Any professional chefs out there?

Anne... This method of cooking is used throughout the cooking industry. It is a way that kitchens can get a head start on pasta. Fresh pasta you don't have a problem with it may only take a few minutes but with dried pasta it take longer. By boiling it in water for a few minutes then cooling it down in cold water ( not leaving it in the water ), when you get an order for a pasta dish you can just pop it into the hot water for a few seconds to heat it up and you are all set. Even though it is a common practice, it does not mean it is the right thing to do. A good restaurant should not do this.