2014 07 24 final

Volume 33, No.47

July 24 2014

BPS Graduation Speaker: Ken Conrad Marshall L. “Ken” Conrad is chairman of Libby Hill Seafood Restaurants, a nine-location, family-run company based in Greensboro, NC. His parents founded Libby Hill in 1953 with a single restaurant.

Mr. Conrad also serves as chairman of the National Restaurant Association, the largest foodservice trade association in the world, supporting nearly 500,000 restaurant businesses. A member of the NRA Board of Directors since 2004, he previously served as its treasurer in 2012, and was elected chairman in 2014.

Mr. Conrad began his long and successful career in foodservice as a cook in one of his parents’ restaurants and later took over operations of that location. He became president of Libby Hill Seafood Restaurants in 1983, and with his knowledge of and contacts in the seafood industry, he launched Bay Hill Seafood, an importing and distribution subsidiary, in 2010. Mr. Conrad supports his employees’ education and advancement through the Libby Hill Seafood Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for higher education.

A former chairman of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association, Mr. Conrad served on the

organization’s board for more than 20 years. He was named the NCRLA’s Restaurateur of the Year in 2007 and was recognized for his contributions to the industry with the association’s Griff and June Glover Award for Distinguished Service.

The longtime industry veteran is active in the Greensboro business community through the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Alliance, and the Guilford Merchants Association. He lobbies on behalf of small businesses on local, state, and federal issues and has testified before Congress on the subject of food safety. He is a former chairman of the National Fisheries Institute, a trade organization representing the seafood industry.

Mr. Conrad holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Guilford College in Greensboro. He served in the Army National Guard, where he was a cook.

AOS Graduation Speaker: Elizabeth Falkner Elizabeth Falkner is one of the culinary world’s most recognizable chefs and a leader on the culinary scene. For more than 20 years, she wowed the San Francisco Bay Area with her desserts, then with two Michelin-recommended restaurants— Citizen Cake, a multiple-award-winning restaurant, bar, and patisserie; and Orson.

Chef Falkner then moved to New York in 2012, successfully launched two independent restaurants within a year, and gained immediate positive press, including a two-star New York Times review for Krescendo, a pizza place in Brooklyn. She is also a chef consultant, with consulting work that has included products and brands such as Pillsbury, Starbucks, iSi, Hershey, General Mills, Nestlé, Nabisco, Kraft, Pepsi, Valley of the Moon Wines, and Good Earth. She also serves on the Culinary Council for Holland America Line.

Chef Falkner’s talents have been widely recognized in the industry. In 2006, Bon Appétit named her Pastry Chef of the Year, and three years prior hailed her as one of America’s 10 Top Pastry Chefs. In addition, she was nominated for Pastry Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation in 2005, named Best Pastry Chef by San Francisco magazine in 1999, and recognized as a Rising Star Chef by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1995.

Chef Falkner has been both a leader and a mentor to many other chefs, working closely with Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, which honored her with a Golden Bowl Award in 2003.

Culinary Culture

ON CAMPUS

“From Orientation to Fundamentals”

FOOD & BEVERAGE

P3

“Stepping onto Nature’s Stage”

A lover of culinary competition, Chef Falkner has put her skills to the test in multiple arenas, including Food Network’s Next Iron Chef: Redemption, Iron Chef America, and Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, in which she was a finalist and runnerup. She has also been a three-time competitor on Food Network Challenge, as well as a contestant on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.

In addition to competing, Chef Falkner also has acted as judge on several network shows, including Bravo’s Top Chef Just Desserts, Top Chef Masters, and Top Chef. She will serve as a recurring judge on the Cooking Channel’s Donut Showdown in 2014. In 2012, Chef Falkner won first prize at the World Pizza Championships in Naples, Italy, with her innovative Finocchio Flower Power pizza.

Her first book, Demolition Desserts, was a finalist in 2008 for the Julia Child Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals for best first cookbook. Cooking Off the Clock, her second book, was released in 2012.

Chef Falkner serves on the board of directors of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and is its current president. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier and the Disciples of Escoffier International and has been a featured guest chef for James Beard Foundation dinners.

A graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and a longtime soccer player, Chef Falkner often finds culinary inspiration in film, art, music, and sculpture, as well as team sports.

P 8-9

“Home in One Bite” P 4-5

CENTER SPREAD

“What Would McCue Do?”

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BACK PAGE

“All in Good Taste”

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LA PAPILLOTE

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THE NEWSPAPER OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1979

July 24, 2014

PUBLISHER The Student Affairs Division EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amy Zarichnak LAYOUT EDITOR Thiana Anderson ADVERTISING MANAGER Sue Haug CONTRIBUTORS

Crystal Tan Chef Freddie Brash Sarah Lubitz Maxine Lambiase Christian Duncan Cody North Connor White Cameron Schneider

COMPACT

Natalie Crumbaugh Chef David McCue Emilio Cerra Benjamin Haffner Jordan Kohn Sera Park Deja Burrows Michele Garguilo

La Papillote, the Newspaper of the Culinary Institute of America since 1979, is dedicated to respecting the mission, history and values of the college. Our primary purpose is to report the news of the institution to the students and other members of the campus community. We examine contemporary issues of the food service and hospitality industries to inform, challenge and develop the minds of students as they aspire to leadership roles in their chosen profession. We reflect the diverse views of the student body and provide a forum for civil discussion.

Above all else, in our reporting and features, we strive to be accurate, fair, unbiased and free from distortion. Whenever we portray someone in a negative light or accuse a party of wrongdoing, we will make a real effort to obtain and print a response from that subject in the same issue. We will not plagiarize.

Articles and features are expected to be independent assessments on a topic by an individual author. The views expressed are those of the author’s alone. They do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of La Papillote or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The Culinary Institute of America, or any entity of, or affiliated with the college.

FOOD REVIEW POLICY

As a valuable part of our content, La Papillote offers restaurant reviews. It is in the best interest of our readership to be honest, accurate and fair in providing information and judgment on these establishments. Reviews will reflect the writer’s opinions about the menu, atmosphere and service. Whenever possible, reviews will be conducted with complete anonymity. Permission from the restaurants will not be secured prior. All issues of La Papillote are available online, therefore, the critiqued restaurants, along with the public, can view editions at anytime on the web.

EDITORIAL POLICY

La Papillote welcomes submissions of work from students, chefs and outside professionals. The decision to print is based on the following criteria: quality of content, value of content to our readers, quality of writing, originality, objectivity, layout, and verifiability.

Besides the Editor, there are two Copy Editors who read over submitted articles. Major changes will be reported to writers before the issue goes out. However, any other changes that need to be edited close to the deadline may or may not be forwarded to writers. This is due to the fact of lack of time. It is asked for writers to trust the Editor’s decision at this point during layout. Please direct all submissions to: Amy Zarichnak, Editor-In-Chief at lapapillote.culinary@gmail.com.

LETTERS POLICY

Letters to the Editor may not exceed 250 words and they should be exclusive to La Papillote. In selecting letters, the editors try to present a balance of views. We reserve the right to edit for space, clarity, civility and accuracy, and will send you the edited version before publication. If your letter is selected, we will try to reach you in necessary cases to verify the letter’s authenticity, to clarify your motivation, to clarify your relation to the subject for our readers or to verify facts or sources. Letters to the Editor may be sent to LaPapillote@mycia.net with “Letter to the Editor - For Publication” in the subject line. Please include your phone number.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed

The time has come.

By the time you read this, I will have graduated.

Saying goodbye is hard to do in the most basic of circumstances – when you live in another city than your loved ones, when a loved one goes on a trip without you, and when your beloved friends live far away.

It’s much harder when what you’re saying goodbye to is a thing – The Culinary Institute of America – and when it’s completely changed your life. For the better.

I came here after tripping through life for a couple years. I had gotten laid off five times in five years, and I was, if I had thought about it (which I didn’t, at the time), likely depressed, and life just hadn’t gone my way for years. I didn’t even realize how much I needed a life makeover until I was well into my schooling here. I had no idea what was making me so unhappy before – nor did it really dawn on me how unhappy that I had previously been in my life until I was about four months into school. At about that four-month mark, I looked back and thought, “Wow, I was miserable in my life before.” I was, actually, almost hopeless prior to coming to school. This was the result of years and years of not following my heart professionally. I hated almost every job that I ever had. When I got here to school, I couldn’t believe that what I was getting to do and study daily was what had been in my heart for years: food!

It was a revelation, to say the least, to realize that I could find a way to make a living doing something that thrilled me to my core. I always loved eating beautifully executed, interesting food. I always tried to re-create the amazing dishes that I had eaten in restaurants. I even had a job where I traveled extensively for sales, and every time I went somewhere, I ate at a high-end, reputable restaurant that wow’ed me wherever my destination was. While I immensely enjoyed doing this, the professional focus on food was what I was missing. I wanted to be an expert on this topic that made me so happy! Just eating wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to know how these flavors were created, what creative process went into conceiving a new dish, and I wanted to know enough to do it myself or critique someone else’s work. I never wanted to be a chef, but I wanted to write about food, and while I had the writing skills, I didn’t know

enough about food to land a job writing about it. To get to that point, I needed a culinary education.

By the grace of God, I received a windfall that enabled me to come to school at The Culinary Institute of America in 2013, three full years after I had initially applied and was accepted but couldn’t afford to come due to all of my layoffs. I got here as soon as I could. I took my windfall and put every cent into coming to school. I was here two months after receiving it. It was my main focus and goal and all of my energy was solely focused on getting to school.

