Download - Mise En Place No 64 Legacy Issue
ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
No. 64, October 2013
Culinary Legacy: Nature or Nurture
Culinary Legacy: Nature or NurtureBecoming a chef—coded in the genes or cultivated in the
environment?
6 A Passion for Feeding KidsSchool foodservice leaders turn to the CIA for new ideas
20
A Canvas for Culinary Artistry: Villeroy & BochOne company’s legacy of giving to the CIA
27Thomas Keller’s Smash Hit at the CIAThomas Keller Day—exciting, inspiring, and surprising
12
6
Across the PlazaFollowing the Presidential Trail | Many Paths, One Dream
Come Back and Gain a Culinary Edge
11
Education for LifeWomen in Foodservice | Uncorking a Career in Wine
Kudos | French Cuisine | Book Shelf
16
Gifts at WorkWhy Give? | Giving’s Impact | Let’s Make Some More Noise Charitable Gift Annuities
28
Class NotesClass Notes | In Memoriam | Share Your Success!
32
12
27
20
16
Thomas Keller’s
Smash Hit at the CIA
www.ciaalumninetwork.com4
People often think of a legacy as being a treasured family
heirloom, a piece of property, or the bequest of lots of money! But
often, the legacy we receive from family isn’t a thing but rather a
talent, an expectation, or an attitude.
Is our skill as a baseball player the result of nature—passed down
through our genes from our great-uncle Joe who played in the
minor leagues in the ’40s? Or, is it the result of nurture—the hours
spent in the backyard with our father, playing catch and batting
the ball?
At the CIA, we have so many examples of a very specific kind
of legacy—the legacy of culinary talent. Sons, daughters, and
grandchildren of our graduates. Brothers and sisters with no
family foodservice history. Long-lost relatives who share a passion
for all things culinary. It is within each of these members of the
larger CIA family that our legacy resides.
This edition of mise en place looks at a few stories of culinary
legacy. They’ll warm your heart and make you wonder about the
age-old question, “Is it nature or nurture?”
We’re also going to take a look at other types of legacy. Our
longstanding relationship with Villeroy and Boch reveals a legacy
of support for our programs and our students. An on-campus
visit from renowned chef Thomas Keller accomplished his goal
of leaving a legacy of information and experience to the next
generation of chefs. And you’ll learn about the CIA’s Charitable
Gift Annuity program—the financial legacy you can leave that
keeps your assets working for you and the CIA at the same time.
Kick back, enjoy the magazine, and, maybe, call a family member
and talk about where they think your culinary talent came from.
Nancy Cocola
Editor
Mission Mise en place is the college magazine for alumni and friends of The Culinary Institute of America, and reflects its principles and core values. Its mission is to foster a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between the CIA, its alumni, and friends by:
Providing information of interest about the college, its alumni, faculty, and students.
Presenting substantive, balanced, and accurate coverage of major issues and events concern-ing the college as well as highlighting alumni leadership and contributions to the foodser-vice industry.
Creating a forum to help alumni network and build community.
©2013 The Culinary Institute of America All rights reserved.
Photography: Phil Mansfield
mise en place® No. 64, October 2013
Nancy W. Cocola, Editor
Leslie Jennings, Designer
Dr. Tim Ryan ’77 President
Dr. Victor Gielisse Vice President— Advancement and Business Development
Mark Ainsworth ’86
Brad Barnes ’87
Sue Cussen
Lynne Eddy
Heather Kolakowski ’02
Chet Koulik
Dr. Chris Loss ’93
Francisco Migoya
Douglass Miller ’89
Anthony Nogales ’88
Jennifer Stack ’03
Editorial Board
Dr. Maureen Costura
Jim Norman
Todd Thomas
Contributing Writers
mise en place no.64, October 2013 5
Your Success Means Everything to Us They were there to help critique your first
résumé, plan your externship, and prepare
you for Career Fair interviews. And they
are still here ready to help you find your
next great job. The CIA’s Career Services
Office provides alumni with lifelong
support. And these days, the database of
job opportunities for CIA alumni is full of
amazing opportunities for those of you with
both a CIA degree and experience under
your toque. Recent postings included jobs
for executive chefs, pastry chefs, restaurant
managers, operations specialists, corporate
private chefs, club general managers, chefs
de partie, banquet managers, front-of-house
managers, sous chefs, chef demonstrators,
instructors, and even deans of culinary
arts. The Career Services team posts
an average of 25 new jobs per day for our
graduates. If you are looking for a mid-
career boost, visit the job posting board.
Log on to eRecruiting at http://culinary.
experience.com. If you have forgotten
your login and password, they can be reset
for you simply by calling 845-451-1275. You
owe it to yourself to be back in touch. They
are ready to help, again.
The Egg MasterYou never think about it, but who does cook
all those eggs for the annual White House
Easter Egg Hunt? This year, it was our
own Beverly Bates ’02, executive pastry
chef for Vidalia, Bistro Bis, and Woodward
Table in Washington, DC, and Jeff Buben
’78, the restaurants’ chef/owner, who
oversaw the cooking of 4,680 eggs for the
hunt. The Virginia Egg Council asked them
to take over the job after last year’s “egg
team” broke more than 1,000 of the eggs
in the cooking process. Beverly is proud to
say that 4,650 of the 4,680 eggs made it to
the White House grounds for kids to enjoy.
That’s a loss of a mere 30 eggs!
Hail Fellows Well Met!On May 3–5, approximately 35 Fellows
and their spouses gathered for a weekend
of fun, camaraderie, and networking in
Philadelphia, PA. The festivities kicked
off with a rooftop reception at the Hotel
Monaco that was hosted by Fellows Doug
Martinides ’75 and his wife Kathy.
Saturday morning included a choice of a
horse and buggy tour of the city, a walking
tour, or a museum visit. The afternoon was
spent in the Aramark kitchens, located
at the Philadelphia Convention Center,
where Fellows broke into teams to help
prepare the group’s dinner. A mixture of
skill, intensity, and a soupçon of hilarity
resulted in a meal of spring mesclun salad
with crispy prosciutto and spiced pecans,
hoisin-glazed roast rack of American lamb,
sautéed pistachio-coated halibut with
citrus vinaigrette, roasted root vegetables,
grilled pound cake with fresh strawberries
and mint, and tropical panna cotta. The
weekend concluded with an alumni and
Fellows brunch—clearly, food figured
prominently all weekend. Throughout their
time together, the Fellows shared ideas for
the college, lots of laughs, and friendship.
cia fellows (left to right) frank berg, ben elmore, mary elmore, cia advancement officer nick rama, and jodi berg
www.ciaalumninetwork.com6
7
Culinary Legacy: Nature or Nurture
Legacy Lost and Found
No one can deny the power of family traditions and expectations, and cultural impera-tives. They are all part of the legacy that is handed down from generation to genera-tion, becoming a family’s own subtle set of sensibilities that every member lives by. Over the years, researchers have found that genetics, in addition to family interests, education, social status, and environment, have a direct impact on career choice as well as job satisfaction. Because the CIA has so many families in which two or more members attended the college, we wondered: Does a culinary legacy come down through the behavioral and attitudinal climate within a family or is coded in the genes?
We spoke with four families—each with a unique story to tell—to explore the question of what drives multiple members of a family to enter the foodservice profession.
By Nancy Cocola
craig hartman and luis pinero
Craig Hartman ’78 always knew he was
adopted and was devotedly raised by Sam and
Reah Hartman. Their family culture included a
love of sports, art, education, nature, service,
and food. Sam, a doctor, exposed the family to
the romance of fine dining at great restaurants.
Reah provided the family with great home-
cooked meals. And Craig’s grandmother
Betty, who owned the Old Salt guesthouse in
Ocean City, MD, taught him the true meaning
of Southern hospitality, gave him a feel for
entrepreneurship, and exposed him to a
professional-style kitchen.
Craig loved to cook and enrolled at the
Lebanon County Career and Technology Center
culinary program. After winning the 1976
SkillsUSA National Championship, he started classes at
the CIA. Even stressful circumstances, in the form of an
unplanned pregnancy, couldn’t stop him. His wife gave
birth to twins during baking block. Unfortunately,
one of the twins passed away immediately. Imagine
being 19 and taking a mere three days off from class
to bury your daughter, support your wife and
new baby, and cope with your own grief?
Craig says it was school that saved him. “I was
determined to get the foundation I needed to
be able to provide for my family,” he explains.
“I could be focused in class and, when I was
focused, it was magical.” He believes the CIA
taught him discipline and professionalism.
These traits served him well over the next
35 years. Craig worked at some of the
country’s finest country clubs, hotels, inns,
and restaurants. He even had a stint on a
riverboat! Craig was invited to prepare four
dinners at the James Beard House in New York
City. On top of all that, he had another child
and now has grandchildren.
continued on next page
www.ciaalumninetwork.com8
And it was his children, wanting to know about their heritage, who
forced the issue of his finding his birth mother. Remarkably, by pulling
just a few threads on Facebook, Craig came up with the name of a
possible cousin and, quickly, everything fell into place. So after 52 years,
on February 16, 2011, Craig had an emotional reunion with Margaret
(Reta) Magoun Pinero Sweeney, his birth mother. Now, here is the part
that will give you chills.
Fifty-two years earlier, Reta had fallen in love with, and gotten pregnant
by, Luis Piñero. But before she could tell him of her pregnancy, her
father—a product of his time and upbringing—sent her to a home
for unwed mothers. Heartbroken, she put the baby up for adoption. A
few years later, she reconnected with Luis, married, and had four more
sons. When Craig found his birth family, he discovered that he had four
full-blood brothers! One of them was Luis David Pinero ’85, and their
unique connection stunned the family.
With Reta working full time as a nurse, Luis was the family cook. “If
there was one thing I knew about myself, it was my natural ability in the
kitchen,” Luis explains. He had gotten his hands on a catalog from the
For the Brach family, the word “legacy” means not only having
more than one CIA graduate in the family, but also the act of
remaining involved with the school after graduation. And at a
CIA event where Jake Brach ’76 was giving
back to his alma mater, he had a visceral
experience of what the word “legacy” really
means. Jake was helping out at the college’s
Hudson Valley Harvest Dinner and wanted
to share the experience with his son. Adam
had been contemplating a culinary career
and Jake thought if Adam worked alongside
CIA chef-instructors and students during the
event, he could see what it was like. “The
instructors said he did a great job,” Jake
explained. “And when I looked down the line
to see Adam plating the dessert I had just
made, I was almost giddy with excitement.”
It was on the way home in the car that Adam
made the declaration that he wanted to
come to the CIA.
