Early CDM, CFPP Career - May/June 2025

Why is a career in foodservice the right fit for you?

I've been in foodservice off and on since I was 16, and every job I had just kept leading me back to foodservice. I even have a degree in education, but I keep coming back to food. When I got the opportunity to work at the hospital and help serve the patients of our town, it fit right in with what I love to do. I love to cook, and I love to help patients.

Why did you choose to earn your CDM, CFPP credential? 

We are very blessed at our hospital to have so many opportunities to become a CDM, CFPP. We currently have five CDM, CFPPs in our building and a sixth one is working on [obtaining their CDM, CFPP credential] right now. When I got the opportunity, I asked my boss, and she let me take it. I first took it solely for the information and education because education is lifelong, and I really enjoyed the class. The CDM, CFPP that I have now is going to give me possible opportunities in the future.

What ANFP tools have helped you get acclimated in your career?

Well, one of our biggest tools is Felicia Smith. She does so much for ANFP and has so many roles and hats that she's probably one of our biggest tools that we use here at our hospital. She also has Edge magazine, so I would randomly ask her for a magazine during the time I was taking my CDM, CFPP course and would look through it. It seems to be a really big help.

I'd say the biggest tool is all the CDM, CFPPs that we have in our building. You can ask any one of them a question and we can get all the answers that we need, and if not, they will help put us in the right place to find the answers.

What are you looking forward to most in your career as a CDM, CFPP?

I'm most looking forward to growing in this position and learning more about the supervisory roles and the management role side of it. I'm solely on the cooking side of it right now, which I absolutely love. I'd like to learn more and grow more in the upper management type where if I do get the opportunity to use it as a certified dietary manager, then I can continue to use that.

What advice would you give other young professionals or those searching to build a new career in the foodservice industry?

I would definitely say that you need to ask questions and find CDM, CFPPs around you. Find CDM, CFPPs anywhere and especially if that's the career path that you are choosing, ask them questions, gain their knowledge, and take everything in because there is so much information out there and it's a big part of our industry. It really does help you see the bigger picture. It's more than just feeding a patient or doing anything like that. It's so much bigger. If you don't ask questions and take notes, it's going to be difficult, but it is a very fun and rewarding program to do.