Once here, all of my energy was focused – and still is – on doing well, finishing the AOS curriculum, and getting my degree. I came back from externship three weeks early, in fact, to graduate on July 25th instead of having to wait until we came back from summer break to graduate. While I loved my old class, my new class was older, and we all hung out together and became amazing friends. It has been the best experience of my life. I am the happiest that I have ever been. You have to do what’s in your heart.

I have been enamored with food since my teens, but wasn’t sure how I would make a living in this industry without being a chef. The advent of the internet and the Food Network solved that problem for a lot of us foodies who actually don’t want to work in a commercial kitchen. It took me a little bit of time to have an idea gel in my mind of what I wanted to do, and then a little more time to have the planets align so that I could come. But once I got here, there was no stopping me.

In addition to barreling forward towards my goal, as I got closer to it, I realized how much I was shedding of my past life, as the desires of my heart were realized. I’m a much more grounded person, more patient, kinder, calm, and serene. Before I was easily angered, short-tempered, impatient, and constantly anxious about life. Of course I was. I wasn’t living authentically. Living in harmony with your life’s calling is like fitting a puzzle piece into the correct place: you just snap it in and it’s supposed to be there, it fits, it works. For the longest time, I felt like I was jamming a square peg into a round hole. I was always uncomfortable in my own life.

So, my graduation is much more to me than just a graduation. It is, to me, a symbol of a dream realized, and offers me the opportunity to go out into the world and have a professional life that makes my heart sing. I will interface with people with the same interests and priorities that I have. My old friends can’t conceive of the money that I’ve spent on food.

My new friends know that happiness is fresh,local, in-season ingredients and a great bottle of wine. I don’t have to explain myself or justify how I like to spend my time or how much I spend on my nowprofession, which was previously just a hobby. I’m not devaluing my old friends in the least; I love them dearly. But my new friends “get” me. We are the same.

The faculty and administration here at the CIA have all been an absolute Godsend, too. I have encountered so many supportive people here at the CIA and I have felt so encouraged and valued as a student here. It really has been my happy place. I’m reluctant to leave, but at the same time, I’m eager to leave to go find my culinary space in the professional world which will hopefully lead to an even happier ....Continued on page 4...

to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. The CIA does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, or any other protected group or classification under federal or state laws. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Civil Rights Compliance Officers Joe Morano HR Director-Faculty Relations

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July 24, 2014

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BY: Natalie Crumbaugh, AOS Culinary

Stepping onto Nature’s Stage

These days when our pantries run bare, we simply drive to the nearest grocery store where we have access to an infinite variety of food, all year long. It wasn’t too long ago though that as a culture, we were significantly involved in the process of obtaining seasonal food either by hunting, farming, or foraging. Native Americans exemplified this traditional way of life by only relying on their surrounding environment as a source of sustenance. Due to the invention of factory farming and air-flown imported produce, preparing meals is no longer limited to a time-of-year availability and is nothing more than a convenient stop on the way home from work. In the most recent Culinary Institute of America Dooley lecture series hosted on July 16th, guest speaker Hank Shaw encourages us to get back to our roots, utilizing naturally recurring food sources by sustainably foraging or hunting in the modern world.

Hank Shaw is an award winning food blogger for his website “Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook” and author of Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast. His career accomplishments include being a former line cook, and he also spent nineteen years as a political journalist. No matter where life took him, though, Shaw escaped the daily pressures of work by foraging and hunting in the wild. By doing so, Shaw admits, “Other than pork fat for charcuterie and the occasional octopus, I have not bought meat or fish for our home more than a handful of times since 2005.”.

How has he been able to do this in our progressively urban world? The problem, Shaw believes, resides in the fact that “We are as divorced from nature as we have ever been. This leads to neglect.”

Not only is industrialized farming and meat fabrication contaminating the land out of sustainable practices,

but we are neglecting to see potential food sources that surround us on a daily basis. Contrary to common belief, we are not, nor have we ever been limited to eat the food stocked on the grocery store shelves. Shaw believes we are only “green blind” in that we cannot differentiate between plants, even the most basic of trees or shrubs, that reside in our own backyards. As a result, we are missing out on a wide array of readily available ingredients, many of which are unique and delicious to the palate. The same is true for wild game. Often times when one hunts or goes fishing, only certain species of animal are considered edible, while the rest are avoided, or in the case of fishing, tossed back in the water. Instead of disregarding an entire catch, Shaw thinks we should investigate and find out more about how to prepare these lesser known sources of meat. We may be surprised how “trash” game can provide more to the table than originally anticipated. Bringing the wild world into the kitchen expands your horizons to new cooking techniques and interesting flavor combinations.

Often times, chefs struggle in the quest for originality because, to a certain degree, everything has already been done. Shaw points out that the only way to truly combat conventionality is to increase one’s resources. Using local plant life and animals increases options by opening doors to new frontiers formerly unexplored. He provides an example using the unfamiliar cow parsnip, an herb found in most of the continental United States. Part of the carrot family, cow parsnip has large, green leaves, a tuberous stem, and an aroma resembling overly spicy celery. Despite being an herb of an acquired taste, Shaw discovered through trial and error that cow parsnip pairs well with dairy and starch.

Consequently, he created a dish of cooked cow parsnip stem

I’ll Have the Crickets

BY: Benjamin Haffner, BPS Culinary

Have you eaten crickets? I have. They were delicious!

Trust me. The spicy sautéed delicacy perched atop a dollop of rich guacamole leapt to my taste buds aboard a crisp, lime salted tortilla chip. Wow! This surreal delight made me so giddy, I polished off the three remaining on our table. They were the first appetizer served at The Culinary Institute of America’s inaugural Sustainability Conference’s honorary dinner in the summer of 2011. These tasty one bite adventures were crafted by Chef Remolina, one of the institute’s best instructors and a dual citizen of France and Mexico. What may seem exotic to most is common place in Remolina’s native Mexico and a popular tradition in South America, Asia, and Africa named entomophagy, or the art of eating bugs.

Culture plays a major role in current insect-consuming countries. Thailand’s favorite bar snack is deep fried crickets seasoned with pepper and Golden Mountain soy sauce.

One of southern Mexico’s favorite rainy season dishes in Oaxaca is cricket or chapolín tostadas. Chapolín also happens to be Mexico’s all time favorite childhood hero: El Chapolín Colorado! In the spring, the people of Ghana depend on nourishment from fried or roasted termites to carry them through the lean planting season.

Entomophagy’s intrigue is now creeping into more industrialized cultures. Le Festin Nu (The Naked Meal) is a tapas bar by Chef Eli Daviron just a bicycle ride away from the Eiffel Tower that is enjoying immense press coverage for serving grasshoppers! In Nice, Chef David Faure of the Michelin-starred restaurant Aphrodite is serving crickets centered in a spherified whisky “bubble” with French toast cubes, poached pears, chocolate crispies, and whipped cream canelés. London-based start-up Ento is a multi-pronged brandscape led by design students from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. They are making bento-like boxes of sushi shaped bug mince for grab-and-go convenience at grocery stores. Antojeria La

Popular NYC in the Village currently serves the famous Oaxaca complete with Pacific Coast chapulines, avocado, and crème on a blue corn tostada.

As the trend grows, so does demand. Big Cricket Farms of Youngstown, Ohio is America’s first human-grade urban insect production facility. Their featured European House Crickets are reputed as the best tasting and are fed certified organic feed under strict USDA food manufacturing guidelines. Moving from national to an international reach, five MBA students from McGill University created the Aspire Food Group last year and are now working with governments, NGOs, and private entities from thirteen countries in four continents to spread cricket farming technology to developing regions everywhere to help boost economies and stabilize food supplies year round through local production. This concept is genius in that it empowers communities that are too poor to afford food, solving world hunger’s biggest quagmire: distribution.

To put things into perspective, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), there is more than enough food to feed the one billion hungry brothers and sisters of our planet. The current global pesticide market is valued at $52 Billion US. I say we trade places with the insects and become their pests, eating our way into the profits of toxic agricultural chemical companies and towards a more enlightened future as champions of feeding those in need and living more simply, so others may simply live.

stuffed with mascarpone cheese and honey, rolled in caster sugar as well as a cow parsnip gnocchi recipe you can easily find on his website.

Of course, foraging and hunting can easily be adopted to the personal kitchen but in a professional setting, the situation is slightly more complicated. Precautions must be taken to ensure the safety and health of new ingredients.

Also, liability concerns come into play if a customer digests a toxic plant mistaken for another similar edible one. Additionally, wild game cannot be sold or served legally unless it is commercially prepared and slaughtered at an inspected and licensed USDA facility, a much-too-complicated and expensive process for most restaurants. While these challenges alone may be enough to deter the common chef, there are immense benefits to taking on a foraging and hunting lifestyle. Wild plants and game are cheap to obtain and sustainable in that they are untouched by industrialized processing. Let’s not forget, too, the ability to work with new ingredients and its immense potential for creativity.

With time and practice, everyone possesses the ability to gain knowledge of surrounding wild ingredients and the skill to prepare them. Once achieved, it will be as if seeing the world through a new lens of opportunity. “Nature is a stage,” Shaw explains, “not a cathedral.” It is meant to be explored and shared with others as opposed to something sacred or revered from a distance. All in all, Shaw challenges us to link ourselves to the place we live, just as the Native Americans once did, to become better, well-rounded cooks.