It’s really no surprise that Adam Brach ’12 is following in
his father’s “food-steps.” He was exposed to a constant
barrage of food- and CIA-related conversation and activity
while growing up. And when his dad came home from
work at night, instead of pulling on his slippers, sitting in
his recliner, and watching TV, he tested recipes. That made
a huge impression on Adam.
While their CIA experiences were separated by 36 years,
Jake believes the college gave them both a similar
experience in one very important way. “Today, the CIA
has evolved into a world-class institution that offers a
completely different learning atmosphere than when I was
there,” Jake says. “But it continues to do very important
things; it prepares students for the world they will be
facing when they graduate—the world as it is now.”
Both Jake and Adam are very busy men. Jake is manager–
culinary learning and development for Rich Products
Corporation, and Adam works at Eleven Madison Park in
New York City. Jake hopes the legacy he is leaving his son is one
of service to the college, his customers, and his profession.
CIA and says he studied it like a textbook. “I was enamored with the
beauty of the grounds and the old monastery building,” he remembers.
“I was captivated by the glass-floored library and pictures of dorm life. I
wanted to be a part of it all.”
Luis started classes at the CIA in June 1983. He found himself in a very
cohesive “family” of students. They went to class together, studied
together, and played together. What Luis didn’t know was that just five
years earlier, a member of his own biological family had walked the same
halls, agonized over the same classes, and studied in the same glass-
floored library.
When the brothers finally met and began talking about their culinary
careers—Luis had been a private chef for actress Glenn Close and
the Widener family of Philadelphia—the bond between them was
immediately sealed. “We were kindred CIA spirits,” says Luis.
Today, Craig is owner of The Barbeque Exchange in Gordonsville, VA,
and focuses his time on cooking at his own enterprise and spending time
with his grandchildren. Luis left the culinary field in 2004 and became a
financial analysis manager for Cigna. He is now a health, wellness, and
fitness professional in Sewell, NJ. Two men, sharing similar genes, raised
in different households, and ending up at the CIA just five years apart—
we just have to believe there is something coded in those genes. Legacy on the Line
adam and jake brach
Legacy of the Seven Fishes
Talk to any member of the Berardi family
and they will tell you that their favorite
meal to share is the Feast of the Seven
Fishes on Christmas Eve. Anyone who has
ever attempted to create that feast knows
that it is labor intensive and complex. But
the Berardis, Chuck ’78, Joanne ’78,
Chris ’07, and Kimberly ’14, revel in the
work and the time together. The intensity of
the project doesn’t phase them; but then,
all of them are graduates of the CIA.
We often have love matches that occur
while students are enrolled at the college. Boy meets girl in
Baking and Pastry Skills Development, boy starts dating girl
during Cuisines of Asia, and boy and girl fall in love over their
Wine Studies class notes. This scenario is pretty common
and pretty close to the truth for Chuck and Joanne. Upon
graduation, they each had five job offers but opted to work
together at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. But, with the
approaching birth of their first child, Chris, they
decided to return east to Philadelphia and lay down
roots. And those roots are deep. Chuck is now regional
executive chef for Wegmans. His job has afforded him
the opportunity to travel to places
like Japan, France, Italy, and Spain
and explore different cuisines. Joanne
eventually got her bachelor’s degree in
nutrition management and has made
a successful career melding her love
of great food and good health. She is
currently director of clinical nutrition at
Home Infusion Solution, LLC.
Food talk is a big part of the Berardi
family culture. “We talk about
ingredients, recipes, wine, techniques,
flavor combinations, and food pairings,
and gladly give critiques,” Kimberly explains. “It’s hard to
put into words the magnitude of the impact food has had
on all of us.” And the family
mise en place no.64, October 2013 9
has always cooked together. From an early age, both kids served as prep
cooks. During the holidays, Chuck and Chris would work “back of the
house,” while Joanne made the pastries and cookies, and handled front-
of-the-house items like the table, flowers, décor, and ambiance. Once
Kimberly showed an affinity for baking, she took over that portion of the
preparation.
With parents who exposed them to different cuisines, ensured that the
food was healthy, and engaged them in the cooking process, you’d think
the children were destined to arrive at the CIA right out of high school.
But Chris opted to enter the Marine Corps. It was in a guard tower in Iraq
during a hot, 24-hour-long watch that he actually got clarity about his
culinary future. “We were sitting there, downing MREs (Meals Ready to
Eat) with our night vision goggles on when my friend and I got talking
about what we would do when we left the military,” Chris says. “I just
blurted out, that I thought I wanted to work in a restaurant and apply
to culinary school.” He came home and headed to the CIA. And after
working for the Four Seasons and Aramark, he’s now supervisor of
culinary services for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.
Kimberly opted to pursue a bachelor’s degree in sports and recreation
management from Temple University. After graduation, she
supplemented her income by working in restaurants. Eventually, her
passion got the better of her and she entered the CIA’s baking and
pastry arts degree program in St. Helena, CA.
Despite the almost 35 years between when Joanne and Chuck attended
the CIA and when Kimberly and Chris arrived on the college’s campuses,
their shared experience is evident. “The CIA has felt like home to each
of us,” explained Chris. “It’s a unique feeling when almost everyone you
meet has the same passion as you.” Kimberly often wonders about what
influenced her and Chris to come to the CIA. “I guess I could bring up
the nature vs. nurture debate,” she says. “Were we born with this innate
interest in food or are we products of our environment? I’d say both!”
(left to right) joanne, chuck, kimberley, and chris berardi
Legacy of Sustainability
You might expect that as identical twins,
Christopher West ’05 and Tim West ’05
were destined to find their bliss in the food
world. After all, their grandfather, Arch West,
invented Doritos® Tortilla Chips, the now-
ubiquitous snack food. Interestingly, though
they eventually did both gravitate to careers in
the culinary field, it was slow rather than fast food that captured their imaginations.
Sharing the same DNA is a blessing and
a challenge. According to both brothers,
competition and the quest to differentiate
themselves from each other took precedence
when they were young. But while in high
school, they both found themselves working
at The Flying Pig, a farm-to-table restaurant in
Mt. Kisco, NY. The Pig had weekly family-style
meals for staff with ingredients drawn from
a local organic farm that specialized in heritage breed animals
and heirloom varieties of produce. At one such meal, the
brothers found themselves seated
between the farmer who’d grown the food and the chef who’d
prepared it. On that day, Chris says, “We found real food.”
Chris was the one who knew early on that he wanted
to take that experience and turn it into a career. So
while he made his way to the CIA, Tim enrolled at
the University of Colorado at Boulder to…well…rock
climb and snowboard! Chris soon began encouraging
Tim to join him at the CIA, and for maybe the first
time, they found something that interested them both
so much that competition took a back seat.
Not long after arriving at the college, former CIA
instructor Lani Raider mentioned to Tim that she was
thinking of starting a club to support local farmers.
The rest, as they say, is history. The two brothers
joined forces to co-found the Chefs Sustaining
Agriculture Club, which is now called Slow Food CIA.
Through a partnership with the Poughkeepsie Farm
Project, club members raised six pigs using compost
food from the CIA. When the animals were ready
for slaughter, club members gathered
to do the deed. To
www.ciaalumninetwork.com10
honor the pigs, they made headcheese, ham, bacon, and sausage, and
held a taste-testing event to bring the true farm-to-table experience to
their fellow students. Everyone got to compare the freshly made product
with similar commercially prepared items. Chris says, “It was a graphic
demonstration of the fact that to make the best food you must have the
best ingredients…it was a powerful experience.”
In 2008, the brothers represented the U.S. as youth delegates to Slow
Food’s “World Meeting of the Food Communities,” Terra Madre, in Turin,
Italy. Tim calls it the “United Nations of food.” Since then, they have
followed different paths in their careers. Chris is currently the majordomo
at Treetops Estate for a high-profile family in Stamford, CT. Tim is co-
founder of www.Cosemble.com, a social ticketing company that brings
people together around shared experiences, including food.
While the entire West family enjoys good food, Tim and Chris’s shared
interest in sustainably feeding people and redefining the role of chef clearly
resides in their “twinship.” Researchers at the University of Minnesota
published a report in the August 1993 edition of the Journal of Applied Psychology that determined “traits of aptitude and personality, which
are in part genetically determined, guided the development of interests
through gene-environment interaction.” So, even the experts say that
while DNA might give one a predisposition toward an aptitude and
interest, it is the interaction with environment that turns the key.
Nature or NurtureIn the end, we haven’t been able to draw any hard and fast conclusions
about the issue of nature vs. nurture. Though the evidence is clear that
DNA informs innate aptitude and interest, it’s equally clear that family
culture resides deep in each of us, guiding preferences and choices. But no
matter the origins of each of these family’s culinary legacies, they all share
a common bond—a love of the CIA and what it has done to enrich their
lives and the lives of their family members.
tim and christopher west orchristopher and tim west!
mise en place no.64, October 2013 11
Following the Presidential TrailAt the annual State of the Institute presentation, President Tim
Ryan spoke to CIA faculty and staff about the accomplishments
of the past year, goals for the future, and challenges facing all
institutions of higher learning today. In recounting how busy we
have all been this year, Tim mentioned that his own schedule
keeps him moving—sometimes at warp speed. Here’s what was on
the roster for our college president in just a two-week period in
April 2013!
Stopping Over in the Midwest Eighty of McDonald’s top global leaders gathered in Oakbrook,
IL, to talk about important food trends. McDonald’s invited Tim to
speak to the topic and, later, he had the opportunity to dine with
McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson. At meetings the next day, Mr.
Thompson referred to Tim’s speech, encouraging his executives to
develop relationships with organizations like the CIA.
Traveling to TexasOne of the most fulfilling jobs a college president has is officiating
at graduations. Tim traveled to our San Antonio campus to
present cordons to our first class of associate degree graduates.
The speaker for the event was Honorary Trustee Kit Goldsbury.
He offered words of encouragement to the students, many of
whom were the beneficiaries of Kit’s generosity through the
scholarship program. During the ceremony, Tim awarded Kit an
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in Culinary Arts degree.
Marching Up Capitol Hill It was off to Washington, DC to continue Tim’s efforts to
promote the college’s expertise on key health and wellness issues
like childhood obesity and nutritional school lunch menus. He
and our Advancement team had face-to-face meetings with
Congressman Chris Gibson (NY), Congressman Mike Thompson
(CA), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT), and Congressman
Sean Patrick Maloney (NY). Other critical topics discussed
included student debt, student loan default, and the tax-exempt
status of municipal bonds. The whirlwind day concluded with
the CIA hosting a reception in the Agriculture Committee room
for members of the Congressional Wine Caucus and their chiefs
of staff. The event provided further opportunity to discuss the
college’s ability to assist in helping to improve the health of
Americans through diet.
