mise en place issue 50 The Culinary Exchange Invasion Adaptation Creation

No. 50, November 2009

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ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

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Invasion, Adaptation, Creation

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12 Shocking the Palate

Szechuan buttons offer a new flavor sensation

6 10

The Culinary Exchange Invasion, adaptation, creation

Vanilla: A Gift from Mexico to the World The history, cultivation, and wonder of vanilla

13 Olive Oil

Science and soul

14 Mapping Flavor Trends Making it in the flavor arena

20 Greystone Garden Project Sustainability made real

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12

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20 15 Across the Plaza

Following the Presidential Trail | Celebrating the Stars &

28 Gifts at Work

Why Give? | Giving’s Impact | Host Mentors

Stripes | All the Buzz | Something’s Fishy at the CIA | Hail Fellows, Well Met | Reinventing the Birthday Cake

22 Education for Life

Grill Sergeants | What’s in a Name? | Book Shelf | Kitchen Leadership | Kudos

31 Class Notes

Lifelong Career Services | Class Notes | In Memoriam

I first noticed the billboard while driving east on the Massachusetts Turnpike toward Cape Cod. It was an ad for Sabra Classic Hummus.

Half of the space was taken up with a luscious swirl of the creamy Middle Eastern food with the identifier, “Sabra. Go Mediterranean.” The other half of the space revealed the words “You like hummus... now learn to love it.”

mise en place® No. 50, November 2009 Nancy W. Cocola, Editor Leslie Jennings, Designer

Contributing Writers Joseph Diamante

This split-second encounter got me to thinking…

Iliana de la Vega

Thirty years ago when my husband and I would grind our own chickpeas

Dr. Chris Loss ’93

to make homemade hummus, we were considered odd. Well, we were

William Nardi ’09

vegetarians so it made sense to us. In those days the only place you could

Michael Nestrud ’04

find hummus was in a Middle Eastern restaurant. In recent years the deli

Jason Spiro

section of my food store began carrying three different brands of hummus

Michael Vernon ’09

in a variety of flavors. But it was that billboard—a wholly American

Jeremy Wise ’09

invention—that really got me thinking that hummus has finally entered the American consciousness. Advertisers clearly believe hummus is familiar

Editorial Board

enough to the public that at speeds of 55 mph (well, more like 70 mph)

Dr. Tim Ryan ’77

with an average viewing time of 6–10 seconds, consumers would get the

President

message.

Nancy Harvin

In this edition of mise en place, we’ll take a look at global flavors and

Vice President for Advancement

identify how new foods become integrated and accepted into our

Mark Erickson ’77

American diet. We’ll also shine a little light on a single flavor from each of

Vice President–Dean of Culinary Education

the three main food regions—the Mediterranean, Asia, and Latin America.

Enjoy!

Nancy Cocola Editor

Mission

Mise en place is the college magazine for alumni and friends of The Culinary Institute of America, and reflects its principles and core values. Its mission is to foster a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between the CIA, its alumni, and friends by: Providing information of interest about the college, its alumni, faculty, and students.

Presenting substantive, balanced, and accurate coverage of major issues and events concerning the college as well as highlighting alumni leadership and contributions to the foodservice industry.

Creating a forum to help alumni network and build community. ©2009 The Culinary Institute of America All rights reserved. mise en place® is a registered trademark of The Culinary Institute of America, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499. The CIA at Greystone and the CIA, San Antonio are branch campuses of the CIA, Hyde Park, NY.

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Photography: Angela Chin, Keith Ferris, Ron Gould, Kopper & Cress USA, Elizabeth Kossick, Takahiko Marumoto, Michael Nelson, and Terri Totten

All’s Fare at the Tour de France While competing in the world’s hardest endurance race, Tour de France riders look almost ill with their concave cheeks and whipcord slim bodies. During the 21

all part of a

stage races that comprise Le Tour, riders guzzle water and eat high-energy goodies out of musette bags as they pedal over the Alps and into the valleys of France. For the lucky Garmin-Slipstream team, Chef Sean Fowler ’88, a native of Colorado and chef/ owner of El Ráco d’Urús in the Pyrenees, is there after the race. The team hired Sean on the spot while eating at his restaurant

new exhibit in the

riders into foods that are fresh and tasty, digest easily, and provide high nutritional value. His challenge is to make sure that the meals he prepares are tempting enough to get exhausted riders to eat after grueling days

Donald and Barbara Tober Exhibit Room of the Conrad N. Hilton Library on the Hyde Park campus— “Popping into Art: How Changes in Food Consumption Influenced Pop Art in the 1960s.”

on the bike. We’d like to think that Sean’s

The four artists featured in the exhibit

healthful meals helped Garmin’s Bradley

highlight foods of America in the ’60s.