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heart!

The people here who have made my journey here special, memorable, and to date, the best experience ever, are listed here loosely in chronological order.

I’m sure I missed people, and I don’t mean to have – I’m just old and my brain is going. So, if I skipped you, and you were pivotal in my development here, I apologize. But I just wanted to pay tribute to the many special people who you have the opportunity to meet here. Here are my special people: Chef Dave Barry: My Fundies chef, and the first kind-but-forceful personality I met here. Chef Barry rules his kitchen with heart, but not so much so that he’s a pushover. He helped me to make sense of this world here at the CIA, and understand kitchen culture. He also made me feel appreciated as an older student at a time where I was unsure of what that meant, professionally, socially, and academically. Chef Barry is a father-figure to many, and truly cares about his students. He will always be so close to my heart as my “gateway chef ” who introduced me to all that the CIA was about, including doing the right thing when no one is looking. He embodies that value.

Erin Decker: Our tireless career services advisor who helped us to find extern sites. Kind, patient, and helpful, she was an absolute joy to interact with, and also genuinely cares about each and every student.

Gerry Fischetti: Awesome! So much energy, and so much wisdom comes from this man. He taught our First Year Seminar class and showed us the most interesting videos, we talking about the greatest subject matter, and he gave us spot-on resources for anything we needed, academic or personal. At some point in time, I hope he and I can transition from teacher-student to friends, because I SO want to go have a martini with this guy…

Irena Chalmers: Miss Irena, my mentor! She is fabulous! She speaks her mind and doesn’t let popular opinion sway her. She’s hysterical, insightful, and has so much writing and life experience. She’s so kind to the students here. She’s just a gem! Anyone who is interested in making a living by doing food writing should speak with her. She has so much knowledge and is an incredible resource.

Chef Freddie Brash: It really doesn’t get better than Professor Brash. He’s kind, funny, and cares about each individual who passes through this school.

We’ve worked together on the school newspaper, and he is helpful, hard working, and a complete joy to be around. I will miss him!

Professor Willa Zhen: Professor Zhen was one of my favorite instructors here. She’s incredibly intelligent, with diverse experiences all over the world, and teaches with such energy. She is interesting, has high expectations of the students, and puts up with little in the classroom, which I appreciate and respect. She’s motivating. She was also extremely helpful to me in providing an array of possible employers to check out. She can be intimidating, but is actually very approachable.

Chef Bruce Mattel: Chef Mattel has always been infinitely supportive of me, and has given me some really great advice. He always has time for students and will help in any way possible. Another great resource for students, and a person who offered me kind words when my nerves got frayed.

Chef James Maraldo: Anyone who has Chef Maraldo is extremely lucky! Chef Maraldo knows everything about Italy and even has a home there! He is knowledgeable and passionate about the food there and offers this knowledge to the students enthusiastically. He was definitely one of my favorite chefs, and I enjoyed his class immensely.

Chef David McCue: What do you say about Chef McCue?! He’s hysterical, snarky, witty, stern, mocking, and just completely in touch with the stu-

LA PAPILLOTE

Editorial

dent body. I didn’t have him as a chef, but I worked with his extensively on his column, and he and I are not the best combination, because one of us gets a cockamamie idea and the other encourages that person to go through with it! Somehow, Chef McCue and I ended up in the Provost’s office one day after his column came out. Yup. That pretty much sums it up. I love Chef McCue because he’s borderline insane. Insanity is always an asset in this industry.

Elly Erickson: A very dear, kind woman in the Advancement office who helped me to navigate the Leadership Awards and who helped me to discover the Women in Leadership organization at the school.

A very sweet soul!

Professor Bruce Lavender: P-Lav, as we like to call him, is a timid man of few words. However, the words he chooses are usually hilarious! He seems mature and somewhat introverted, which makes it even funnier when you catch him trying to make a “basket” into the garbage can, or telling a story about the first concert he went to (Led Zeppelin, if I remember correctly?). The image he projects and the actual person he is are in totally contradiction of one another. I would love to catch a glimpse of him sometime after he had a wee bit too much wine!

Chef Pardus: Truly one of the most intelligent, talented chefs at the school. The other day, I was hanging out with my regular crew and we went around and identified our favorite chef from the school. With the exception of one person, Chef Pardus was the hands-down favorite. This is proof that a chef who makes you work harder or who is a little more strict does not alienate students. The reasons we cited for liking him so much were the structure and order of his kitchen, the fact that all the information that you need to succeed in class is on his website, and his extensive knowledge of Asian cuisines, which make him a genuine authority on the subject.

He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk, and has spent extensive amounts of time in Asian countries. We also greatly appreciated the fact that he put so much time and effort into his website. Those of us who utilized the website were more prepared for class and learned more. He does an excellent job running his kitchen and earned the majority of my class’s respect and admiration.

Jamie Hall, American Bounty FOH MIT: Proud to say that this very competent and capable instructor in the front-of-house at American Bounty restaurant has since become a friend after finishing up that class.

Side-splitting funny, she can have you crying from laughter over her uncanny, precise, and witty assessments of the personalities of some of the guests in the restaurant. Fiercely intelligent and loyal, I hope to have made a life-long friend.

Dean Whalen: Dean Whalen is my supervisor for La Papillote, and he has been like a father to me, even though we are peers based on our ages. We are polar opposites – I’m adventurous, a risk taker, and greatly enjoy an off-color joke or seven. Dean Whalen is conservative, chooses his words carefully, and errs on the side of caution. Together, we found some middle ground from which to launch the newspaper.

There were things he let me get away with and things he talked me back from the edge on. He has been utterly kind, always funny, completely supportive, and always positive. I could not look on our interactions more fondly, and I greatly enjoyed working with him.

He is a stellar human being!

President Tim Ryan: I met with President Ryan when I took over the newspaper, and these types of meetings always make me nervous. President Ryan couldn’t have been more gracious, but in addition to that, he’s extremely intelligent and is funny enough that you are completely put at-ease. He believes in the students here and is open to helping them. He’s

a man of his word and has helped me to contact people in the industry who he knows. It’s a shame, really, that President Ryan couldn’t be more accessible to students, because he is an amazing resource.

However, he has a job to do, and we have other resources available to us here at school to connect us with potential employers. I do encourage the student body, though, to reach out to him if you really need him, because he is a culinary kingpin with a network like no other, and he has been known to do favors for students who work hard.

I could literally name almost every one of my instructors and let them know how much I appreciated them and list what I learned from them. This school is so full of knowledge and wisdom, tap into it and find your niche, because wherever your niche is, there will be people who will support and mentor you, and assist you in getting to the next level. Understand that you are at the premier culinary school in the country; there are so many wonderful things here to pursue, investigate, and use to your advantage. This is an absolute culinary playground, and your education from this school is your ticket to your heart’s desire.

Enjoy your time here!

In closing, I encourage anyone who is interested in keeping in touch with me to do so. Friend me on Facebook, send me an email, ask me a question, offer me a job, or allow me to help you to reach your goal.

This has been the time of my life! It has changed my life for the better, and I will never, ever, EVER forget this amazing journey.

Enjoy this culinary utopia!

With much love to all, Amy Zarichnak amyz@amyz.com “It’s time to say goodbye, but goodbyes are rather sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure!” ~Ernie Harwell

July 24, 2014

ON CAMPUS

5

Book Review: The Fifth Taste, Umami

BY: Sera Park, AOS Baking and Pastry

Humans have to eat to live, but we also eat for enjoyment. When we eat a dish, we taste it and feel it, whether it makes us satisfied or not.

There were four basic tastes that were identified long ago and recently scientists found that there are actually five basic tastes, including umami. Umami is the fifth taste, so it is neither sweet, bitter, sour or salty. In Korea, people call this taste gamchil mat. In America, people call this taste savory or meaty. The book Umami, by Ole G. Mouritsen and Klavs Styrbæk, introduces the fifth taste, umami, with the history behind umami, the scientific background, and the origin of umami.

Before the 20th century, there were only four basic tastes that had been discovered in human society, which are sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. In 1908, a Japanese chemist, Professor Kikunae Ikeda, found the fifth taste from an experiment searching for a new taste from seaweed. He extracted 30 grams of glutamate from 12 kilograms of seaweed. The extracted glutamate had a form of small crystals that tasted like a sour dashi. (Dashi is Japanese seaweed stock.) Professor Ikeda named the source of this new taste umami. At this point, “umai” is Japanese, meaning delicious and “mi” meaning taste.

Taste receptors in a taste bud send a signal to the brain and we can identify how food tastes. The main source of taste is from amino acids in protein. The food that we intake every day contains 20 different amino acids. An amino acid can have a formation of salt with potassium, magnesium, calcium, or ammonium. There is no taste in amino acid itself. However, when it combines with other compounds, that combination separates into sodium ions and amino acid ions. People can taste different flavors because of the amino acid ion. Table 1 has a list of amino acids that have different characteristics of taste.