Speeding to LA On April 3, Tim received the 2013 Innovation Award from
UCLA, at the UCLA Extension Restaurant Industry Conference.
He was honored for professionalizing the chef on par with other
degree professionals, creating an inclusive industry, leading the
CIA to provide the education that will help students be successful
in a complex industry, and expanding the consciousness of the
industry to include business development, health, wellness, and
food research and development. At that same event, Walter Robb,
co-CEO of Whole Foods, gave the keynote address. Tim took the
opportunity to spend time with Mr. Robb to discuss the common
goals shared by the CIA and Whole Foods. Some of you may
know that Walter Robb was honored at the CIA’s 2013 Leadership
Awards held later in the month in New York, for his commitment
to sustainability and food ethics.
president ryan receives innovation award
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thomas keller chef keller applauds all of the “actors” in his “sense of urgency” play
star-struck students over lunch, chef keller answers students’ questions
students with thomas keller dine in the bocuse restaurant“a sense of urgency”
mise en place no.64, October 2013 13
When President Tim Ryan first proposed a “Thomas Keller Day at the
CIA” to Chef Keller, he explained, “It can be anything you want it to
be.” They started with a blank slate, and in record time, they had filled
it to overflowing with events and opportunities for our students to
learn. Chef Keller didn’t want to come to campus just to “give a talk.”
He wanted to share the depth of knowledge and expertise that, he
says, comes mainly from having excellent people
around him. The day turned out to be a testament
to Chef Keller’s commitment to the educational
mission of the CIA and the loyalty he engenders
from the people who work for and with him.
A morning eye-openerAt 10 a.m. the gym at the Student Recreation
Center was filled with students eager to participate
in the day’s first event. Chef Keller’s talk focused
on the “Evolution of the Modern Chef.” He
peppered his comments with advice like, “learn
from your failures, surround yourself with people
who are smarter than you, don’t rush your career,
and continue to evolve.”
Following the presentation, 20 students who had
been nominated by their chef-instructors had a
private lunch in the new Bocuse Restaurant with Chef Keller. Tim
Ryan and Chef Keller’s mentor, Roland Henin, executive corporate
chef for Delaware North Companies, were also in attendance. Those
students had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to talk informally
with Chef Keller and experience his warmth and real interest in them
as people.
A truly remarkable afternoon Chef Keller did not arrive at the CIA alone. He brought with him 16
of his Thomas Keller Restaurant Group (TKRG) staff, eight of his
purveyors, and two of his most famous protégés—Jonathan Benno ’93
and Grant Achatz ’94. And he put them all to work! Five educational
break-out sessions for students covered topics like, “From Kitchen to
Restaurateur with Grant Achatz;” “Point of View from the Source, A
Purveyor Roundtable,” moderated by Jonathan Benno; “Simplicity,
A Baking Discussion with TKRG Pastry Chefs Sébastien Rouxel and
Elwyn Boyles;” “Wine Pairing with Per Se Head Sommelier Michel
Coubreux;” and “Service with French Laundry Maître d’ Lawrence
Nadeau.” The sheer volume of knowledge shared with our students in
these sessions was staggering.
To watch the Thomas Keller Day Highlights video, visit:
And then, the pièce de résistance…Billed as a “Demo with Chef Keller,” students
headed back to the Student Recreation Center
expecting to watch the great chef prepare one of
his signature dishes. But they got quite a surprise
instead. As they entered, each student received an
actual Playbill® for a production called “Sense of
Urgency.” They saw what looked like a restaurant
kitchen set-up on the stage. What followed next
was a groundbreaking one-act play created by
Thomas Keller. The show highlighted a night
in a three-Michelin-star restaurant as it prepared
for a busy service. With Chef Keller leading his
brigade through the process of execution, the play
demonstrated the importance of the relationships
between the purveyors, farmers, and craftsmen
of the products the chefs will use. The cast of characters was the
same dedicated staff, purveyors, and protégés who had so ably
shared their expertise with our students earlier in the day. The goal
of this bit of “culinary theater” was to show students the scope of the
“performance” that goes on every night between the kitchen,
the dining room, and beyond the restaurant walls to the purveyors
and farmers.
Students came away from the day inspired and a little bit awed.
It’s hard not to be when arguably the best chef in America gives of
himself so completely. For those of us who have watched Chef Keller
on campus for other events like the Bocuse d’Or USA competition
or the opening of The Bocuse Restaurant, his personal generosity
is unceasing. He is always humble, always willing to stop to talk to
students or let them take a picture with him, and always keen to share
his experience and pay it forward to the next generation of culinarians.
T h o m a s K e l l e r ’ s S m a s h H i t
at t h e C I A
www.ciaalumninetwork.com14
Diversity isn’t just a word at the CIA; it is a living, breathing,
experience for students, faculty, and staff. And while we take the
time to celebrate diversity with special events during a couple of
days in May, the CIA itself is a lesson in diversity. With our students
and faculty hailing from more than 40 nations, speaking some 15
languages, and embracing each other’s personal life choices, all of our
campuses live the college’s core value of “respect for diversity.”
That respect was on full display at this year’s Diversity Festival
event that began with, what else, food! The tasting menu included
everything from red radish kimchi to chorizo on crostini to pizzas
and Moroccan mint tea. Dance performances included such culturally
diverse styles as Hip Hop, Tinikling (the Philippine Bamboo Dance),
Irish step dancing, and Senegalese dancing and drumming. All
were performed to the delight of the audience. Following the
entertainment, a panel discussion entitled “Many Paths to the CIA”
chronicled a few of the experiences of our faculty, staff, and students.
The panelists shared their stories about their road to the CIA and
how being here influenced them. Professor of Wine Studies Michael
Weiss explained that his story began with his father, who was in the
French resistance during WWII. He believes the only reason the
enemy spared his father’s life was because he was a chef. After the
war, the family moved to Canada. Michael found his way across
the border to the U.S. to do some cooking in New York City. But he
ultimately found his calling as a wine professional. This is just one
of the stories that resonated with the audience, reminding them that
everyone has a unique tale to tell and paths to follow.
The second day of celebration included the “Walk Around the
World Fusion Cooking Competition.” For the first time, bakers were
included on each team. Tests included precision knife cuts, a mystery
basket, and specific baking techniques. After these rigorous tests
and hard-core judging by Lynne Gigliotti ’88; David McCue ’93;
Danielle Saunders, the first African American to win Food Network’s
Chopped; and Claire Winslow ’85, owner of The Would restaurant in
Highland, NY, it was “Team Straight from Cali” that took top prize.
And there was more. The “Guess My Culture” and “Food and CIA
Culture” quiz shows were hotly contested, as there were gifts on the
line. And “The Spoken Soul” poetry slam, sponsored by the Poetry
Club in memory of its co-founder, Damien “Juice” Williams, drew
around 90 people to hear music and poetry created by students.
Two days of celebration made us all realize, yet again, the richness
to be found at the CIA. It reminded us to take the time to learn what
others have to teach us about their cultures, their traditions, and
about life.
Many Paths One Dream
winners of the “walk around the world fusion cooking competition”
senegalese drummers
mise en place no.64, October 2013 15
If you have a CIA associate degree and are
considering coming back to the college for
the bachelor’s program, our new and exciting
concentrations might be just the extra incentive you
need. Big changes have come to the CIA’s bachelor’s
degree management programs. While the degrees
that students can earn are the same—bachelor’s in
either culinary arts management or baking and
pastry arts management—new, career-changing
concentrations have now been added.
These concentrations, recently introduced into the
curriculum, give CIA students the opportunity to
choose from specific study tracks that focus their
bachelor’s studies and give them special expertise in
important industry trends.
“This is a unique opportunity for our students to get a
more specialized education in key segments of
the industry,” says BPS Program Coordinator
Duane Brown ’11—a graduate of the CIA’s
bachelor’s degree program. “The expanded
knowledge these concentrations provide is
something today’s professional needs more
and more of, to stay competitive in the
growing food world.”
The college’s current selection of
concentrations includes:
• Advanced Wine, Beverage, and Hospitality
• American Food Studies:
Farm-to-Table Cooking
• Latin Cuisines
While the bachelor’s degree program itself is centered at the college’s
New York campus, each concentration features a semester-long travel
component at one of the other U.S.-based CIA campuses.
Down in the (Napa) ValleyTwo of the concentrations offer students the opportunity to spend
a 15-week semester soaking up knowledge—and the sunshine!—in
California’s world-renowned Napa Valley.
During the Farm-to-Table Cooking Concentration, students
are introduced to the philosophy, key concepts, and practices at
the center of the Farm-to-Table movement. They discover how
restaurant concepts, menu creativity, and local
sourcing come together to create successful,
green restaurants. And they learn it all under
the guidance of legendary chef Larry Forgione
’74—the “godfather of American cuisine”—with the
help of Napa Valley’s famous guest chefs, owners,
farmers, and purveyors.
If students opt for the Advanced Wine, Beverage,
and Hospitality Concentration, they’ll learn
essential principles and practices for successful front-
of-the-house beverage and service management, and
discover how to measure the success of a Service
Delivery Model. This service piece, along with
the business-operating component and immersive
semester of study in California, makes the program
truly unique. After all, what better place is there to
study wine than the Napa Valley?
San Antonio “Spurs” CreativityThe newest concentration offering from the
CIA gives students the chance to learn in
the exciting environment of the college’s
Texas campus in San Antonio, adjacent to
the city’s famed River Walk.
The Latin Cuisines Concentration
answers the call for chefs to be more
knowledgeable about the regionally diverse
cuisines of Latin America. Students are
immersed in the unique ingredients, culinary techniques, and
cultural traditions that span this rich part of the world. And with
so many restaurant patrons demanding both authentic and creative
interpretations of these traditional foods, this concentration will help
make students more marketable in the industry.
Thinking of Making a Comeback?A specialization in a hot industry segment can give you the
competitive edge you need to advance your career. If you’d like to
know more, contact Duane at [email protected]. He’d love
the opportunity to tell you all about the CIA’s current—and future—
selection of bachelor’s degree concentrations.
Jim Norman is senior writer/editor in the CIA’s Creative Services Department.
Come Back and Gain a Culinary EdgeBy Jim Norman
www.ciaalumninetwork.com1616
It’s hard to believe that a Food Network Chopped judge and
runner-up on The Next Iron Chef could fail her first practical exam
at the CIA, but it’s true. Standing in front of the chicken she was
supposed to butcher and bone,
Amanda Freitag ’89 simply
froze. She couldn’t remember
one single thing! Right after
the exam, she went and got
20 chickens and practiced
butchering them in the residence
hall kitchen until she could do it
with her eyes closed. She passed
her retake exam with
flying colors.
