Faculty/Staff
Joe Askren
Professor of Instruction
jaskren@usf.edu
Campus: Sarasota-Manatee
Room: A316
Joe Askren is a professor of instruction in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the ßÙßÇÂþ»â€™s Muma Business College, and is also the director of the USF Brewing Arts certificate program. He teaches a variety of food and beverage courses and was one of the original creators of the Culinary Innovation Lab in Lakewood Ranch. Askren was a former chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts from 2007-2012. While teaching at Le Cordon Bleu, he was voted Teacher of the Year twice in 2008 and 2011 by the school’s graduates. Chef Askren received his bachelor's degree from the College of Business at the University of Florida and an MBA in hospitality management from Colorado Technical University. He is also a culinary graduate of Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida, and holds the Certified Executive Chef level from the American Culinary Federation. Askren received his PhD in adult education from USF in 2017. His dissertation was on experiential learning theory in the classroom. The Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education accepted an article from his dissertation in 2019. Askren’s current research interests are connected to the brewing industry and restaurant operations.
His culinary and management experience took place in some of the finest hotels and restaurants in the United States. He started his professional career at one of the finest country clubs in the southeast. At Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, he worked under Chef Donald Pleau. After graduating from culinary school in Jacksonville, he moved out west to work for Chef Anton Brunbauer for nine years at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa followed later by the Westin Resort in Spa; both four-star award-winning properties located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Chef Askren eventually became the executive chef at the Radisson Woodlands Hotel & Resort in Flagstaff. Here he ran one of the largest banquet facilities in northern Arizona along with two successful restaurants-- most notably, Sakura Restaurant, a James Beard Award winning teppanyaki/sushi bar.
In 2011, Chef Askren was the culinary creator of the Good Life Cuisine brand that has been instituted in BlueStar Resort & Golf properties in Washington, California, and Arizona. Good Life Cuisine concentrates on healthy, sustainable, and responsibly sourced ingredients. Askren is also a contributor to multiple editions of John Walker’s: The Restaurant: from Concept to Operation, as well as several contributions in Walker’s Cost Control and Hospitality textbooks.
Askren has been working with USF World since 2015, leading trips to multiple countries exposing students to the foundational food traditions with the hospitality course HFT 3894 International Food & Culture. His study-abroad cohorts travel to vineyards, breweries and food markets, engage in hands-on cooking classes, and experience collaborative learning with local experts in the fields of archaeology, food science, ancient history, and culture. Some of the locations in Askren’s study abroad programs include the Italian cities of Florence, Venice, Modena, Parma, Montepulciano, Bologna, Lucca, Cinque Terra, Luca, and Volterra; Lyon, France; Belgrade, Serbia; and the Greek cities of Athens and Kalamata. One of the more memorable programs included his students studying at the famous Institute Paul Bocuse, where they received hands-on learning experiences from professional chefs, sommeliers, cheese makers, and restaurateurs.
Teaching
- Event Management
- International Food & Culture
- Intro to Beer Science
- Ongoing Study Abroad Program to Italy/France
- Restaurant Management
- Undergraduate Internship
Research
- Askren, J. T., James, W. B. (August, 2020). Experiential Learning Methods in Culinary Course Can Bridge the Gap: Student Perceptions on How Hands-On Curriculum Prepares Them for Industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education. 33(1)
Service
- HospitaBull
- Brunch on the Bay
- Bull's Bistro
- Crosley Dinners