Glutamic acid is a source of umami. Glutamate is glutamic acid combined with salt and is known as monosodium glutamate—MSG. Glutamate is separated into the sodium ion and the glutamate ion, which stimulates the glutamate receptor in the taste bud. This process produces the umami taste. There are two amino acids sourcing umami: glutamate (MSG) and aspirate (MSA). Since MSA has 12.5 times less power to identify umami, MSG is almost all about umami. In food ingredients, umami can be found in two different forms: basal umami from MSG, and synergistic umami from nucleotides (IMP, GMP, and AMP). Examples of basal umami are milk, apples, car-

BY: Deja Burrows, AOS Culinary

rots, eggs, pork, worcestershire sauce, mackerel, chicken, green asparagus, caviar, green peas, oysters, potatoes, ketchup, dried ham, miso, dried tomatoes, walnuts, soy sauce, dried mushrooms, anchovies, cheese, fish sauce, and seaweeds. Examples of synergistic umami are asparagus, crab, beef, lobster, scallops, shrimp, pork, chicken, mackerel, and katsuobushi (62-63). The taste of umami is, for example, like a stock. Umami has a long aftertaste.

When you eat a tomato, you chew a little bit and swallow it.

Right after swallowing, there is something that you taste, but it is hard to explain it. That is the taste of umami.

After Professor Ikeda’s discovery, Japan started to extract MSG as a food additive and it became a mass production.

The curiosity toward umami was also spread in the Western world. However, in 1968, there was a letter to a newspaper editor which made a huge negative impact about umami on people around the world. Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok sent a letter about the “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” to the editor of The New England Journal of Medicine. The letter was written about Dr. Kwok’s experience in a Chinese restaurant, saying “The somewhat vaguely defined symptoms associated with the syndrome included numbness at the back of the neck that gradually radiated to the arms and the back, general weakness, heart palpitations, and thirst.” Eventually, the bitter condemnation from people who agreed caused a series of many scientific investigations to prove the letter was true. One experiment

with mice showed a damaged brain by MSG in large doses but it also happened the same or faster with salt. In conclusion, it was a misconception and MSG had no side effects and is a safe additive. In addition, Japan, where the most intakes of MSG occurred, had not any reports, and only one to two percent of the Chinese population thought they might have the “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” However, there are, still, many people who have misperceptions of umami, seeing it as a hazardous addictive.

As a human, the desire to taste umami is started in early childhood. Mother’s milk is a rich source of free glutamic acid, twice more than cow’s milk. According to a recent study, “the preference for umami in European children peaks between the ages of six and nine” (36). Many people try to avoid MSG, but humans actually have gotten used to tasting umami since they were born.

MSG is a source of umami. Even though there are many people who think about it as a harmful additive, there is no study I have found which supports that and there are no side effects. It may be very harmful when someone intakes a large dose of MSG. However, if it comes to salt, salt is much more harmful than MSG. This new taste, umami, gives us an enjoyment like other basic tastes. The time is coming when people can identify umami from a dish and enjoy their meal time with the taste of umami.

try. I have seen students sprint to the Cuisines of Asia kitchen only to find that it’s not open that day, then dash down to Cuisines of the Mediterranean only to find out they only have one dish available, and it’s frog legs, and then trudge back up to get in line behind me outside K-16, the high production kitchen, for a burger and fries. My advice to all the new student is to find out when kitchens are open, what time their service starts, and plan your meal times so you have a chance to enjoy the all the cuisines we have to offer. Usually Farq has information on fliers about meal times and what kitchens are open.

So after schedules and meals plans and dorm rooms are all sorted out, we turn our focus to the infamous Culinary Fundamentals class, better known as “Fundies.” This is a fifteen-week long basic cooking class, including the techniques of French cooking, that all culinary students must go through. Though the class promises to be filled with several disheartening challenges, the first, and from what I understand, the most difficult to master, is the knife tray. At the beginning of most fundamentals kitchen classes, a standard knife tray is given out, including shallots, parsley, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and potatoes, and the challenge is to fabricate this produce into the precise cuts that your chef requires – small dice, batonnets, concasse. Mere weeks ago, I experienced firsthand the terror of a timed knife skills tray.

Our chef didn’t do a demo, instead, he spoke the French words “batonnet,” “julienne,” and “bruinoise,” and with flourished wave of his hands said “You have an hour and half, start!”

I stood amongst the cutting boards and my frantically chopping

classmates trying to figure out what in the world a quarter inch looked like. Then I spotted out of the comer of my eye the little green ratio book we had been given, and its lifesaving depictions of the very same cuts that I am to produce. And so I got to slicing and dicing and squaring and paring, leaving a layer of minced green parsley dust over the 15lb hunk of a wood cutting board. Finally, I had completed the challenge, and conquered the knife tray! Though when I looked down, I noticed that I had rectangles instead of squares, curved onion pieces instead of a small dice, and then just to cement my defeat I heard “Five more minutes, guys!” There was nothing more that I could do to my sad looking batonnets and incorrect dice. I faced the music, blade first. Gripping the blue tray, I headed over to chef ’s table for critiquing. I slid the tray on to the table and the rigid face which looked back at me turned to what I perceived as an expression of contentment. He nodded and examined and finally exclaimed “Not bad!” I thought, did I just hear chef say that my knife tray was “not bad”? Never in my life was I been so happy to hear those words! Then again, never before in my life had I actually completed a knife tray at the CIA. Maybe you’re post extern and think the confusions of the first week are nothing compared to the dreaded second term practical exam, or perhaps you are two days in to your education here at the CIA and are nervous for the year ahead of you. Regardless, there are challenges ahead for all of us, but look back and think of the ones you have already overcome, and smile in the face of the challenges ahead.

From Orientation to Fundamentals

My decision, like many of the students here at The Culinary Institute of America, was easy. Our peers have thousands of great colleges and universities to choose from, but we, the future culinarians of the world, are comparatively limited in our choices, especially if we would like a bachelor’s degree.

Therefore, it was quite easy for me to determine that the CIA would be my future academic home. Its fast-paced, thorough curriculum is like none other, and with a new entry date every three weeks, this school is ripe with talent, skills, and ethnic diversity. Though making the decision to be educated here was simple, post-arrival was confusing. Orientation, Culinary Fundamentals, and a week sprinkled with the excitement of clubs and campus activities felt overwhelming. New student orientation is a week-long lecture session in the library’s Danny Kaye Theater. Loads of faculty and staff come in to educate you on their departments, functions, and purposes. I would personally liken it to a road trip, with each state whizzing by so fast that you’re left wondering how the palm trees of Florida became the sky scrapers of New York. We learned a lot about campus safety, how quickly a dorm could go up in flames, and our externship period, which seems far too close even though I just started.

It’s not surprising, though, that the highlight of the week-long activities was the food. We, as students, get to enjoy the handy work of our fellow students by eating the hand-crafted dishes that they put out in their kitchen classes. There are well-plated world cuisines tantalizing enough to excite even the least sophisticated palate. The trick is, figuring out what’s open at what time and finding the kitchen that has the food that you want to

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LA PAPILLOTE

CENTER SPREAD

Center What Would McCue Do?

BY: Chef Dave McCue, CIA Faculty Contributor

Editor’s Note: Chef McCue has a Facebook page up that highlights all the goings-on in his kitchens. Of course, the funniest ones are the catastrophes and the silly things students do. With his big heart and quick-witted tongue, we thought it would be fun to hear his advice on some of the students’ problems. We asked some students what was going on in their lives that they needed help with, and here are his replies. Need advice? Submit your questions to Chef McCue by emailing lapapillote.culinary@gmail.com.

Chef McCue’s Note: First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for considering my semi-vast accrual of selectively pertinent, and often trivial, knowledge as a psychological sounding board for the sophomoric shenanigans that students engage in on an all-too-frequent basis. Nevertheless, the fact that you are turning to a media source as a means of resolution can only mean one of two things: One, you realize this is solely for entertainment purposes and that this should be taken as seriously as financial advice from a Ouji board, or perhaps even skydiving advice from a turtle. Two, you really are at the end of your rope if this is all you have to go on. In which case, hold on, your life is about to get even more messed up if you listen to me. Welcome, one and all, to the WWMD advice page. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. I aspire to offend everyone equally.

Dear Chef McCue: I came here to school and met my first boyfriend. I am really happy, but I am 19 and he is 32. My parents are freaking out because he’s so much older. What should I do?

Sarah, AOS Culinary

Sarah, Wow, 32. I can’t imagine why your folks are freaking out, they would probably enjoy hanging out with him. You know, them being so close in age and all. Seriously, though, as a parent I can see where they are coming from. As much as you would like to claim that you are an adult, ready to take on a mature relationship, to them, you are their little girl. And this 32-year-old man, well, is a 32-year-old man. To them, it’s creepy. Someday when your freshman daughter starts dating someone who’s old enough to be out of college for a decade, think about what you would say to her.

Will it be words you’re using right now to your parents or in the words of your parents to you?

Dear Chef McCue: I don’t understand how a pork butt comes from the shoulder of the animal. How is this possible? Why wouldn’t a pork butt come from the butt? I just don’t understand.

Zach, AOS Culinary Zach, The term “butt” is not an anatomical term referring to the buttocks, but rather one of coopersmith origin describing a small barrel. In days past, hogs were slaughtered and butchered, the prized cuts, i.e. the hams and the loin, were quickly turned over and bacon was sent off to be salted and smoked. But the lesser cuts, or those not “high on the hog,” were stored for shipment and later use.

The preferred method was in a barrel. Now, a tun is a large barrel, typically holding 240-250 some odd gallons. The half tun was a smaller barrel. This half tun had nicknames like “pipe” or “butt”, hence the relationship to the pork product. The storage of these non-choice cuts gained the nickname of the barrel they were cast into, the butt. Not to be confused with being the butt of a joke, this has a different etymology.

