our mission

Building the Next Generation of Restaurant Leaders

About
90%
of Restaurant Managers began their careers as entry level employees.

Over half have earned a degree, but few of those degrees are specific to hospitality or culinary management. The majority of smaller restaurant companies lack the resources to provide ongoing industry-specific leadership training, resulting in a knowledge gap about building successful teams and brands.

This is why we created The Full Course Foundation Learning Center, a 501(c)3 offering a comprehensive library of training resources. By providing focused training, we work to develop operators who are well-equipped to profitably manage their businesses, build strong teams and provide coaching and development to their employees. Our goal is for qualified and motivated employees to move into management roles, confident that a career in the our industry will provide opportunities for professional, financial and personal growth and success.

The Full Course Foundation’s mission is to provide best-in-class training to those interested in learning more about the restaurant industry. Whether a back of house employee, restaurant manager, chef, independent restaurant owner or CEO of a restaurant group, anyone can access our education at little to no cost to support their opportunities to grow as people and leaders, and in doing so, change our industry for the better. 

We deeply believe that it's not enough to offer generic leadership training. To turn the tide for our industry, we must  ensure that we're providing resources and training that address our unique challenges. By investing in people, we are building our industry for the better.

Join us in our mission.
Learn more about how you can support the Full Course Foundation.
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Our people

Our World-Class Team

Lissa Bowen
Executive Director
With a career in the restaurant industry spanning three decades, Lissa has held leadership roles in Operations, Recruiting, HR, Talent Management, Business Development and Marketing. She will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Foundation, Learning Center content and Development.
Erin Wenttang
Director of Learning + Leadership Training
Erin is a Learning & Development professional with a demonstrated 20 year history of success creating Learning & Development strategy to support senior business leaders and the organization. She is CPTD (Previously CPLP) Certified through ATD and will manage the curation and creation of Learning Center content.
Lauren Fernandez
Chairman of the Board
Former General Counsel of FOCUS Brands turned restaurant operator, Lauren brings nearly 20 years' experience in brand licensing; franchising; and consumer product development. She will oversee all Board activities.
press

Learning Center News

Full Course to Expand its Nonprofit Education Arm with New Subscription Platform
Navigator is for anyone who works in restaurants including owners, managers, and restaurant employees wanting to learn more and expand their career in the industry.Read full article
New Educational Offering For Restaurant Industry
Navigator is a subscription-based platform that provides low-cost educational resources for people in the restaurant industry.Read full article
Full Course Expands Restaurant Educational Programs
Navigator Aims to Provide Access to Low-Cost Training and Restaurant Operations ResourcesRead full article
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