The CIA YearsDespite that shaky start,
Amanda remembers her CIA
experience as happy and eye-
opening. She recalls getting up
at 4 a.m. for egg cookery class and seeing ice floes pass by on
the Hudson River as she walked across campus. She remembers
struggling with bread baking and the joy of eating sweetbreads
for the first time. She remembers learning about the importance
of “working clean” from a truly hard-core teacher. And she can
recall the day she fell in love with authentic Italian cuisine rather
than the Americanized version of that fare.
A Varied ExperienceAfter graduation, Amanda took her curiosity and skills on the
road in what could best be called a journey of discovery. She
got to work the line for, and sometimes with, Jean-Georges
Vongerichten at Vong, where she discovered exciting Thai flavors.
She then took a job in the very mellow kitchen at Verbena, led
by Diane Forley, where she worked her way up to chef de cuisine
and learned the rhythm of the seasons and the joys of the farmers’
markets. Amanda also spent two glorious weeks working under
Alain Passard at L’Arpège in
Paris, where every morning
the chickens, frogs, and pigs
that were going to be used
that day were delivered, and
where she discovered that if
you have really strong skills,
you can cook anything. After
that, there was a stint under
Sara Jenkins at Il Buco,
where every ingredient was
imported directly from Italy.
Amanda had a “ground-
up” experience at Cesca,
developing the menu and
kitchen staff herself. And
later, at The Harrison, she
learned that it is a lot harder to work with an existing crew and
change the culture of an established restaurant.
A Woman as ChefDespite hearing lots of stories from women about struggling in
kitchens dominated by men, Chef Freitag is always surprised
when people react to her gender first. “I never think of myself as
a female in the kitchen, I think of myself as a chef who needs to
get a particular job done,” she explains. Even as the only woman
in her group at the CIA—there were three in total in her class—she
felt comfortable. “I was one of the guys,” she explained. “But then,
I have two older brothers, so I knew how to relate to a kitchen full
of men.” However, when she was in a management role, she found
that some of the cooks were reacting strangely to her. “It took a
while for me to realize that their behavior was because I was a
Women in FoodserviceAmanda Freitag
It took a while for me to realize that their behavior was because I was a woman in authority. I’m sort of gender blind. I guess I just gained their respect by proving to them that I could do my job and their job well.
17
woman in authority,” she explained. “I’m sort of gender blind. I
guess I just gained their respect by proving to them that I could do
my job and their job well.”
Exposure to CelebrityChef Freitag’s restaurant experience, ability to lead, and passion
for creating inventive and delicious food brought her to the
attention of the media. The Food Network invited her to compete
on Iron Chef America against Iron Chef Bobby Flay. She says,
playfully, that till her dying day, she will debate the single point
that separated her from the win! Despite the loss, her personality
and skills came shining through and the network invited her to
become a judge on Chopped. Since then, Amanda has filmed 75
episodes. She says she’s had an incredible time learning about
ingredients and cuisines, and meeting people like White House
Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition Sam Kass, who was a guest
judge on her favorite episode, “The Lunch Ladies.”
As someone who is always in search of the next challenge,
Amanda is currently involved in working on a book proposal and
on top-secret restaurant development. She expresses gratitude to
the CIA for giving her an incredible base of skills and knowledge
that open the doors to experiences that made her into the chef she
is today. And, of course, she can still butcher a chicken with her
eyes closed!
chef freitag competing on next iron chef-redemption as alton brown observes
www.ciaalumninetwork.com18
For sommelier Amy Racine ’11, working in
San Francisco is a dream come true. “I’m so
lucky to live in such a great food and wine
city,” she says. The vibrant culinary and
enological culture of the city draws aspiring
chefs and sommeliers from around the world.
Currently the sommelier at the one-Michelin-
star restaurant Sons & Daughters, Amy
uses her skills to pair wines with the custom
tasting menu designed by chef/owners Teague
Moriarty and Matt McNamara.
“While pursuing my AOS in culinary arts
at the CIA, it was the Wine Studies class that really grabbed my
interest,” says Amy. “Professor Michael Weiss let me sit in on extra
classes and Professor Steven Koplan encouraged me and made me
feel that I could have a career in wine.” After continuing on and
completing her BPS degree, Amy enrolled in the Accelerated Wine
and Beverage Program at Greystone. Her first job after graduation
was at the five-star luxury Áman Resort, Amangiri, in southern
Utah. “While I really loved my job and being surrounded by the
region’s flat-topped mesas and towering plateaus, I decided I had
to move on in order to grow and learn more about wine,” explains
Amy. “I sent my résumé to Eric Johnson, head sommelier at Thomas
Keller’s Bouchon. Though Eric didn’t hire me, he recommended me
when Teague and Matt were looking for a sommelier. I staged with
them for two days and got the job!”
Uncorking a Career in Wine Sons & Daughters takes a thoughtful approach to food with a menu
based on what comes out of the restaurant’s own garden. “We have
a one-acre lot in Los Gatos that has expansive boxes, a greenhouse,
and an orchard, managed by two professional gardeners,” Amy says.
“We grow a variety of flowers, greens, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and
snails. Having the garden right there helps me see whole new ways of
matching food and flavors with various wines.”
The restaurant creates a nine-course tasting menu. Amy works closely
with Chef de Cuisine Duncan Holmes, tasting and selecting wines
that complement the dishes he creates. “It’s really wonderful to work
with chefs who feel the wine program is as important as the food
menu,” she says. “It’s all about taking the guest experience to the next
level.”
Amy is also instrumental in developing winemaker dinners at the
restaurant. She visits local wineries, chooses vintages with the
winemaker, and then assists with menu development back at the
restaurant. “Teague and Matt let me run with the wine dinners,” Amy
says. “They are willing to hear my thoughts and ideas.”
As the only sommelier on staff, Amy has to move quickly and
efficiently around the dining room. “One of the best lessons I learned
at the CIA is to always have a sense of urgency. It’s something that’s
helped me remain efficient in all aspects of my career and personal
life. I think that approach sets CIA graduates apart from the crowd.”
Deeply aware of the value of education and training, Amy will soon
take the advanced sommelier certification exam.
mise en place no.64, October 2013 19
A Master Artisan Among Us!On May 6, 2013, CIA Professor of Baking and Pastry
Arts and Certified Master Baker Francisco Migoya
traveled to Spain to accept The Medal of Master Artisan
Pastry Chef award from the Gremi de Pastisseria de
Barcelona. Each year, this renowned guild of forward-
thinking pastry chefs awards its highest honor to
just one chef. This prestigious international award is
recognized and celebrated at the guild’s annual festival,
which is attended by 300 pastry aficionados.
Food & Wine AwardsBest New Chef
The Best New Chef nod from Food & Wine magazine is an accolade all young
chefs aspire to. The magazine’s editors solicit nominations from restaurant critics,
food writers, and other trusted experts who then travel the country “undercover”
to taste each nominee’s culinary creations. This year, Food & Wine broadened its
search to consider chefs in Puerto Rico. Only chefs who have led a kitchen for five
years or less are eligible. This year, three CIA grads “hit the list.”
José Enrique Montes ’98, chef/owner of José Enrique in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Alex Stupak ’00, executive chef of Empellón and Empellón Cocina, New York, NY
Jason Vincent ’99, executive chef of Nightwood in Chicago, IL
People’s Choice
Every year, Food & Wine magazine asks its readers to think critically about the
people behind the food they enjoy and help crown the next People’s Best New
Chef and People’s Best New Pastry Chef. It was no surprise to find that CIA grads
swept the pastry chef category and took two important regional top spots in the
culinary category.
Best New Pastry Chef:
Jodi Elliott ’01, pastry chef, Foreign & Domestic, Austin, TX, won in the Central
Region and the overall title of Best New Pastry Chef.
Brian Mercury ’00, executive pastry chef, Harvest, Cambridge, MA, won the
East Region.
Laura Pyles ’06, pastry chef, Revel, Seattle, WA, won the West Region.
Best New Chef
Matthew Accarrino ’98, executive chef, SPQR, San Francisco, CA, won the
California Region.
Dale Talde ’98, chef/proprietor, Talde, Brooklyn, NY, won the New York Region.
James Beard Foundation Awards 2013Everyone looks upon the James Beard Awards as one of the most coveted
acknowledgements within the foodservice community. Each year, the CIA has multiple
nominees and, usually, a number of winners. This year was no exception.
The James Beard Award winners included:
Melissa Kelly ’88, Best Chef: Northeast—Primo, Rockland, ME
Jennifer Jasinski ’89, Best Chef: Southwest—Rioja, Denver, CO
Stuart Brioza ’98, Best New Restaurant—State Bird Provisions,
San Francisco, CA
Grant Achatz ’94, Outstanding Bar Program—The Aviary, Chicago, IL
Anthony Bourdain ’78, Best Television Program, On Location–
The Mind of a Chef, PBS
Michael Mina ’89, Who’s Who in Food & Beverage in America
KUDOS
chef migoya sports his medal
www.ciaalumninetwork.com20
A Passion for Feeding Kids
creations cooking classroom
mise en place no.64, October 2013 21
Ever watch a child taste a new
food, make a face, shudder, and
then try to spit it out? Want to
know why kids’ reactions to food
seem so “over the top” and why
it is so hard to get them to eat
“good for you” meals? Fourteen
K–12 school foodservice leaders
from across the country traveled
to the CIA San Antonio to
discuss these and other questions
with CIA Professor of Culinary
Arts Mark Ainsworth ’86.
The highly successful “Getting
Back to Your Roots Symposium”
last April created a culinary
school atmosphere for the
attendees. There, they could
learn more about the physiology
of kids’ taste, production of
recipes that meet the new school
lunch and breakfast guidelines,
and the small changes in choice
and presentation that increase
students’ satisfaction and health.
The classwork included a lecture
on the staggering data from the
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, including the
growing obesity trend in the U.S.
and the fact that during their
school years, each child can eat
as many as 4,000 school meals.
Adam Brumberg, deputy director
of the Cornell University Food
& Brand Lab, shared results of
the newest research revealing
that by preserving a student’s
ability to make choices, they
opted for healthier food on the
lunch line. He talked about the
subtle changes that can be made
to significantly increase fruit and
vegetable selection.
In addition, a taste test and
lecture on how taste, aroma,
flavor, color, branding, and
presentation influence the choices
students make when on the lunch
line were eye-opening for the
attendees.
