing that a chef has been certified using Multiple Assessment Pathways, makes it a lot easier. We know that the chef’s skills have been evaluated in person by a trained assessor, and that’s worth a lot more than passing a written exam.

The program does not allow Daryle to assess members of his own team who are looking to further their certification, so he finds himself mentoring any of his team members with aspirations. “We want everyone to succeed and this program allows me to be a part of their success. It inspires people.”

“I’m so impressed by the work that’s been done to implement this system. Since it’s a much more authentic way to assess chefs, and much more useful as a tool for our industry, there has been tremendous buy-in from all of the stakeholders.”