Early CDM, CFPP Career - January/February 2026

 

Name: Michelle Smith, CDM, CFPP

Job Title: Director of Nutrition Services

Years as a CDM, CFPP: 1 year

 

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

I like helping people. I've always had a passion for helping people, but I don't always like to be in the front. I feel like food service is a way that I can help but be behind the scenes, kind of like an unsung hero.

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

In 2019, I had moved back to my hometown, and they were needing a cook at a nursing home, so I applied for the job. I could cook at home, but never did big servings. It was a 100-bed nursing home. I actually enjoyed and loved working as a cook. A year and a half later, the dietary manager and the assistant decided to leave, and I took interest in that role. I decided to go and get my CDM, CFPP to become a dietary manager in that company, and then I actually became a trainer for that company. I would go travel to other buildings and train new dietary managers or help cover dietary manager spots.

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

I would have to say when I moved to Kansas, they have a very strong chapter for ANFP. Being able to link with other dietary managers at our workshops three to four times a year and to also go to ACE has been very helpful in knowing and learning new things as a CDM, CFPP.

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

I like empowering people to their full potential, all my staff and their personal goals as well as professional goals. I didn't even know that this was a career option. I would love to show people that this is an option as a career, and it is a great career to have.

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

To be ambitious and believe in yourself. You always have to be your number one motivator, and the sky is the limit with having a CDM, CFPP. There are so many other fields you can go into and not just healthcare. There's hospitality. So just never give up.