In the hands-on portion of the
symposium, Chef Ainsworth,
mindful of the challenges school
food directors face in terms of
funding, equipment, time, and
labor, gave demonstrations of
cooking with whole grains—a
new regulation requiring
increased amounts of innovation.
Participants worked on recipe-
based meals and, ultimately, were
asked to develop new concepts
for kid-friendly, protein-based
breakfast and lunch entrées.
They were divided into teams,
given guidelines to follow, and
asked to collaborate and create.
What emerged were some very
successful and unique ideas. One
team created a five-color market
salad with pinto beans, broccoli,
tomatoes, carrots, and red onions
that can be used in lettuce wraps
or other hand-held items. Some
of the ideas were so good they are
being considered for production
by Schwan’s Food Service, Inc., a
sponsor of the symposium.
“These foodservice directors
are wholeheartedly committed
to feeding kids great-tasting food
that’s good for them—and that
can sometimes be a challenging
proposition,” explained Chef
Ainsworth. But everyone came
away from this symposium
inspired by the CIA chef and
each other, and filled with ideas
on how to accomplish this, one
meal at a time.
Youngsters taste things
more profoundly than adults
because they have taste
buds, not just on the tongue,
but on the back of the throat,
bottom of the tongue, and the
inner cheeks. And, consider
this, a 70-year-old has only
one-sixth the number the
taste buds of a 20-year-old!
chef mark ainsworth critiques dishes
www.ciaalumninetwork.com22
This wonderful overview of the history of French cuisine comes on the heels of the opening of The Bocuse Restaurant on the Hyde Park campus. A soupçon of talk about French food is never amiss and seemed appropriate!
It is difficult to talk about the history of French food because there is
so much of it. After all, where do you begin?
Do we start in 58 AD, when Julius Caesar and his Romans arrived
in Gaul, bringing grapevines and olive oil? The long, slow process of
understanding and forming the terroir of the land began then or even
earlier, when the karst soils (which later created some of the world’s
greatest wines) formed caves that attracted people to paint on the walls
and dream.
Or should we look to the day in 496 AD when Clovis, First King of the
Franks, took the crown at Saint-Remi and drank sweet red still wine
(the first Champagne) in celebration?
You can tell the entire history and culture of France through its foods,
from the garlic, olives, and honey in the south to the choucroute garni
and pain d’épice of Alsace. The regional foods of France are disparate,
delicious, and deeply rooted in the lands that created them.
The Impact of the French RevolutionIn the modern era, which in France has to date back to 1789, French
food has undergone numerous changes.
During the French Revolution, many of the regional ties of France
French CuisineA Brief History of the Foundation of Modern Cooking
By Dr. Maureen Costura
mise en place no.64, October 2013 23
were deliberately broken. Bureaucratic départements were formed to
bind people in loyalty to the centralized French state, and national
life centered more and more fiercely on Paris. At the same time,
nobles and royalty fled the country and abandoned their servants,
larders, and wine cellars, and the court chefs of the aristocrats found
themselves subject to the fury of the Parisian mobs. These displaced
chefs opened the world’s first modern restaurants, feeding aristocratic
cuisine to the mob in hopes of proving their allegiance to Liberté,
Fraternité, Égalité.
The great chef Antonin Carême emerged from the slums of
Paris and tumult of the Revolution to become the new
face of French cuisine, serving Napoleonic ministers
and the political and economic powerhouses of the
new court. The food of his time represents the last,
final break with the medieval style of cookery,
which relied on layered and interlocking spices
to create dishes where the whole was greater
than the sum of its parts. The new trend in
food, enjoyed by the wealthy for more than
a century and now available to the masses,
was for fresh, exotic ingredients, served in a
refined style.
The Emergence of a National CuisineAs French culture and politics became
increasingly centralized, the foods of Paris
came to have a prestige and cultural weight that
made them into a new national cuisine. Carême’s
mother sauces (béchamel, velouté, espagnol, and
allemande) formed the basis for a cuisine as refined as
it was prestigious. Chef Carême was also responsible
for table service à la Russe, which involved serving foods
in the order in which they were printed on the menu, with
a progression from savory to sweet. Prior to Carême, service à
la Française involved all the dishes for each course being placed on
the table together, in a holdover of the medieval form of service à la
confusion.
Later in the century, the great Auguste Escoffier revised Carême’s
sauces and revolutionized the dining world with his brigade system
in the kitchen. Through his work with Cesar Ritz of the Ritz hotels,
Escoffier made elite French cuisine the new international standard for
fine dining. A wealthy person in Paris could rest easy, knowing that he
or she could dine well at Escoffier’s hotels in Paris, London, or, should
his or her business require, even New York. Unlucky souls on the
Titanic at least enjoyed a good last meal—Escoffier created the menu
and the recipes.
Throughout the 20th century, French food maintained its hold on the
imaginations of Americans and the world. From the 1930s through the
1950s, Fernand Point fed an international elite of politicians, film stars,
and wealthy tourists. His ebullient and creative personality inspired
an entire generation of chefs (Paul Bocuse among them) to leave their
kitchens and personally craft menus suited to the individual tastes of
their diners. Point freed chefs from the rule of the maître d’hôtel and the
Escoffier-approved book of menus, launching the culinary world into
an orgy of creativity.
Nouvelle Cuisine and BeyondWith nouvelle cuisine, French food again led the
world, creating lighter, less formal meals that
spurned the elaborate table-side service of the
stodgy old restaurants. Many of the standard
elements of food today—including the emphasis
on freshness, fine ingredients presented
honestly, and novel cooking techniques and
pairings—come directly from nouvelle cuisine.
Today, some people claim that French food
is in decline, its creative edge blunted by
the emergence of top chefs in Spain, the
United States, and Denmark. They point
to the glut of Bordeaux wines, the rapid
growth of McDonald’s, and the hypermarché
(superstore) as evidence that the French
moment of food glory is past. Yes, France is
subject to the same global forces that make
obesity and highly processed food such fraught
issues in the U.S. But for France, with its long
and settled food culture, obesity is a blight when
it edges past 10 percent, and companies have had to
adjust their menus to get a foothold in the country. Meat
in successful chain restaurants in France is locally sourced
and largely organic, accompanied by regional cheeses and
decent baguettes.
In a world of increasing homogenization and globalization, the
French campaign against malbouffe, or bad food, may seem quaint.
The resistance to global trends and fads may seem old-fashioned, not
cutting edge. But as even the finest restaurants in the rest of the world
struggle to establish their own relationship with local farmers and their
own understanding of terroir, they may have a thing or two left to
learn from the French.
Maureen Costura, PhD, is an assistant professor of liberal arts at the CIA.
She is the lead instructor for the Food, Wine, and (Agri)culture course and
trip to France. Dr. Costura holds master’s and doctorate degrees from Cornell
University.
Béchamel, Velouté,
Espagnol, Allemande!
www.ciaalumninetwork.com24
Book ShelfTomatoesBy Miriam Rubin ’76
In her book Tomatoes, Miriam
Rubin gives this staple of
the garden the showcase it
deserves. She explores the
tomato’s rich history in
Southern culture and offers
up recipes that celebrate
this summer fruit in all its
varieties. Fifty delicious
recipes explore down-
home, inventive, and
contemporary uses of the tomato.
With such names as Stand-Over-the-Sink Tomato
Sandwich, Spiced Green Tomato Crumb Cake, and Green Tomato
and Pork Tenderloin Biscuit Pie, there is something for every tomato
lover in this book. In addition, Chef Rubin offers useful cooking tips
and lively lessons on cultivation and preserving.
Affair in the AirBy Bob Rosar ’75
After a long and storied career, Chef Bob Rosar has put together
a fascinating memoir of his experience as one of the leading
executive chefs/menu designers in the airline industry. Buckle
your seatbelts as he takes you on a journey that debunks your
notions of “airline food” and gives you a glimpse into how this
food is conceived and created. He takes some of the most prized
recipes found anywhere—especially at 33,000 feet—and downsizes
them for the home cook. This engaging look at the airline food
industry will open your eyes and satisfy your hunger.
The Complete Guide to Naturally Gluten-Free FoodsBy Olivia Dupin ’03
Whether you are living
gluten-free due to
celiac disease, a wheat
allergy or sensitivity,
or because you’re
simply looking to eat
healthier and feel
better, The Complete
Guide to Naturally Gluten-Free Foods is
your one-stop reference to going g-free simply and
effectively. Chef Dupin divides the book into two sections—Living
Gluten-Free and Naturally Gluten-Free Recipes. She gives the
readers tips on how to set up their kitchens and pantries, read
product labels, and adjust to a new lifestyle. Then she flings
open the doors to her own kitchen and offers up great recipes
for everything from breakfast to dinner entrées and from savory
snacks to divine desserts.
Consuming PassionBy Geok-Kee Koeneman ’05
and alumnae of Raffles Girls’
School, Singapore
Consuming Passion was
created to mark the 130th
anniversary of the exclusive
Raffles Girls’ School (RGS)
in Singapore, which
CIA alumna Geok-Kee
Koeneman attended.
Together with other
members of the RGS
family, this book celebrates the
school’s history, and global and generational
reach. Divided into sections entitled Peace, Love, Joy, and
Exuberance, the book offers insight into Singaporean cuisine.
Consuming Passion won the 2011 Gourmand World Cookbooks
Award—Best in Country (Singapore) in the photography category.
mise en place no.64, October 2013 25
Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles and SnacksBy Rick Bayless with
Deann Groen Bayless
Get ready for your
next Mexican-themed
cocktail party with
the help of renowned
expert on Mexican cuisine
Rick Bayless. He’s prepared a delightful book
that showcases more than 50 recipes dedicated to the delicious
Mexican trifecta—margaritas, guacamoles, and spicy nut snacks.
Chef Bayless’s margarita recipes, inspired by seasonal ingredients,
include instructions for both a single drink and a pitcher’s worth.
Rounding out this must-have cookbook are the guacamole and
snack recipes. Guacamole lovers will rejoice that he has created a
unique recipe for each month of the year. It’s time to party!
PastaBy Gianni Scappin, Alberto
Vanoli, Francesco Tonelli,
and The Culinary Institute
of America
This collection of 146
irresistible recipes is jam-
packed with inventive
ideas that celebrate the
seasons using authentic
Italian flavors. Pasta includes recipes
like fresh garganelli with leeks and morels that help you
to deliciously usher in spring. Hearty sausage-filled ravioli
with brown butter and pancetta will warm you during the
cold winter months. But there’s more than just pasta here.
The book also features a wide range of both traditional and
contemporary dishes including crespelle (Italian crêpes),
risotto, gnocchi, and polenta. One hundred mouthwatering,
full-color photographs by acclaimed photographer and food
stylist Francesco Tonelli serve as inspiration.
