High Country Inn welcomes Hennessy Team Published Feb. 11, 2010 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- The Air Force Hennessy Team is scheduled to arrive at the Air Force Academy Feb. 17 to evaluate the High Country Inn Dining Facility on 48 major categories, including food-service management, force readiness support, food quality, employee and customer relations, resource conservation, training and safety. The Hennessy Team determines which Air Force dining facility receives the John L. Hennessy Trophy, indicating that the receiving facility has the Air Force's best food-service program. The Hennessy Trophy is scheduled to be presented in Chicago in early spring. The High Country Inn serves cadet candidates at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School, serving three meals a day, seven days a week, to approximately 240 cadet candidates. High Country Inn staff members hold dietary management and National Restaurant Association Servsafe certifications as well as culinary arts degrees. Many of the employees also have experience with military food-service programs. Ongoing regular training ensures that the staff remains current in food industry standards. The staff received five excellent ratings during seven visits from the Public Health Office in 2009, the highest on the Academy. A $5.9-million renovation in 2002 updated the facility that was originally built in 1958, redesigning the High Country Inn to resemble a fine civilian restaurant, including a stone fireplace, foyers and exterior canopies to keep cadet candidates out of the weather. "We take great pride in accomplishing our mission and this great facility and our contractor team members ensure we excel in accomplishing it." said food service officer Lou Moya. "The Prep School cadet candidates are the future leaders of our Air Force. Many of our Preppies have gone on to become general officers, CEOs of multinational corporations, and pillars of their communities."