Dear Chef McCue: I think it’s ridiculous that we’re expected to stage at restaurants – for free. I’m going on externship, and a lot of these places want me to come in and stage. I don’t understand. I have to go in and work for free to show you that I can work? Isn’t that what my resume is for?

Anonymous

Photo by: Maria Daniela Moreira Camia Anonymous, Really? What is so ridiculous about an employer wanting to see the capabilities of a person before they hire them? With all the paperwork and legal mumbo jumbo of hiring someone, let alone having someone in their kitchen potentially affecting a reputation that it took them a lifetime to build, seeing someone in action is a pretty good way to see if they are the right fit. You think an employer should just take people at their word and hire them sight-unseen? I disagree, if anyone should realize that you need to show that they know how to work it is a member of a kitchen brigade. With all its working parts and nuances, there is more than knowledge that a potential employee must have to make the cut.

There is work ethic, speed, interpersonal communication skills, and so on. Besides, people can fake a resume, you can’t fake work.

Oh, by the way, next time you go to buy a car, buy it without test driving it. Let me know how that works out for you. And if you do test drive it, give the dealer a few bucks... it would only be fair.

Dear Chef McCue: How do I tell a shallot and a red onion apart? They look the same to me.

James, AOS Culinary James, A shallot is browner, smaller and has a more pronounced taper to it whereas a red onion is redder (rather more purplish), larger, and rounder. Once cut, shallots tend to be bisected into two separate bulbs. The red onion on the other hand tends to be a single bulb.

Great question.

Dear Chef McCue: Why can’t I order egg yolks for making hollandaise sauce? My chef got mad at me because I wanted to order egg yolks. The egg station gets to order egg whites, why can’t I order egg yolks?

Anonymous Anonymous, Chances are they order egg whites because they go through so many egg whites separating them by hand is not feasible. Aside from that, pasteurized egg yolks cost $1.60 per pound which translates to $0.10 per ounce, whereas eggs are $3.22 per flat or $0.10 each which is $0.05 per ounce, or half the cost. So why do we do this everyday? One, it’s good practice. Two, it’s more cost effective. Three, because Chef said so. Sorry David… just wait for it.

Dear Chef McCue: My boyfriend keeps complaining about our long-distance relationship. I think, though, that he’s mad because I am here at the CIA and he didn’t get accepted. How do I calm him down without rubbing his face in the fact that I am here and he is not?

Alissa, AOS Baking & Pastry

Alissa, You don’t. There is no substitute for being at the best culinary school on the planet! He’s probably upset because he knows it too.

But, seeing as he can’t be here, that shouldn’t stop you from telling endless stories on how awesome it is here. Send him some photos of you having great times watching students cook as you wait for a meal, dining in a pop-up kitchen club event, making beer with the brew club or tasting endless chili at the upcoming Chili Cook-Off. That way, he can live vicariously through you.

Dear Chef McCue: I just got here. What is this whole “Yes, chef!” business? Chefs aren’t always right. I’m not a brown-noser. Why do I always have to answer “Yes, chef!”??????

David, AOS Culinary David, Well now, if I were to describe appropriate usage of the “Yes Chef ” response, it would go something like this: effectively, “Yes, chef !” is the auto-mantra regulating the fast-paced kitchen nervous system. It is the two words a cook can use to express, in totality, the knowing response to a chef that in summary states, “I hear, I understand, and of course will make it so,” all narrowed down to just two little words. Saying “Yes, chef !” tells the chef that a cook submits to his will. You may think it’s an antiquated school of thought, always submitting to such an authority. You may think chef ’s are not always right, and even may think you are correct, but rest assured, you are not the one given authority to inform them, at least openly, it should be done privately. At times Chef may let you know that they permit your opinion, but trust me, chef absolutely doesn’t want it from a commis in the heat of service; no one does.

A Chef ’s typical day is not nine-to-five. Your chef has done a hundred things before most people wake, a thousand by lunch.

So maybe, just maybe your tired old chef wishes to spend such occasion producing, not debating. For the most part, a kitchen functions because it’s chef ’s utter responsibility. A burden bore at all times, all day every day, all year. It is hard enough in this business notwithstanding being told you are wrong by an apprenticing cook. So if chef seems less than excited when inappropriately asked to listen to your critique, take a moment, and try walking a mile in Chef ’s shoes. Here at the CIA, we teach. Not only that, we train you to be successful in the industry. Sometimes seeming self-effacing, keeping quiet and listening has a straightforward constructivity to it, I assure you. However much you insist Chef needs correction, really, he doesn’t. Ultimately it is your choice.

You may be rolling eyes, under your breath muttering some ironic nonsense about respect. Then, in fact, you don’t get what I mean and there is little hope for you on this matter, but on the other hand, at the end of my explanation, you thought or even said aloud “Yes, chef !” then you are in the right place. It is not brown-nosing, David, it is respectful.

July 24, 2014

7

r Spread Chef Centerfold

Flavour Gallery T-Shirts

BY: Sarah Lubitz, AOS Culinary

“Hey, where did you get that t-shirt?”

This is honestly something I hear at least three or four times whenever I wear my “mise en place” t-shirt. When I realized that I needed a topic for the newspaper, writing about the company behind this t-shirt was the first idea that

BY: Chef Freddie Brash, CIA Faculty Contributor

Bruce Lavender Front of the House at American Bounty Restaurant How did you get into food service?

I’m certain it is because of my two southern grandmothers, as well as the outdoor cooking I experienced during scouting.

I was also attracted to visual media, such as pictures of food in magazines back in the 1960’s and 1970’s as a child. When I was in 6th grade and going on a family trip to Florida, I received an omelet pan for Christmas and never looked back.

We find many students loving the front of the house and choosing to work the dining room. What was your process?

I worked at a local seafood restaurant on a tiny island in Maryland where I grew up. I was hired as a busboy, but they couldn’t keep me out of the kitchen. It was when I was gaining additional food service experience in order to attend The Culinary Institute of America that I really got a “taste” of the front-of-the-house. I worked for a caterer who catered to some illustrious clientele (at Johns Hopkins University, the Smithsonian Institute, and the Beltway Elite). In this job, I worked all positions. I am very shy by nature, and never thought that I would be attracted to the front of the house, but it did appeal to me. Also, attending the CIA boosted my confidence even further and prepared me for the career that I have today.

Word on the street is that you juice fresh vegetables to drink. Can you share your recipe?

Sure! My favorite blend consists of gala apple, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger, kale, spinach, and fennel. I was able to lower my cholesterol 50 points in six months by juicing.

Is there any story behind the fact that you always dress in bow ties?

The restaurant where I worked post-graduation required the captains to wear tuxedos. It felt so boring and mundane--but I did learn to tie a bow tie. I decided to add some personality and wear colorful and patterned ones. The guests love it!

Give us some advice for young chefs.

You may enroll at the CIA with the notion of becoming a chef or owning a restaurant. Use your time to educate yourself and learn about the myriad of opportunities that your education here will offer you. It’s not just about being a chef -- this industry is extremely diverse and new niches are created constantly. Keep informed, stay involved, and keep an open mind!

came to my mind.

Flavour Gallery, a California-based company, creates original designs with chefs and food lovers in mind. Alfredo and Erin Malatesta launched the company in 2011.

Flavour Gallery collaborates with chefs and with food festivals. Some of their chef collaborators include Chris Cosentino, Rick Tramonto, the James Beard Foundation, Johnny Iuzzini, and Ludo Lefebvre. They have an impressive list of events they create shirts for, such as New York City Wine & Food Festival (NYCWFF) and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF).

The story of how I fell in love with these t-shirts is a wonderful one. In 2012, I stumbled upon their website by accident, and I started making a wish list almost immediately. Last March, I tweeted a picture of their “mise en place” t-shirt, saying that it was at the top of my wish list for my birthday. Barely a half an hour later, I got a tweet back from them asking when my birthday was. Next thing I knew, I was reading a tweet that said, “If you want the shirt that badly, you have to have it. Send us your address information.” Not even a week later, the shirt showed up at my apartment, no payment required. That’s the kind of customer service I’ve received from Alfredo and Erin from day one. I’m treated well, and they know my name. They’re incredibly genuine people.

Last week, I was lucky enough to interview Alfredo and Erin over the phone. After getting past the initial “I’m finally talking to you guys on the phone” phase, I jumped right into my questions.

Me: How did you guys land on the name “Flavour Gallery” for your company?

Alfredo: We felt all of the products we design and produce are special and unique and tell a story through their creativity... like pieces of art at a gallery. The variety we provide gives our brand different... wait for it... flavours!

We spell it the old school way because of its international appeal.

Me: How did Flavour Gallery start?

Alfredo: Erin and I both have always been passionate about food and wine. It’s one of the reasons we’re married.

That’s what we enjoyed doing -- eating, traveling, and drinking. We focus on food. Erin’s background is Southern, even though she lived in San Diego, and the South is tied to food.

Erin: I spent a lot of time there.

Alfredo: I’m Peruvian and Italian. Food runs in our veins.

