CPCE

Earn Your CPCE Credentials!

What does CPCE stand for, you ask? Truth, justice and the America way? Well, the members of the Chicago chapter who have earned their CPCE certainly can be viewed as catering “super heroes.” The Certified Professional Catering Executive designation was developed by NACE in collaboration with the Educational Institute, which is an educational foundation of the American Hotel and Motel Association. According to the brochure that will be available at the next monthly NACE meeting, it is a certification program that is designed to establish a nationally recognized standard of competence in the catering industry. It is also meant to promote professional commitment to excellence in catering. The certification also helps prospective employers see that you – the CPCE caterer – know pretty much everything there is to know about our industry. As Martha might say “it’s a good thing.”

The process of earning the credentials is a little bit involved only in that applicants must be able to document a large portion of their careers in the hospitality industry. It is based on a point system – years of service as a catering manager earn a candidate 1 point per year. Years of service as a director of catering earn two points per year and so on. It is the same for educational backgrounds and, of course, NACE membership. Once the application is accepted – then the fun begins.

Applicants then get study guides and other materials from NACE Headquarters and begin to prepare to sit for the exam. All aspects of catering from food and wine pairings, to calculating room capacities for various room sets, to sanitation guidelines are fair game for the exam. The study guide will help tame the volumes of materials and offers practice exams.

Exams are given at the national conference and are also offered at other times and in other locations. If there is enough interest, an exam can be organized here in Chicago. The exam consists of three sections of multiple choice and situational questions. The areas of emphasis are management and general administration, catering sales and marketing, and catering operations. All sections are completed in one sitting on exam day. Yes, it is an arduous task – but oh-so-rewarding.

Just ask any of our CPCE members – Marlene Nowakowski or Paolo Stefani.