PreservingBy The Culinary Institute of
America
Canning and preserving
have become popular again
because of the economic,
environmental, and health
benefits they offer. This
book explores the full
range of foods and
techniques that are
available today. You’ll
find recipes and in-
depth information
on such techniques
as preserving, pickling, drying,
dehydrating, brining, curing, and smoking.
Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, the
book includes more than 60 recipes for pickles, jams, cured
and smoked meat, dried foods, and much more.
Elements of DessertBy Francisco Migoya, CMB
and The Culinary Institute
of America
Take a journey with Chef
Migoya into a world of
dessert that transforms
the elemental into
the ingenious.
This stunningly
photographed
book is designed to
empower pastry professionals to reach
new heights in flavor, inventiveness, and presentation of
their own creations. Chef Francisco Migoya demonstrates that by
employing dessert’s most fundamental elements, recipes can be
transformed into unforgettable delicacies. He begins with core
concepts and techniques, and then delves deeply into the desserts
themselves. The book is divided into pre-desserts, plated desserts,
dessert buffets, and passed desserts.
Turn inspiration into deliciousness. We’re with you all the way.
business success starts with a great idea. generating lots
of them and transforming them into craveable products
and menu items is what our flavor and food science
experts do best. and we do it right alongside your team,
from the first inklings to the last tweak.
Product innovation, operations excellence, and custom training solutions for foodservice and hospitality
©2013 The Culinary Institute of America
ciaprochef.com/consulting | 845-905-4423new york | california | texas
27
You could feel excitement rippling through the halls of the CIA as we prepared for the grand opening of our new Bocuse Restaurant—named in honor of one of the most influential chefs of the last century. On the big day, Chef Paul Bocuse flew in from France and culinary luminaries like Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Charlie Palmer ’79, David Burke ’82, Michel Richard, and Paul’s son Jerome Bocuse ’94 arrived to help us celebrate.
Many can share the credit for the development and completion of The Bocuse Restaurant. But it was our good friends at Villeroy & Boch who contributed the finishing touches with stunning tableware. Modern and fresh in its design, it is a perfect complement to the interior of the restaurant.
A Generous PastSince its inception in France in 1748, Villeroy & Boch has transformed itself into a global brand. The company first entered the U.S. market in the early 1980s. Around that same time, Villeroy & Boch presented the CIA with a set of its vintage “Basket” china to grace the table of the president’s residence. For the more than three decades that followed, the company has supported the CIA and its mission. In 1995, when the college opened its campus in St. Helena, CA, Villeroy & Boch supplied the opening tableware inventory for both the banquet area and the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant. The company’s generosity has included being a partner in the college’s Gift-in-Kind program, supporting the 2011 Leadership Awards, donating tableware for the Special Events Department at Greystone, and, most recently, sponsoring The Bocuse Restaurant. This was particularly special because of the 30-year relationship Villeroy & Boch has had with Chef Paul Bocuse.
A Canvas for Culinary Artistry
A Vision for the FutureVilleroy & Boch Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bridget McGill believes the CIA and her company are a superb match. “We are both committed to showcasing the best quality ingredients with the best quality product,” she explains. “We are proud to have our products in the hands of CIA students and be part of the foundation that will serve them well in their future careers.” Bridget’s own relationship with the CIA is a very close one, as she has worked with our graduates her entire career.
Lee Ellen Hayes, senior advancement officer at the CIA, is truly grateful for the decades-long collaborative partnership. “The classic Villeroy & Boch attributes of tradition, quality, and authenticity are reflected in the CIA’s core values. I believe that is what has created such an excellent synergy between our two organizations.”
Another quality shared by the CIA and Villeroy & Boch is the drive toward innovation. Villeroy & Boch has used innovation to reinvent itself through the centuries, helping it remain a leader in its industry. The CIA is invested in professional excellence and innovation as one of its primary leadership platforms. It’s a perfect marriage, as Villeroy & Boch is constantly designing new canvases on which our chefs can create and feature their culinary artistry.
Todd Thomas is an advancement research analyst in the CIA Advancement Department.
By Todd Thomas
www.ciaalumninetwork.com28
Tony Simmons
President and CEO, McIlhenny Company
What motivates you to give?At McIlhenny, we’re known for our iconic pepper sauce, which we’ve
been making since 1868. But what many people are surprised to learn is
that our company has an enduring history of giving to its own families
and community, as well as to culinary students and the military. We
come from a culture of hospitality and giving—perhaps due to our
environment, where surviving the elements and looking out for others
is second nature. Avery Island, LA, where we make and bottle our
TABASCO® sauce, is also home to some of the most beautiful and
unique wildlife in the entire Gulf region, so conservation is an ongoing
and important part of our heritage, too.
What makes giving meaningful?We’re appreciative of the fact that we can help others fulfill their
dreams in an industry that we love so much. Our long tradition and
passion for giving—to the land, our communities, and future culinary
professionals who will help shape the future of foodservice—has been
kept alive from generation to generation and holds great meaning for
us at McIlhenny.
How do you give?We’re very proud of the fact that ours is the longest-running
scholarship program at the CIA. Each year, with help from the
Financial Aid Office, a deserving CIA student is selected to receive
the TABASCO® Brand/McIlhenny Company Scholarship. It is
designated to help students meet tuition and living costs. We also
support student-driven programs and provide mentoring and
instruction to managers-in-training at the CIA. These are the ways
we have found to support the CIA and realize our shared objective to
enrich America’s culinary community.
Why Give?
tony simmons (left) checks the pepper mash
mise en place no.64, October 2013 29
Giving’s ImpactBlain Webster ’13BPS in Culinary Arts ManagementRecipient: TABASCO® Brand/McIlhenny Company Scholarship
DeBragga and Spitler Loan Fund
Jules Weber Foundation Endowed Scholarship
Viktor Baumann Memorial Scholarship
Culinarians’ Home Foundation Endowed Scholarship
Donald P. Lancella Memorial Wine Scholarship
Young Professional’s Medal of Merit of the Académie Brillat-Savarin Management Award
What motivated you to attend the CIA?I viewed the CIA as an institution that would nurture my desire
for a culinary career through rigorous academics and hands-on
kitchen instruction. The CIA’s reputation had even reached my small
hometown in Kansas, where food culture is not necessarily embraced,
and I felt encouraged to apply and become a part of the CIA.
What has been the best part of being at the CIA?Being a part of a diverse community of people who share the same
love for food as you do has been great. I’ve met some very interesting
people and I look forward to seeing what they do in the culinary field
in the years to come. I also believe the CIA faculty and facilities afford
students the best culinary education you can get. In the bachelor’s
program, I had some really great teachers like Cameron Rabe and Dr.
Robert Johnson, who put a lot of extra time and interest into students’
personal development.
What was one of your CIA highlights?I would have to say the special events held on campus, like the Paul
Bocuse event and Thomas Keller Day, were real highlights. The Food,
Wine, and (Agri)culture Spain trip in the bachelor’s program was also
a great learning experience—not to mention the great wine and food!
What did you do outside of class?Outside of class I had the privilege of working on the CIA’s Student
Judiciary Board as the solicitor general. Off campus, I volunteered at
The Queens Galley soup kitchen and served as a farm aid at the South
Pine Street City Farm, both in Kingston, NY. I spent time working
with the Dutchess County Nutrition Advisory Committee, which is
comprised of local agencies trading information and resources to help
stave off hunger in our community. I also collaborated with students
from four other colleges on the Mid-Hudson Student Coalition to write
and produce a public service announcement for assault prevention and
awareness on campus.
What are your plans for the future?I am contemplating pursuing an advanced degree in sustainability.
I have many interests and ideas for my future, but I feel strongly
that I want to make a positive difference and have an impact on our
burgeoning culinary field.
How has the CIA’s scholarship program helped you?The CIA’s scholarship program has had an immense impact on my life
as a student. I was extraordinarily happy to receive the TABASCO®
Brand/McIlhenny Company Scholarship. It was extra special to
receive it from a company so dedicated to community service and
preservation.
www.ciaalumninetwork.com30
But there is still so much more to do. So come on… Let’s all make a little more noise! Donate your $25 today.
We asked each of you to donate just $25 and many of you did. Because of you, we’ve been able to:
Look What a LITTLE NOISE Can Do!
www.ciagiving.org | 845-451-1602Remember, the CIA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution, so your donation is fully tax-deductible.
Support construction of the new
Marriott PavilionBring iPad technology
to the classroom
Provide state-of-the-art equipment in the new Bocuse Restaurant kitchen
Award close to
700scholarships
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70
70/70**
75
75/75**
80
80/80**
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3.1%
4.0%
3.4%
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4.5%
3.7%
5.1%
4.2%
5.9%
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6.6%
9.1%
7.8%
5.8%
4.5%
6.4%
5.4%
7.9%
6.8%
9.0%
7.8%
10.7%
9.2%
12.3%
11.2%
* Rates are based on a $50,000 minimum gift funded with cash, securities, or other property; single life annuity; and a minimum age of 50.
**Indicates double life annuity
Plan Your Annuity StrategyLet us help you develop a gift annuity strategy that will benefit you and your family, while also supporting the CIA’s mission of providing the world’s premier culi-nary education.
Contact:Brad J. Whitmore Advancement Officer Phone: 845-451-1460 E-mail: [email protected] Website: ciachef.edu/plannedgiving
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dONOR
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ANNUAL INCOME
www.ciaalumninetwork.com32
’63 Richard Moseley retired
after working for 22 years
teaching high school foodservice. For
the past eight years, he has owned the
Harpswell Inn in Harpswell, ME.
’68 Ralph Warren recently
sold his Westport Hotel and
Tavern in Westport, NY, which he owned
for more than 23 years. He’s enjoying his
retirement.
’69 Michael Gilden is retired
from his catering business,
which he had for more than 40 years. As
one of our original New Haven students,
he has fond memories of watching Chef
Noble Masi decorating an eight-inch layer
cake in less than four minutes and being
in Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt’s first-ever
buffet catering class. Robert Howard
and Steven K. Wilson ’69 visited cam-
pus in March 2013. They report, “We had
a great time, the Alumni Office staff were
great, the students were grand, and the
food was terrific!”
’71 Michael Devine has recently
retired and does lots of cook-
ing at home.
’75 Alan Tholen is corporate ex-
ecutive chef at Casa Ristoranti
Italiano in Fort Wayne, IN.
