Russ Zito is an associate professor in the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. He has been an instructor at Johnson & Wales since 1997, teaching in both culinary lab classes and academics. He is an expert in equipment technology and has a strong knowledge of computer technology. He received the College’s Most Valuable Player Award in 2002, 2004, and 2006 and the prestigious Escoffier Society Chair in 2008.Zito was one of the founders of the annual Intracollegiate Student Culinary Team Competition, which pits each of the Johnson & Wales campuses against each other in an American Culinary Federation (ACF)-sanctioned knife skills and cooking event. A member of the ACF himself, Zito has served as treasurer and competition chair of the Rhode Island chapter, and advises the junior chapter. He was voted Rhode Island Chef of the Year in 2002. In addition to his teaching, Zito works as a research chef with Chef Services Group, Inc., providing product and concept development services for clients like Harvard University Dining Services, Pinnacle Foods, Rare Hospitality, Richelieu Foods, Slade Gorton, TIC Gums, Venda Ravioli, and others. He also serves as event personal chef to actor Timothy Hutton.Specialties: Culinary Education, Computers and Computer integration into foodservice applications, Small Business Accounting and Establishment, MS Excel Advanced Applications, Foodservice Equipment Technology, Food R&D, Food Technical Sales Support