Tisch Center course spotlight: Food, Beverage and Catering Operations, with Professor Dorn

Food and beverage is a central aspect of hospitality. Students in the BS in Hotel and Tourism Management with an interest in this field can take the Food, Beverage and Catering Operations course with Professor Dorn as part of their concentration. He tells us more about his background and the course in this story.

What is your background? 

While my career has primarily been involved with private clubs, I began working for Hilton Hotels Corporation at the Meadowlands Hilton in NJ, at the Westchester Hilton, and the Anchorage Hilton in Anchorage, Alaska for 3 years. After returning from Alaska, I became the General Manager of the Chemists’ Club in New York City and then became General Manager of The Union Club of the City of New York for 12 years. In 2005 I started my own consulting business in Rye, New York. My business is primarily strategic planning, operational consulting and executive search for general managers and executive chefs for the private club industry.    

At the Tisch Center, you teach the Food, Beverage, and Catering Operations course. What are the objectives of the course? 

It is my intent to give students a thorough exposure to the food & beverage industry as it relates to the hospitality field. I try to expose students to multiple facets of the industry from catering, to restaurants, the hotel business, and other areas like B&I (Business & Industry). This includes everything from stadiums to college food service (NYU) or food & beverage at a large law firm.      

Why are you interested in this specific topic and why do you think it’s important?    

I believe that there is no way a student should get involved in hospitality without an exposure to the food & beverage industry. F&B presents a huge percentage of the hospitality industry and students need an introduction to it to be successful. 

What sort of impact do you hope to have on your students through this course?    

When students first take my class, they don’t realize F&B is in fact a business and a multi-million dollar business at that. I hope I can get students to understand the business of food & beverage can make you or lose you tremendous amounts of money. If I can get this message across to students, they will ultimately be more successful operators. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?    

I have come to love the Tisch Center and I believe students we get at NYU are truly a global group of individuals. I find them remarkably talented and intellectual and hope I can make a difference in their lives.