’77 Bill Fontes is general manag-
er of The Peabody Little Rock
in Little Rock, AK. During his 35-year ca-
reer in the hotel industry, he has worked
as executive chef, corporate director of
food and beverage, hotel manager, and
general manager for such companies as
Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Renaissance, and
Sheraton. Andrew “Skip” Koczur and
his wife are happily retired to Orlando,
FL. Friends can find Skip at skipcooks@
gmail.com. He is available as a consul-
tant. Thomas Warren is regional vice
president for Morrison HealthCare Food
Services in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Virginia. Raymond Williams is food
service director at Newark Senior Center
in Newark, DE. In addition to serving his
senior center members, he provides more
than 3,000 Meals on Wheels a month out
of the center’s tiny kitchen. He is working
on a fundraising event to expand the
kitchen and his ability to give to others.
’79 Kevin Carroll is COO/
general manager at the
Atlanta Athletic Club, a historic golf and
country club in Johns Creek, GA. He was
previously COO and general manager
at both the Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter,
FL, and the Bellerive Country Club in
St. Louis, MO. Matthew Flatley has
retired from the culinary profession and
is now a Roman Catholic priest for the
Diocese of Jefferson City in Jefferson City,
MO. Richard Jarmusz is executive chef
at Fletcher Allen Health Care, the Uni-
versity of Vermont affiliated hospital and
medical center in Burlington, VT. Health
Care Without Harm, an international
coalition of more than 520 organizations
working to increase “green” practices in
the health care industry, recently honored
him with their Exemplary Food Service
Professional award. Alex “Jeffrey”
Melkonian is assistant pastry chef for
Omphoy Ocean Resort in Palm Beach,
FL. He is an avid cyclist who, over the
past six years, has raised money for the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society during
his Century rides. Stephen Sakalik is
project manager at Caldwell’s Windo-
ware, Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA.
’80 Keith Champy is corporate
chef for Advantage Waypoint
in Flower Mound, TX. He recently
married and says that after 40 years in
the hospitality industry, he’s enjoying
his new job, which is Monday–Friday
with evenings, weekends, and holidays
off. Christopher Keith has a blog, The
Inyo Belly Project out of Inyo, CA. He also
works on Internet sales for The Troutfitter,
a company out of Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Elaine Smart is regional vice president
for Bon Appétit Management Company
in Arlington, MA. Stephen A. Worsley
has finally settled down in Germany after
traveling to more than 131 countries. If
you want to get in touch, e-mail him at
[email protected]. Debra Zanker
is the owner of RICKOLI Brewery. It is
the first microbrewery in Wheat Ridge,
CO, and offers gluten-reduced beers.
’81 John Morasco is executive
chef for Sodexo, Inc. in Gaith-
ersburg, MD. Clifford Pleau is senior
director of culinary development and
corporate executive chef for Seasons 52 in
Orlando, FL. He was recently honored by
the CIA with its 2013 Leadership Award
for his groundbreaking work creating
restaurant menus that promote health and
wellness.
’82 Jon Dareff is corporate chef/
food technologist at Dareff
Consulting in Cincinnati, OH. Ted
Hudgins is a tax attorney. He also teach-
es classes in both the Business School and
the Resort & Hospitality Management
programs at Florida Gulf Coast University
in Naples, FL.
’83 William Meurer is director
of dining services for Belle
Reve Senior Living in Milford, PA. He is
a member of the New York State Baseball
Umpires Association for high school
baseball. James Salley is executive chef
at Villa Capri in Wallingford, CT.
’84 Geoffrey Cousineau is
director of operations at
the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Pat Dalia returned to school to get his
master’s degree in special education. He
teaches culinary arts at Nassau Communi-
ty College in Garden City, NY. Bruce W.
Lyon is chef/owner of Victoria’s Wood
Fired Pizza in Danbury, CT.
’85 Susan (Fagelson) Crowther
is a chef and nutritionist. Her
new book, The No Recipe Cookbook, offers
something more useful than a collec-
tion of recipes—it gives the reader an
understanding of how to cook. Certified
Master Chef Roland Henin wrote the
book’s forward. Martin Harris is a sales
representative for Halperns’, a purveyor of
steak and seafood in Atlanta, GA.
’86 Thomas Bergmann is a
chef for Price Chopper, Inc.
in Schenectady, NY. Nancy Knoepfel is
regional sales manager for D.W. Haber &
Son, Inc. in Bronx, NY. Steven R. Mor-
row is regional manager for Aramark
Corporation, Food and Support Services
out of Philadelphia, PA.
’87 Patrick Croker is food
service administrator for the
Department of Justice Federal Bureau of
Prisons in Fort Dix, NJ. Mark J. Olson
is a chef-instructor in the culinary arts
program at Blackhawk Technical College
in Janesville, WI.
’88 Andrew Hunter is owner
of Chef Andrew Hunter—A
Culinary Development Agency, where he
creates retail and consumer food products
for companies like Wolfgang Puck, Niman
Ranch, Martha Stewart, and Kikkoman.
Recently, he was asked to be the R&D
mentor on Lifetime’s new reality series,
Supermarket Superstar. He and Michael
Chiarello ’82 help contestants develop
and “bring their products to market” dur-
ing the course of the show. (see photo p.
33) Dale Tanner is a category specialist
for Sysco Corporation in Norman, OK.
’89 Marc Aliberti is president
of Winthrop Douglas, a brand
protection company in Suffern, NY.
James Walker is executive chef for Ara-
mark Corporation in Indianapolis, IN.
Almost 40% of CIA
students are referred by our
alumni! Any prospective
student you refer is eligible
to receive a $1,000 Alumni
Referral Scholarship as
well as other scholarship
opportunities. You can
change a life. It’s easy.
Just visit www.
ciaalumninetwork.com/refer
You Make A
Difference!
mise en place no.64, October 2013 33
’90 Todd Seligman is senior
business consultant for Ara-
mark Corporation, Healthcare Division
in DuBois, PA.
’91 Kimberly Heisler is chef/
owner of Comfort Food, a re-
tail and catering business in Morrisville,
PA. Aaron Hoppes is executive chef at
the Kutztown Tavern in Kutztown, PA.
Nancy Lee Michel is food production
manager for Aramark at the University of
Delaware in Newark, DE. Jason Ulak is
corporate executive chef for Relish Dis-
tinctive Catering in Mount Pleasant, SC.
’92 Michael Bell has just
released a new book entitled
The Invisible Crime—Illegal Microchip Im-
plants and Microwave Technology and Their
Use Against Humanity. Idalee Cathcart
was named 2012 Pastry Chef of the
Year by the Dallas Chapter of the Texas
Chefs Association. She says, “I know in
my heart that I could not have reached
that level without the mentoring of such
wonderful CIA chef-instructors as Noble
Masi, Walter Schreyer, and Ed Bradley.”
’93 Jeffrey Mitchell is executive
chef for culinary and nutri-
tional services at St. Joseph’s Hospital
& Health Center in Syracuse, NY. The
hospital was awarded the American
Culinary Federation’s 2012 Achieve-
ment of Excellence Award at an event in
Orlando, FL.
’94 Ricky Moore is owner of
Saltbox Seafood Joint in
Durham, NC. He still loves the business
after all these years. AJ Servidio is chef/
owner of AJ’s Catering and Takeout in
Pearl River, NY. He hopes local alums
will stop by and say hello. Kenneth Wil-
liams is executive chef at the Chumash
Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA.
’95 Steven Mannino is corpo-
rate executive chef, retail res-
taurant division, for Thompson Hospitali-
ty, the largest minority-owned foodservice
management company in the country, in
Herndon, VA. Alicia (O’Neil) O’Peirce
is regional corporate chef for IMCOM–
Pacific in Fort Shafter, HI. Joseph
Profeta is general manager for The Palm
Restaurant in Charlotte, NC.
’96 Kurt Vogel is executive chef
at Newton Wellesley Hospital
in Newton, MA. Craig Webster is
business manager, finance for The Boeing
Company in Seattle, WA.
’97 Ricardo Castro is chef/
owner of Piquant Epicure
& Cuisine Restaurant in Tampa, FL.
Django Houston is owner of Living
Stone, a stone setting business in Catskill,
NY. Stuart Margolis is general manager
of Bollywood Theater, an Indian restau-
rant in Portland, OR. Todd Mussman is
an avid supporter of Staplehouse, a not-
for-profit restaurant designed to generate
revenue for The Giving Kitchen Initiative,
an Atlanta-based charity that provides
resources to people in the restaurant in-
dustry affected by unanticipated hardship.
’98 Spencer Ford is an account
representative for Labatt Food
Service in Austin, TX. He would love to
connect with fellow Texas-based alumni.
Reach him at 512-709-8757 or SFord@
labattfood.com.
’99 James Kolok is director of
purchasing for the Marriott
Renaissance Hotel in West Harrison,
NY. Michael Stiglitz is chef/owner of
Two Stones Pub, which has locations in
Wilmington and Newark, DE. He hopes
to continue to expand into Maryland
and Pennsylvania. His ultimate goal is to
become a CIA instructor by 2020.
’00 Anthony Chavez and his
wife Barbara (Fike) Chavez
’00 opened Layered Cake Patisserie
in Chantilly, VA in 2011. Anthony was
named the 2010 Pastry Chef of the Year
by the Restaurant Association of Metro-
politan Washington (RAMY). Dorothy
Damon is pastry chef-instructor at Le
Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in
Portland, OR. Brett Mendl is general
manager for the opening of Pho 66, a
Vietnamese- and Thai-inspired noodle
bar and grill in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen
in New York City. Brian Pitcher is
a butcher at Quattro’s Game Farm &
Farm Store in Pleasant Valley, NY. Erin
Ticomb is culinary support trainer for
SAGE Dining Services in Lutherville,
MD.
’01 Cecily Anthony recently
launched an office of Patrice
and Associates, one of the nation’s largest
hospitality recruiting firms. She works
for restaurant companies throughout the
Northern Virginia region that seek to hire
on-site managers and connects them to
job seekers.
’02 Mark Randazzo is owner of
Mark Joseph Cakes in New
York, NY.
’04 Justin DeMartino is line
cook for Darren’s Restaurant
in Manhattan Beach, CA. Jonathan
Kamel Khalil is a registered nurse
on a medical-surgical unit at Scott &
White Memorial Hospital in Temple,
TX. He passed his RN-NCLEX exam in
March 2012. Liya Lin and her husband
Andrew Truong ’04 opened their 35-
seat restaurant Terrapin Creek in Bodega
Bay, CA, just three years ago in. This
past April, their “small coastal restau-
rant” received a Michelin star! Jonathan
Lombardo is executive chef for the 1789
Restaurant, a part of the Clyde’s Restau-
rant Group, in Washington, D.C.
