How the California Restaurant Foundation and OCRC Are Turning Up the Heat on Workforce Development Feature Story

The California Restaurant Foundation (CRF) has been committed to investing in the people who power California’s vibrant food service and hospitality industry for more than four decades.

Established in 1981 as the nonprofit, workforce-focused sister organization of the California Restaurant Association, the foundation began by offering scholarships to students pursuing culinary education and hospitality management programs. Over time, that mission expanded.

Today, CRF’s work centers on three key pillars: education, workforce development, and community relief, all of which support both aspiring and current food service professionals.

“We realized that if we want to inspire and prepare the next generation, we need to connect with people earlier,” shares Erin Mascho, CRF Senior Director of Development.

Through its ProStart Program alone, CRF reaches more than 14,000 high school students across California, providing hands-on culinary and hospitality education, mentorship, and clear pathways into industry careers.

The foundation also supports workers through relief grants and resilience programs when emergencies or hardships arise. Taken together, CRF’s initiatives form a robust, people-centered approach to strengthening the Orange County hospitality workforce pipeline.

Partnering to Strengthen Regional Restaurant Industry Talent

Although CRF has collaborated with California’s community colleges and CSU campuses for more than 15 years, its formal partnership with the Orange County Regional Consortium (OCRC) is a more recent development.

The collaboration emerged from a regional workforce panel discussion exploring how industry and education could better align to support student success and address employer talent needs.

“There was a clear need to create more intentional, ongoing spaces where colleges and industry could speak the same language. OCRC has helped make that possible in Orange County,” says Mascho.

Together, CRF and OCRC established a regional industry advisory board, connecting approximately 15 hospitality and food service leaders with faculty from the four Orange County community college districts offering culinary arts programs. The board meets regularly, participating in career-building activities such as guest speaking sessions, résumé workshops, campus visits, and job fairs.

“It’s the consistency and relationship-building that make the difference,” Mascho explains. “When employers and colleges are at the table together throughout the year, we build trust and help opportunities open up for students.”

Why Community College Students Stand Out

CRF views community colleges as a powerful yet often underestimated pipeline for culinary and hospitality leadership.

Mascho emphasizes that Orange County colleges have made significant investments in state-of-the-art facilities and industry-experienced faculty, rivaling other top culinary programs and making quality professional training widely accessible.

“Students coming out of these programs are prepared not only with technical skills, but also with professionalism, confidence, and a true understanding of how the industry works,” she says.

Looking Ahead

Following a successful pilot year, CRF and OCRC plan to expand their partnership, exploring internship and pre-apprenticeship models that create more structured on-ramps into hospitality careers.

“Orange County is uniquely positioned as a major hospitality hub with a strong network of employers and colleges,” Mascho shares. “When we collaborate at the regional level, we can build a more vibrant, equitable, and sustainable restaurant workforce.”