We love food and wine. We’re at-home foodies, we watch all the cooking shows on TV. Our careers have been in the apparel business. Erin was a buyer for high end stores, and I’m on the branding side. We wanted to start our own business. We said, “It’s now time for us to plan our careers and launch our own brand, and do something that had never been done before. Do something that’s passionate for us. We’ll make good quality food and wine shirts. We hope the chefs can wear them. We’ll find people online to wear them.” We aggressively put ourselves out there.

Things really took off when Michael Symon wore shirts one of our shirts at South Beach Wine & Food Festival in 2011. He’s always wearing our stuff on The Chew. Ludo Lefebvre was next. They like the quality and they support us.

Me: I know a lot about you guys already, but some people don’t. You collaborate with chefs. What’s the process?

Alfredo: We have original Flavour Gallery designs. When

chefs, work with us, we design for them. Chris Cosentino was one of the first. We asked, “What do you want to do?”

He said, “I like bikes and offal.” That’s how the “Meat of Champions” shirt came about. It’s authentic to him and his approach, it’s a design collaboration. We make sure to keep them (chefs) on track so the designs look good on apparel. But, we do designs, and we make sure they speak to the culinary community in the right way. T-shirts are very powerful instruments to get their brands out there.

Me: What are some things you want me to know about the company?

Alfredo: We’re looking to build further beyond apparel, we want to build a lifestyle. In the next few months, we’re going to increase our visibility. We’re going to highlight the lifestyle that the culinary industry lives. It involves fun, travel, and eating. We’ll be taking this message of how awesome the culinary world is and sharing it with other people. I think as chefs, they want to tap into that as well.

Years ago, no one imagined how many shows there would be about cooking. No one thought the industry would be how it is now. The public is interested, and they want to have fun with it. They want to make it accessible, and things like food festivals are bringing in people from different regions. For us, it’s a matter of, “You may not cook yourself, but you can wear something that shows you’re passionate about it.” We always want people to appreciate the quality of our stuff. It’s like food, and we want to use the best ingredients that we can.

Me: I want to ask you the famous question Anthony Bourdain asks people: What would your last meal be?

Alfredo: Peruvian. A complete Peruvian meal. It’s what got me passionate about food.

Erin: Peruvian and Italian combined.

Me: Is there any chef ’s food that you want to try that you haven’t already?

Alfredo: I want to try Matt Jennings food.

Erin: We work with him, but haven’t tried his food yet.

Alfredo: There are some many amazing chefs. It’s a good time to be in the industry.

Me: What’s next for you?

Alfredo: We want to position our lifestyle brand. We want to personalize items to appeal to the industry, and to open up to other people and so they can become passionately connected.

Erin: We compare what we do to Quicksilver. People who wear that brand don’t necessarily surf, but they live that lifestyle. Like them, we established credibility in the industry.

What’s up next for Flavour Gallery? Well, for one thing, a new look. The website is being revamped as we speak, and should be unveiled soon. To order one these amazing t-shirts for yourself, check out www.flavourgallery.com. While you’re there, check out the aprons, tote bags, and hats, too.

Alfredo and Erin have graciously created a promotional code for all CIA students! This will give all CIA students 20% off and expires 8/31/2014. To receive the discount, type in the code CIA20 at checkout.

LA PAPILLOTE

8

The Bliss of Brine

BY: Benjamin Haffner, BPS Culinary

As my fermenting obsessions of recent grow more exuberant, I know only one person who claims not to like pickles of any sort. That said, I am awash with joy every time I inspire subtle waves of serendipity in my friends when I share how special pickles are. They seem to take these briny delights for granted until I name the wonders hidden in their humble glass vessels; then like fireworks, my friends’ faces light up remembering happy pickle moments from time’s past. They usually look at me as if I were a wise genie having unveiled the secret culinary thread that unites the love of an infinite lineage of grandmothers. Whether it be vinegar or lacto-fermented, hot or cold, tskemono or chutney, wet or dry brine, kraut or kimchi, the ancient art of preservation is not unique to me. I just have an unbridled passion for pickles. Call me old school. I like the classics.

The year is 2002. I am living in a tiny studio apartment on the second floor of a place on Westminster Avenue with barely a sliver of an ocean view of Venice Beach.

Skateboarding to classes at the California Sushi Academy and living the life of a bachelor, I find true love: tskemono ( Japanese pickles). I day dream about the next time I will snap into a perfectly seasoned yamagobo (pickled burdock root) hosomaki (thin sushi roll) with just the right amount of shoyu (soy sauce) and wasabi (horseradish paste dyed green to look like the Japanese root). I religiously make sunomono with “lazy mama” pickles (salted cucumber coins), toasted sesame, nori tsuma (thin cut seaweed garnish), and ni hizu (two flavor sauce). I am in pickle heaven!

Fast forward to 2003. I am attending a holistic nutrition school Bauman College in Berkeley, California and

BY: Connor White, AOS Culinary

ferment my first two batches of spicy kimchi. At the same time, I am attending the South Star Academy of Cooking with Chinese Herbs in San Francisco and brining and cold pressing pickles for classes there. Taking an extended break from cultivating my pickle habit while still enjoying them, my son, Tao, is born the following year in Topanga Canyon, California.

Moving on to 2011, I join the Slow Food club while beginning my studies at The Culinary Institute of America and meet two professors that change my life forever: Rich Vergili and Raimundo “Jungle Boy” Gaby. Professor Vergili mentors the Slow Food club while Jungle Boy teaches my menu design class. Both inoculate my creative pickling juices with culture and fresh cerebral sugars that call me to add preserved vegetables to the momentum of my premium fast casual architecture.

Returning to The Culinary Institute of America to earn my bachelor’s degree in 2013, I am called upon to develop and refine my concept even further. The trinity of human resources management, marketing, and by entering the Mid-Hudson Valley’s Regional Business Plan Competition, I arrive at a three-phase plan. Manufacture pro-biotic relish for seed money to start my restaurant franchise, which I will leverage to fund the founding of a Malibu coastal farm and retreat center, all magically sewn together with the thread of pickles. If you could only see the big grin on my face. The bliss of brine, always refreshing.

Home in One Bite

For most of us students, going off to college is often filled with countless new experiences, especially here at the CIA. Before you know it you will probably end up becoming homesick at one point or another. This is exactly what hit me just the other day. The reality is that it has been a year since I’ve spent any substantial amount of time at home. As an upstate New Yorker, my time spent both at CIA and in Chicago for my externship has forced me out of my own element. Some days are better than others but the reality is that being homesick can and will hit you hard. When that happens, you need a find a way to give you just a taste of your own home.

I decided that the best way for me to curb some of this homesickness would be to eat some of the foods that I grew up enjoying with my family. As a half-Armenian, that meant some delicious Middle Eastern cuisine. I found a local Middle Eastern restaurant and ordered in some of my favorites: sarma, tabbouleh, pita and hummus, and baklava. It was a lot of food, but my excitement seemed to get the best of me. I was so thrilled to be having the same feast that I had prepared with my grandma so many times growing up. This was just the meal that I needed to get myself out of my rut. When the food arrived I simply couldn’t contain myself, the anticipation was eating me alive.

I started off with the sarma. These stuffed grape leaves were something that I had learned from my grandma as a kid. The two of us would spend hours filling and rolling fresh grape leaves that had just been picked from her back yard. I would have to stand on a stool to reach the counter just to help her with the task. No matter how hard I would try, my grandma’s years of experience would always outshine my newly learning hands. When I took my first bite of the sarma that I had ordered, my heart dropped. This sarma was wrong. It didn’t taste bad, but

it wasn’t the sarma that I’ve eaten my entire life. It wasn’t the food from home that I had expected. How naïve of me to think that ordering this food would fulfill my yearning for the true taste of home. It didn’t fulfil the memory that I had in my mind, so therefore it was wrong to me. I couldn’t even bring myself to eat it, so after only a single bite, the rest of the sarma ended up in the trash. The next thing I tried was the tabbouleh. When I opened the package, I was simply dumbfounded. I was looking at a pile of herbs and vegetables with almost no bulgur at all. This sure wasn’t the tabbouleh that I’ve come to know. I took a bite of it and once again, it just tasted wrong. Sadly, this was another letdown. The baklava followed suit, which at this point I was expecting. It tasted fine, but again was just not the same. I am so used to eating the Armenian style baklava; so full of spice from the cloves balanced by the sweetness of the honey and fragrance of the orange.

To me it is such a harmonious combination that I often have a hard time enjoying baklava prepared any other style. So my meal ended in disappointment, only making me miss home even more.

The next day I looked back at the rest of what I had ordered. I was still longing for a taste of home that I still had yet to satisfy. Luckily enough, I had bulgur in my cupboard. I ended up cooking the bulgur and adding it to the tabbouleh that I had ordered. What I ended up with was something that was very close to the tabbouleh that I grew up making and eating. After adjusting some of the seasoning and adding some lemon I made it work. In my mind I had “fixed it”. I filled the pita pockets with the hummus and tabbouleh that I had doctored up. These tasted fantastic! Finally I was able to enjoy the bite that I had been longing for; that true taste of home. It was as if I were taking a bite of my own childhood. My taste buds were instantly transported to my grandma’s kitchen learning how to make tabbouleh for the first time. That bite was magic. That bite was home.

Tabbouleh and Hummus Pitas Yield: 4-6 servings Ingredients 6 Pitas Hummus 3 c. Bulgur or quinoa, cooked 1 pt. Cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 ½ c. Cucumber, small diced 2 Green onions, sliced ¼ c. Toasted sunflower seeds 2/3 c. Parsley, minced ½ c. Mint, minced ½ c. Dill, minced 2 Lemons, juiced ¾ c. Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tsp. Garlic, minced 1 ½ tsp. Cumin S&P t.t.