’05 Raimundo Hevia lives in
Venezuela. But on his recent
honeymoon in the States, he dropped
by the Alumni Relations Office to let us
know he has written and published his
own cookbooks for Kindle. You can get
Recipe Secrets Revealed—Chinese Recipes and
Paleo Recipe Book on Amazon.
’06 Angela Hobby is chef/as-
sistant general manager for
Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza in Wash-
ington, DC. She and Neill Blackwood
andrew hunter ‘88 and michael chiarello ‘82 mentor on supermarket superstar
alyssa (moles) denham ‘08 and john denham ‘08
www.ciaalumninetwork.com34
William Naden, Jr. ’48Andrew Tabak ’48, CEC, AACSalvatore A. Petrolino ’58Gerald S. Keller ’65Joel Lee Papakalos ’66Leonard M. DeRosa ’67Thomas Geneviva ’67Brian C. McMann ’67Michael James Piccolo ’70, CEC, CCC Charles R. Carstens ’72Gilford A. Haywood ’74, CECHoward Wayne Kelley ’74Ferdinand Platzer ’77William Joseph Sohovich ’80
Robert M. Carney ’81Lisa A. Knudsen-Gerling ’82Edward T. Zaranski ’82Kevin J. Maloney ’86Harris D. Berger ’87, CCCRoger C. Couch ’88Laurie Hopewell Lee ’88John Russell Palmiter ’88James M. Tully ’90Richard Gurd ’92James Bryant Safranek ’95Suzanne Gawad ’00Jared Kamel ’01Ramon Owen Lee Moss ’03
In Memoriam
’06 became engaged in the Durkee Herb
Garden outside Ristorante Caterina de’
Medici on the Hyde Park campus and
they got married in September 2013.
Felicia Kalaluhi is executive pastry
chef/proprietor of Cornerstone Choco-
lates & Confections in Minturn, CO.
Sergio Ledesma is general manager
of Xocolat Posh Mexican Cuisine in
Calgary, Canada. It is the first fine-dining
Mexican restaurant in Western Canada.
’07 Liz Bramwell hosts The Cook-
ing Show for Comcast Xfinity
in Boston. The show recently received
a Boston/New England Emmy® Award
from the National Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences for a segment in which
Liz taught New England Patriot player
Ron Barce how to make the perfect Beef
Wellington. Adam Cobb is executive
chef for Enoteca Emilia in Cincinnati,
OH. Adam and wife, Margaret “Meg”
Nolan Cobb ’08 are married and have
two children. Wayne House is an inde-
pendent duty food services officer for the
U.S. Coast Guard in Port Angeles, WA.
He is in charge of all the menus, cook-
ing, shipping, and finances for the Coast
Guard. He married in 2010 and had a
daughter, Aerika, in August 2011.
’08 Alyssa (Moles) Densham
(see photo p. 33) is farm-to-
school program coordinator for The Food
Trust in Philadelphia, PA. She married
John Densham ’08 in 2012. It was a
CIA-filled event with Paul Heim ’08
serving as best man, Chelsea Wallis ’08
as wedding coordinator, and Jason Levy
’08 and Tea Mamut ’08 as catering help
for the couple’s reception. Also in atten-
dance were Allison Brummet ’08, Julie
Goldstein ’08, Tim Hoover ’85, Licia
Kassim ’08, Kaitlyn Mader ’10, Derek
Neff ’08, and Ken Taylor ’08. Maria
Gaube is pastry sous chef at Park Avenue
Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn, a sea-
sonal restaurant in New York City. Lieu-
tenant Natalie Ann Schibell received
her master’s degree in public health
specializing in environmental health sci-
ences from New York Medical College in
Valhalla, NY. She completed her capstone
project on Food Contaminants in the Modern
American Diet and their Effect on Child
Health. Following graduation, Natalie was
commissioned as Lieutenant Junior Grade
in the Navy’s Medical Service Corps. She
serves as Navy environmental health of-
ficer stationed at the Naval Branch Health
Clinic Groton Public Health Department,
Preventive Medicine Unit at Naval Sub-
marine Base in New London, CT. Ross
Warhol is executive chef for Athenaeum
Hotel in Chautaugua, NY. He took part
in a five-week stage at Restaurant Frantzén
in Stockholm, Sweden. The restaurant is
#20 on the 2013 S.Pellegrino World’s Best
Restaurant list. Lauren Welsch is
nutrition production manager for
Aramark at the Grant Medical Center in
Columbus, OH.
’09 Becca Fishkin is pastry as-
sistant at the Eastern Standard
Kitchen & Drinks Restaurant in Boston,
MA. Scott Jones is a self-employed
caterer in Covington, LA.
’10 Monica Amtower works at
Inn at Little Washington in
Washington, VA. She previously worked
at Café Boulud in Palm Beach, FL.
Dominica (Ogazi) Falcon and husband
Sebastién Falcon ’08 are chocolatiers
at Chocolopolis in Seattle, WA. Gail Ro-
mulo is pastry chef at Alexander’s Steak-
house in San Francisco, CA. Marissa
Sertich was recently hired as assistant
editor at The Valley Table magazine, the
link to the best chefs, restaurants, artisanal
foods, and specialty markets in the
Hudson Valley of New York. After leaving
the CIA, she received her master’s degree
in food studies at New York University in
New York City.
’11 Anders Benson and his wife
are living in Colorado. He
is lead prep chef at True Food Kitchen
and finds it a fun challenge. He recently
got his Permaculture Design Certificate,
which focused on the principles of sus-
tainable design. Christopher Miller is
working at Il Fornaio in Seattle, WA.
’12 Frank Cotroneo is line cook
at La Fonda Del Sol in New
York, NY. Noel Hallagan is cook for
Restaurant Gwendalyn in San Antonio,
TX. He recently took first prize in the La
Costena Culinary Competition in San
Antonio, with a dish featuring jalapeño
peppers. Christine Wendland has been
promoted to sauté cook at White Dog
Cafe in Philadelphia, PA. Her first book,
Babies in the Garden, was published as an
e-book in spring 2013.
If you have any questions, please call the Help Desk at
845-451-1698.
New E-mail, New Advantages!This fall, we will be upgrading our e-mail system
to Microsoft Office 365. The new system gives you
more e-mail storage space, an @cia.culinary.edu
e-mail suffix, access to Office Web Apps, and the
ability to collaborate using file sharing and shared
calendars! We will be sending more information
about the transition in your CIA e-mail soon.
liz bramwell ‘07
35
Share Your CIA Success
After I got my CIA degree, doors
opened. I’m sure the CIA name
helped me get in the doors and my skills keep
me truckin’. I think it was the best decision of
my life to attend the CIA. The whole program
is awesome. I am now opening my third
Jewish deli in the Washington, DC area. Thank
you CIA, Ferdinand Metz, and Tim Ryan.
Pittsburgh Strong!
Leslie Charapp ’84, Owner, Brooklyn Deli
Back in 1965, I met a person
who became a lifelong friend.
I had never heard of the CIA, but my
friend Julia Child had. She encouraged
me to attend. It’s where I gained all the
knowledge and information to succeed
at a faster rate than I would have solely
through apprenticeship. I worked in
hotels, restaurants, and bakeries where
the knowledge I got at the CIA carried
me through.
David Nickerson ’67, Retired
After graduating
from the CIA, I
pursued my culinary career in
the U.S. Merchant Marines.
I became chief steward on
a 1,000-foot vessel. We
delivered Marine Corps
equipment to more than 50
countries. During my travels,
CIA alumni from Singapore
to Tokyo to Sydney opened
their arms and shared their
knowledge and facilities
with me. The CIA is known
across the world, is reaching
across the continents, and it
certainly fulfilled my dreams.
James Battista ’81, Chief Steward, Seafarers International Union
I graduated in 1971 from
the New Haven campus.
When I arrived back in Washington,
DC, I couldn’t believe the doors
that opened when future employers
took notice of my CIA degree. The
well-rounded education I received
helped me secure great positions.
It probably would have taken me
10 additional years working in the
field to gain the knowledge I got at
school. I owe everything to my CIA
education.
Todd Goepper ’71, Director of Food Service, Pioneer College Caterers, Asbury University
My CIA degree paved the way
for lots of different journeys
over the years! I worked in hotels and
restaurants from New York to Arizona to
Hawaii. I ultimately settled in California,
where I spent eight years as a personal
chef to a former U.S. president and a
Hollywood entertainment mogul. Today,
you can see our team’s culinary efforts on
the shelves of top grocery retailers across
the globe. The vast network of CIA grads
is a testment to how the college is in
every corner of our industry. The CIA was
a game-changer and I am most grateful
for the network of gamers.
James Fibiger ’92, Senior Director, Business Development, Two Chefs on a Roll
We asked you to let us know how your
CIA degree helped you successfully pursue
your culinary dreams. A number of you got
back to us with stories that confirmed the
true value of a CIA education. The first six
respondents will receive a CIA Alumni Cap in
appreciation of their speed and sentiments!
Here’s what your classmates said…
While attending the CIA, I always
looked toward the future. I knew I
was learning from the best in the industry
and my training would help me live out my
dream of one day owning my own restaurant.
I developed great relationships with my
classmates and it was thrilling to know I was
surrounded by people who shared my passion.
Attending the CIA was one of the greatest
decisions I made in my life—I found my calling
there. The CIA presents its students with
infinite opportunities. It’s been a great ride!
Anthony DeVanzo ’96, Chef/Owner, Velo
The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Relations 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499
Alumni Relations Admissions Advancement CIA Websites Career Services Registrar CIA Consulting General Information 845-451-1401 1-800-285-4627 845-905-4275 ciachef.edu 845-451-1275 845-451-1688 845-905-4423 845-452-9600 ciaalumninetwork.com ciagiving.org ciaprochef.com ciarestaurants.com
Take Your Seat
To Leave a Legacyat the CIA
simply
Here’s a fun and tangible way to forever be a part of your alma mater. Our new 42,000-square-foot
Marriott Pavilion is nearing completion. Inside, the 800-seat Ecolab Auditorium will be a beautiful
and practical venue for:
• World-class Conferences
• Graduation Ceremonies
• Lecture Series and other Educational Symposiums
• Cultural Events
Why not leave your mark on the college by purchasing a seat in the Ecolab Auditorium? We’ll place
a beautifully engraved plaque with your name or the name of anyone you designate on the seat, and
generations to come will know of your affection for, and commitment to, the CIA.
One seat: $5,000 (Option: Two annual payments of $2,500 each)
To TAke your seAT, visit www.ciaalumninetwork.com/takeyourseat or contact our team at
845-905-4275.