Volume 33, No.17
THE
NEWSPAPER
OF
THE
CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA SINCE 1 9 7 9
Student Spotlight: Keith Lorren BY: ERIC JENKINS, BPS CULINARY
There is an eclectic variety of students that attend The Culinary Institute of America money or accolades you receive, you’re not truly living, and not truly happy. I was in Hyde Park, New York; everyone miserable and decided to return to food. It was at this point I decided to bring joy comes from different backgrounds and to others through my culinary talents. In December 2010, I went to work for the from all walks of life. I have always great chef Matthew Ona in Shanghai, China, and he encouraged me to enroll at found it fascinating to talk to students the CIA, which I did in December 2010. about their lives and why they came to EJ: Why did you choose the CIA? the CIA, but on one particular occasion KL - Chef Ona told me that I was getting old and that if I was going to I had the pleasure of meeting Keith make a career in food, I had to go to the CIA. He told me it was the Harvard Lorren from Miami, Florida. After of culinary schools. Of course I didn’t take his word for it. I went around and about ten minutes I knew that Keith visited a few schools but he was right, CIA was the best. So under his direction, was no ordinary Culinary student. I applied to and was accepted at The Culinary Institute of America Keith is a young entrepreneur who was EJ: What is your advice to students out there looking to reach their goals? able to create a business model that KL - My advice to students is as follows: if you want something you’ve never incorporates his passion for food, travel, had, do something you’ve never done. Whether it’s a career in food, or astronomy, and teaching. He is also a world traveler the first step starts with you. Evaluate what your desires are, pray, and go for it. who has cooked in places that most It’ll all work out in the end. What message can I leave you with as you begin your people have only read about. What culinary journey? The key to happiness is neither money nor prestige; it’s doing sets Keith apart from the other students what you love the most, and sharing that love with other people. that I have talked to at the CIA is that EJ: Why did you start your own scholarship program? Keith has a scholarship program. After KL - I started my own scholarship program to encourage others to pursue their visiting his website and listening to dreams. People can see my example to him talk about his scholarship, I knew see a young guy who tried a myriad of that this was information that students careers only to discover what I already need and want to hear. The following knew... that my passion, skill, and interview gives you everything that you Photo By: Eric Jenkins interests are only food related. If you are need to know about Keith’s scholarship not working in your passion you will not program. be successful. I hope that this scholarship EJ: What are your experiences in the food industry? will provide someone an opportunity KL - When you discover you have a natural talent in a field at a very young age, to experiment with the food world and much like I did, and you build upon it, honing your craft, fine provide the tuning your product, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. for “It goes to show that if you’re not funds When I was five years old I baked my first cookie, experimenting someone to with ingredients in my mother’s pantry as she slept. By the age doing what you want to do every travel, start of twelve, I had perfected my cake baking skills, and I began day of your life, no matter the money a business, my food career at fourteen. I got so good at what I did, that or enroll by age fifteen, I was supplying three restaurants with all of or accolades you receive, you’re not in culinary their desserts. I would bake them in my home kitchen, and my truly living, and not truly happy.” school. father would deliver them for me. “People love Keith Lorren EJ: How do cooking!” It’s simply astounding to look back on all I’ve accomplished in less than you get involved in the scholarship? a quarter of a century. I’ve held a large array of careers spanning the globe: from KL - To get involved in the scholarship Photo By: Eric Jenkins computer programmer to motivational speaker to teacher. As enriching as the program, create a video recipe using one lessons were from these careers, I wanted more! I then went on to cater, manage of Keith Lorren’s Seasonings blends, upload to Ifood.tv or youtube.com, and email restaurants, and then left food altogether to teach business and language courses the link and application form to info@keithlorren.com On my website, KeithLorren. as well as to start a hospital garment manufacturing company. Nothing could hold com, interested students can download an application form, upload their video my attention for long, and the long hours were draining. Why could this be? I recipe, and have the chance of winning a $2,000 cash prize or scholarship made realized I was so glum because I wasn’t following my passion. It goes to show payable to their college or university. Check out the contest details and rules that if you’re not doing what you want to do every day of your life, no matter the below.
CONTEST RULES: To enter, you must be one or more of the following:
•A home cook who prepares authentic cultural cuisine •A professional Chef, Sous Chef, or lead line cook in a restaurant, non-commercial foodservice establishment, or food truck •A student at a professional culinary school Your recipe must: •Serve 6 •Be an entrée, intended to be the main course of a meal •Use fresh, easily sourced ingredients •Use at least one of the six following Seasoning Blends: Keith Lorren® brand All-Purpose Complete Seasoning, Keith Lorren® brand Beef/Oxtail Seasoning, Keith Lorren® brand Poultry Seasoning, Keith Lorren® brand Seafood Seasoning, Keith Lorren® brand BBQ Seasoning, or Keith Lorren® CULINARY CULTURE
brand Collard Green/Country Vegetable Seasoning •You may submit up to two (2) video recipes. Recipe Categories: •Poultry •Beef •Pork •Seafood •Vegetarian Prizes: $2,000 Cash or $2,000 Scholarship made payable to your college/university Submission requirements: 1) Completed entry form 2) Photo of completed dish (emailed) 3) (1) Video (up to 5 minutes in length, showing preparation/completion of dish and use of Keith Lorren® brand Seasonings) uploaded to www.ifood.
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ONE SHOT AND ONE OPPORTUNITY
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“Thomas D’Ambrosio ’11 recently won a Gold Medal at the SkillsUSA National Competition in Kansas City. In his “student spotlight” article located on the school’s webpage, D’Ambrosio encourages all to “get involved...”
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EGGPLANT & VECS COLUMN
“Each night, I would sit and listen to Tommy’s stories of how they did three-hundred covers and cooked everything “a-la-minute”. It was mind boggling to me.”
Contest Begins JULY 1, 2011 and will conclude when a sufficient amount of applicants have been determined. Check website periodically for updates. Winners will be notified by telephone, email, and by mail. FOOD & BEVERAGE
CHAPTER FIVE: WHICH ROAD....?
ON CAMPUS
tv or www.youtube.com. Entrants must tag the video: “Keith Lorren’s $2000 Recipe Contest”, and submit the link with the Entry form. Winner may also be chosen to film a cooking episode with Keith Lorren. Post your video submission on Twitter and Facebook also. (4) Entries/Submissions will be judged by a panel of (5) Chefs Entries will be graded on use of Keith Lorren® brand seasonings, originality, creativity, presentation, execution, and taste! The videos with the greatest number of views and “likes” will also be used to select winner! Show us how much you love Keith Lorren® brand Seasonings.
CENTER SPREAD
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‘Tis the Season! PANINI CONTEST PICTURES
“Forget raspberries, blackberries, and even strawberries for a minute (none of which are technically berries, though blueberries really are), and consider the delicious, versatile, and remarkably widespread berry known as the eggplant.” BACK PAGE
THE ALPHABET OF FLAVOR
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Caption This! And you can win a $25 Coupon to the cia bookstore!!!