Method 1. Cook quinoa or bulgur according to package directions to yield 3 cups of cooked grain.

2. Combine grain, tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, toasted sunflower seeds, and all of the herbs into a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl combine lemon, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.

4. Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil to create an emulsion. (Does everyone remember emulsion day in Fundamentals?)

5. Add the dressing to the large bowl and mix tabbouleh. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours before serving.

6. To serve, warm pitas in a 350°F oven just until they are heated through.

7. Spread your favorite hummus on the inside of the pita and fill with the fresh tabbouleh.

July 24, 2014

BY: Crystal Tan, AOS Baking and Pastry Durian is the fruit of the tree species Durio. The most widely sold species is the fruit of Durio zibethinus, available in the international market. Durian is regarded as the “king of fruits” in southeast Asia for its large size, strong odour and thorn-covered husk. Durian can grow up to 30 centimeters long and 15 centimeters in diameter, typically weighing 2-7 lb.

Durian is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

It is grown only in tropical climates. It has a short season and is typically grown from June to August and it is almost impossible to obtain outside of the growing season.

The color of the thorny husk ranges from green to brown and the flesh ranges from pale yellow red depending on the species.

The edible flesh has a distinctive odor that is very strong. Some people regard it as a pleasantly sweet fragrance, while others find the aroma overpowering and revolting. The smell from people who find it disgusting has been described as rotten onions, turpentin, or raw sewage. The potent stench perceived by some has caused it to be banned on the Singapore Rapid Mass Transit.

However, to me, the fragrance of durian is very sweet and reminiscent of almonds. According to an article in the Smithsonian magazine, the compounds of chemicals that causes the smell are found in substances that relates to individual characteristics of the durian smell. In combination, these 50 chemicals produces the powerful scent that has entraced and repulsed people all over the world.

Apart from the smell, durian extract strongly inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), used by the liver to break down alcohol. This then explains the traditinoal Asian folklor that getting intoxicated while eating durians can lead to death.

To open the durian, first inspect the husk for natural “seams”, which are weak spots that can be used to focus

FOOD & BEVERAGE

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Durian

the cutting and pulling. With a long sharp knife, make a deep cut into the durian about 8-10 inches long. Bury your fingers into the husk and pull apart to split it into two halves. Repeat to have quarters of husk, scoop the edible flesh out of the husk.

The flesh of durian is used to flavor a wide variety of savoury and sweet foods in Southeast Asian cuisines.

The seeds can also be eaten when cooked. The flesh can be cooked in recipes such as durian pancakes, smoothies, ice cream, cakes, mochi/tang yuan and even dried into chips. It is mostly used in sweet foods due to its flavor.

For savory foods, it can be used in Som Tam (a Thai green papaya salad).

Image Source: http://gadling.com/2011/09/08/learning-tolove-durian/ Lemon - Ginger Durian Smoothie 1 cup durian 1 banana, peeled 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated 1 tsp cinnamon a squeeze of lemon juice 8 oz water Blend all ingredients together.

The Hunger Pangs of the Underprivileged

BY: Michele Gargiulo, BPS Culinary

The human species has survived ice ages, droughts, flooding, and countless other natural disasters. This family group is extraordinarily resilient, enduring and even thriving on a constantly fluctuating planet. As a collective, we are currently waging a war, and losing horribly.

It is not without a hint of irony, that perhaps the most advanced species to ever walk on this planet has begun own demise. We have hydrogenated, processed, and commercialized our food until there are barely any nutrients left. The obesity epidemic is being dispersed throughout the world at an alarming, unprecedented rate. We have become wholly dependent on others to not only grow our food, but deliver, and prepare it as well. The time has come to once again, join together as a species and redistribute the calories of the planet.

The world is currently producing enough calories for every person to be able to consume 2,700 per day. The fact that more people are dying from heart disease and obesity related illness than from starvation says a lot about the dispersal of these calories. It is a true problem that the people of this planet who are living on welfare can only afford to eat at McDonald’s. If the poverty stricken people of the world can only buy food that is inherently bad for them, then the world is just asking for more health problems.

It takes thirteen pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat. Half of all of our water supply in the USA is going to raising livestock. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce one pound of meat. 783 million people today do not have access to safe water, which is about eleven percent of the world population. We need to

rethink our calorie and water distribution before the gap becomes even larger, and even more people suffer.

As a chef, it is sickening for me to think that there are people who are starving in America. As a human, it is almost unbearable to contemplate about people who live their lives in consistent pain, aching for the food that may not ever come. We are all alive for a couple of dozen trips around our closest star. If there were one thing I could

accomplish in my time here, it would be to change the way the world structures its food systems. I would want nothing more than children, adults, and the elderly to go to sleep at night with full stomachs, and no worries about what the next day might hold in store for them. It is not too late for our species; we can still change our priorities and lifestyles, and in the process, change our fate.

LA PAPILLOTE

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BPS Graduating Class of July 24, 2014

AOS Graduating Class of July 25, 2014

Culinary Arts Group #1

Front Row: Stephen McDowell, Eun Hye-Ha, Gina Inguagiato, April Camacho, Yi Hsin Yu, Aldo Hernandez Back Row: Tyler Newell, Dustin Thompson, Brian Nelson, Edward Zimmerman, Patrick Chopra, Zachary Olson, Brian Leavey

Culinary Arts Group #3

Front Row: Evan Chupurdy, Kody Farrell, Salley Gillespie, John Bongiorno, Amy Zarichnak, Sanghyun Lee Back Row: Diane Lam, Mike Crane, Christian Canevari, Daniel Cox, Dan Castle, Brenda Cabrera

Culinary Arts Group #2

Front Row: Young Wook Song, Caitlin Rodgers, Young Lee, Minjwi Lee, Haschen Liu Back Row: Erik Malmud, Hasung Lee, Ji Hwan Park, Christopher Blain, Alex Obenauer

Baking & Pastry

Front Row: Jessica Trentacoste, Ingrid Camacho, Jesika Perkins, Maxine Lambiase, Tehila Salomon, Sara Blackford Back Row: Joscelyn Bramble, Hannah Herdeen, Megan Slack, Ashley Pierre-Louis, Maribeth Coons, Vanessa Berisic, Myah Jones, Hannah Half

POT LUCK

July 24, 2014

New Beginnings

BY: Maxine Lambiase, AOS Baking and Pastry

Two years flies by! When we arrive at The Culinary Institute of America, it’s a new place and a new chapter in everyone’s lives.

It’s a new beginning, whether you’re straight out of high school or deciding to follow your dream and change careers. You meet crazy people, because those are the only people who survive in our industry, and we build amazing relationships with these people who are as out-of-their-minds as you are.

No matter who you talk to, you always have one thing in common: your passion for food, which is why you are here. Fundamentals classes begin and end, and you start to become comfortable with where you are, your classmates, and your new friends. Once the three-week block classes begin, everything starts to fly by. You are finished with a class before it even feels like you’ve started. Yet we absorb so much. Instructors impart vast amounts of knowledge to us in record time.

The next thing you know, it’s externship time. After all the seminars and meetings, you are finally leaving campus.

Once again, it’s a new start. You are going somewhere that you’ve never been with people you don’t know, to learn everything you can. And don’t forget, you have a extern manual to work on. And like everyone before you, you plan to do your manual periodically, and if you actually were the one to do that, congratulations, most of us didn’t. It’s

another hurdle for all of us, externship manuals turned in.

Then there is the wait to find out if you passed.

In the meantime, you go back to your three-weeklong classes, but now this feels like home. You are a part of the CIA. You know chefs, and students, and it’s your comfort zone. You know the classes and the buildings, but it’s completely different from the first time you arrived.

Before you realize it, you are in your last class and are a week away from graduating!

It’s unreal! It’s amazing, exciting, exhilarating, but at the same time, scary. You are back to yet another beginning. You get to celebrate the end of this amazing journey with all the people with whom you have eaten, studied, and lived with for the last two years. This also means you have to say goodbye to a lot of them. You will all go your separate ways and meet new people. You each will advance in your careers, become a real adult and make real decisions, but you will run into each other down the road.

You will meet other CIA grads in the industry, and like when you’re eating in Farq Hall and you sit next to someone and just start talking, you will begin to talk and form new relationships. You will reminisce about chefs you had at the CIA, because for both of you, that’s where you started this incredible journey and that’s the original home to the chef you are today.

CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES OF JULY 25, 2014!! WE MADE IT!

Culinary Notes Hits the Right Note with Students

BY: Cody North, BPS Baking and Pastry

Every Tuesday at 9:15 a group of students meet to share their passion for not only food, but music as well.

“Culinary Notes” is a small club created for students interested in any form of performing arts pertaining to music.

The club ranges from singers to pianists to guitarists, however the majority of the members prefer singing. All the students come from diverse backgrounds, and help each other to improve by sharing life experiences. The main objective of Culinary Notes is to allow students to express their inner creativity in a productive atmosphere.

At the meeting on July 15th, 2014, new officers were chosen for after summer break, due to the departure of a few members.

The current President, Elizabeth Dulin will be leaving for her externship in a couple weeks, and current Vice President Jordan Allegretta will be transferring to another school to pursue nutritional studies. Succeeding Dulin will be the newly elected President Shareef Harper. “I can’t wait to assume the position of president in Culinary Notes and help to build and evolve our musical family”, stated Harper. Harper joined the club in February and is talented vocally, but is also interested in learning to play the piano. Harper is currently enrolled in the AOS Culinary program, and hopes to begin his externship in California in September. Vice President Allegretta will be replaced by Kim McFadden, who also enjoys the vocal aspect of performing arts and also plays guitar.

McFadden is enrolled in the AOS Culinary program as well, and plans to start her externship in California in September.

Culinary Notes is currently working on a cover video of the song, “Some Nights”, by Fun. When asked about the ongoing project Harper said, “I think it’ll give the club the type and the amount of publicity that is necessary to expand the potential of our group.” All of the members hope to achieve this task before departing for vacation, because they want to involve the officers who will be leaving in August. Occasionally there are rehearsals on Saturdays, so they can work on harmonies and instrumentals for the cover videos being produced. Eventually, they want to produce at least one to two videos per month, because it provides useful experience.

Due to the rapid rotation of students at the CIA, Culinary Notes has greatly decreased in members, due to externships and graduations. They currently retain around 7 active members, but after break they will have only 5. One of the main goals currently is to increase interest in their group, and hopefully to gain more students when school is back in session in late August. Interested students do not have to be exceptionally talented but merely interested in the music industry itself. They have an active group page on Facebook, so anyone interested in participating in future videos and meetings can join the page and receive updates. By August they will have a permanent meeting location, which will be shared on the page as well. For any more information on Culinary Notes, please feel free to post or comment on their Facebook group page.

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The Strange, Always Intriguing

BY: Cameron Schneider, AOS Culinary

Lately, my fondness for strange, always-intriguing body taboos has heightened thanks to a particularly interesting book – “Gulp” by Mary Roach. Full of quirky facts, whether it’s Dr. Beaumont, spit, or the functions of your stomach, this novel covers a vast amount of not-socommon information.

In 1822, an obsessed doctor dedicated most of his adult life to studying gastric acid. Furthermore when a French Canadian man, St. Martin, took an unpleasant route while voyaging, he was accidentally shot. His torso was sprayed with duck-killing shrapnel and left two wounds: a hole precisely located right at his stomach, and one puncture by his liver. This posed great opportunity for a curious Dr. Beaumont. Upon treating St. Martin, the stomach wound was supposedly not able to be fixed.

For a long stretch of time, Dr. Beaumont and St. Martin lived together. St. Martin, once recovered, would do usual housework when he wasn’t being studied. I find that everyone can interpret this relationship in a similar way – it was strange. Fantastic for Dr. Beaumont, this gaping stomach hole gave the perfect view of digesting food if you were in ideally the correct spot. Doc’s fixation on the stomach took away from the other contributions of digestion/breaking down such as the pancreas and saliva -- too bad. Similar to the stomach, the mouth has some greatly appreciated goodness –saliva.

Disgusting, ever-lasting, and far more important than one would think, saliva is the bee’s knees. Unstimulated and stimulated are the two types of spit. Individuals produce around two to three pints of saliva each day. Let’s say, the Asian kitchen makes something absolutely delightful and your mouth suddenly begins to water, this is an example of stimulated saliva, deriving from the parotid glands.

Upon drinking or chewing something relatively acidic (less than 4 on a pH scale), your parotid saliva rushes in and recalibrates the pH to safe parameters. Otherwise, the calcium phosphate, that important, good stuff on your tooth enamel, would demineralize --reminiscent of “a sudden warm slosh.” Saliva clearly does far more than help you to swallow food as stated above. Rebounding briefly, the stomach needs some more fame I’d say.

Stomachs inevitably put on incredible performances of embarrassing, loud noises on a regular basis. In several countries, it’s a delicacy to eat the stomach from different species. If you’ve seen the movie “Inception,” the concept is similar – a stomach within a stomach, one digesting the other. So, why doesn’t a stomach digest itself ? Well, that’s exactly what they do. Within our stomachs, gastric acid and pepsin efficiently digest cells on its protective layer (mucosa) often. Every adult, under somewhat healthy, normal conditions, has an entirely new stomach lining every three days. Our abdomens do some wonders.

One favorite aspect of this book is the nostalgia which comes after reading small portions. It’s as if I’ve just been enthralled/enlightened while nearing the end of a Magic School Bus episode in elementary school. Dr. Beaumont, spit, and stomach all get their tidbit of fame, among many other things, in the novel “Gulp”.

All In Good Taste

A Commentary on Life at the CIA as a Non-Traditional Student BY: Amy Zarichnak, AOS Culinary

I am currently in front-ofhouse Bocuse, mere inches from graduation. It’s not my favorite thing to do, but truth be told, I am better at front of house, and it seems easier to me, too. Even though I hate it. Isn’t that crazy?

You see, I have actually made a living before by waiting tables.

I know how to do it, and I understand how to do it well. I am rather outgoing and somewhat likable in a social situation like that. However, the truth is, I am actually an introvert by nature, and I’d rather not socialize with people I don’t know most of the time. Most of the time. Sometimes, I find it to be utterly refreshing to get to know people, and I can absolutely turn on the charm when necessary. However, regardless of how comfortable I appear on the outside when I am playing to the crowd, I secretly hate it. It feels inauthentic to me, and I’d rather be my swearing, inappropropriate self in private with people who know me and don’t judge me.

But, we have to do it here. It’s a requirement for graduation.

So, here I am doing something that I promised myself that once I got enough experience in other areas in life, that I would never force myself to do it again. And here I am, waiting tables.

However, my partner is Salley Gillespie, southern debutante extraordinaire, who is incredibly convivial and who spends no less than fifteen minutes discussing the school, the curriculum, and the Bocuse menu with guests. The guests love her! She is the front server, and I am the back server. I watch her chatting with them with amusement.

No matter how good we can sometimes be at waiting tables (and some of us are very good, J.J. Quintero!), the majority of us are not comfortable doing it.

Being the back waiter eases the burden a little. I let Salley do her thing with the guests and to be the center of

attention. I had a rough couple of blocks before this, and I wanted to ease my way out of school, I didn’t want to overburden myself with too much pressure since my last few blocks were complete pressure cookers. So, with Salley being front waiter, it enables me to fade into the background a bit. Most of the time.

Except for that day when President Tim Ryan came in to eat. That day, I was re-setting a table, and accidentally put a water goblet down on the tines of a fork. It flipped across the table noisily, landing on the wood floor with a metallic clank. I glanced over in President Ryan’s direction to see if he heard the commotion, and he was looking at me and waved, mouthing, “Hi, Amy!” in my direction.

I wanted to sink into the floor. I just wanted to disappear. There is nothing worse than making a major faux pas in front of the president of the school, who you desperately want to believe that you are professional and skilled.

However, really, President Ryan just witnessed my authentic self, as most of the week I had been throwing silverware at people, spilling water on their placemats, awkwardly placing bread on their B & B plates, and decrumbing unsuccessfully.

Two days later, we waited on him, as he sat in my section, and I was a bit smoother this time. I redeemed myself.

I still felt utterly uncomfortable, though.

I have dubbed Salley and I the “dream team.” In general, we are a great team and do very well with our tables.

However, it’s all relative. Relative to the success of our classmates. And they hate waiting tables even more than I do. And have had less experience at it. So they have more issues. I feel successful compared to them. I also just went to lunch at Caterina, and my dining companion, who is two months out from externship, said, “He could have planned that better,” when the waiter came over with water, wasn’t able to fully fill my glass before going to get a refill in his water pitcher, then had to go get a third pitcher of water to fulfill my companion’s request for “no ice” in his water. So, it was funny to me that this student was so clueless, four days from the end of the block, and was failing at pouring

water. Not that I’m putting him down – as I said, most of us have the “fish out of water” syndrome in front of the house. It just makes me feel better about my serving awkward-ness to realize that we’re all in this together, really.

However, something about the front of the house brings us together. For whatever reason, we have more fun in the front of the house. Polishing flatware and glasses gives us enough mental down-time to spur sparring between the males in my class. The ego-flexing, the put-downs, the comments about each other’s mothers is pure entertainment. I feel like a fly on the wall most days, witnessing 20-something male behavior in all its testosterone-fueled glory. The truth is, my front-of-house stints have been far more fun just because of the joviality, the camaraderie, and the way you band together as a group to get people served.

It’s just more fun!

I’m so surprised that I have enjoyed it so much. However, the common denominator between my front-of-house Bocuse class and my front-of-house America Bounty class is my classmates. I am just so in love with the personalities of so many of my classmates! Unfortunately, here it all ends: In Bocuse Restaurant, on the CIA campus, I will finish my tenure here. I feel absolutely grateful to be graduating with the exquisite personalities of the students in my class. They are an incredibly funny and a genuinely good group of people. I will miss you Kody, Christian, Stephen, Diane, Sang, Castle, Harry, J.J., Bongiorno, Cox, and Tamar.

Mike, Salley, and Evan, I’ll see you on my deck this weekend!

To the rest of you, I bid adieu, and I wish everyone well on their culinary ventures. I will likely submit an article on occasion, but this is the end of my journey as an AOS Culinary student here at The Culinary Institute of America.

It’s been an absolute pleasure and an honor to share my story with you.

Good luck, take care, safe travels over the summer break, and do not hesitate to keep in touch!