When a stage is over, Sean arrives early

Wiggins capture fourth place overall in this

“These foods represent changes caused by

at the team’s next hotel to inspect the

year’s Tour.

the increase of women in the workforce,

kitchen. If it isn’t up to his standards for

Food Art

after a training session.

cleanliness he will cook in the team’s motor

rising popularity of supermarkets, intensification of advertising and branding, growth of fast food chains, birth of the

home. He is extremely careful to safeguard

What do the prints and paintings of

them from food poisoning that might end

Andy Warhol, the soft sculptures of

a rider’s Tour. Sean reviews menus with

Claes Oldenburg, the collages of Tom

Alan Lim, the team’s exercise physiologist,

Wesselman, and the paintings of Wayne

the exhibit.

and must turn the science of feeding the

Thiebaud have in common? They are

The display is open Monday–Friday

interstate, and economic reliance on consumerism,” says Laura Baker, curator of

from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until summer 2010.

Admission to the exhibit is free.

Ciaprochef.com— A Great Resource Free learning modules are available at ciaprochef.com. Covering a wide range of topics from “The Professional Chef Rediscovers Soy Sauce” to “Food Allergies: Challenges & Opportunities for Food Service” to “The Professional Chef Discovers Canola Oil,” these comprehensive programs offer the team garmin-slipstream

mise en place no.50, November 2009

professional chef up-to-date, easy-to-access resources and recipes. Check it out.

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The Culinary Exchange

By Nancy Cocola

In examining the evolution and state of world

even their worst political enemy palatable.

flavors, I came to the realization that the

Today, we are hungry to experience and be

world’s cuisine is not what I first imagined.

influenced by the authentic cuisines of both

Gone are my notions that Indian cuisine is

friend and foe. But if you think that all this

strictly Indian. Shattered is my belief that the great Mediterranean cuisines are

culinary cross-pollination is occurring because the world has gotten

found securely nestled within

smaller through travel and the

each country’s borders. And

Internet, you should have

replacing these assumptions

been around when the

is the revelation that food

Phoenicians, Romans,

everywhere is a product of

and Moors conquered

complex influences that,

and ruled vast areas of

when traced, can almost

the globe. And don’t

put all cuisines into a giant

forget that during the

melting pot.

1400s, when explorers and conquistadors found

It must be the human

the Americas on their quests

qualities of curiosity,

for an alternate route to the

adaptability, and survival

spice trade, there was another

that make it possible for a people to find the food customs of

wave of influential exchanges of food and customs.

from the old world, to the new world

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www.ciaalumninetwork.com

from the new world, to the old world Invading Forces Bring Food

discover the New World (the Americas). He was

The modern countries of the Mediterranean Basin like Spain,

after the Turks had closed the route, making it

France, Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and Italy

impossible to import China’s silks and spices

are vastly different in culture and cuisine. But at one time

(a driving economic force in Europe) over

they all fell under the domination of the Phoenicians, who

land. It is our culinary good fortune that Columbus found the

reportedly introduced the one ingredient that binds all the

Americas first. But it was a mixed blessing. After him came an

countries in this region—olive oil. In turn, the Phoenicians

onslaught of explorers looking for gold, land, and adventure. In

obtained silver from Spain and Portugal and tin from Great

their path they left behind the destruction of ancient cultures

Britain; the latter was smelted with copper from Cyprus to

(Inca and Aztec) and brought plagues of diseases to Native

create bronze. After a short breather, the Romans swept in,

Americans. Though they didn’t find the vast quantities of

bringing lentils, peas, chickpeas, and spices from North Africa

gold they expected, their discovery of new plants and animals

and southwest Asia. And then, out of Africa came the Moors,

signaled plenty of culinary changes ahead—enough to fill

whose 700-year occupation of Portugal, Spain, and parts of

everyone’s pot.

France netted some of the culinary delights we attribute to the region even today. A sophisticated people, the Moors were experts at irrigation. They taught the Spaniards to grow rice in the fertile region of Valencia, saffron in Andalusia, and almond trees along the Levante coast. They introduced figs, citrus fruits, and many Eastern spices like cumin and anise seed.

Today, in all the areas of the peninsula where the Moors once ruled, rich and varied rice dishes, like the ubiquitous Paella, flourish.

This region, so often invaded, developed an attitude of receptivity to the foods and customs of others. And it was this attitude of curiosity and ability to adapt that Spain and Italy carried with them to the New World, where they exchanged culinary treasures with Native Americans.

looking for an alternate way to the Silk Road

The Columbian Exchange One of the most significant events in the history of world ecology, agriculture, and culture was The Columbian Exchange, a term coined by Alfred W. Crosby in his book The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences.

In it, Crosby describes the exchange of plants, animals, foods, communicable diseases, and ideas between the Eastern and Western hemispheres that occurred after 1492. This exchange completely remade the world diet.

The European explorers brought with them such items as almonds, apples, asparagus, bananas, black pepper, cantaloupe, coffee, cotton, flax, garlic, okra, olives, peaches, mango, citrus, oats, millet, barley, wheat, rice, rhubarb,

Era of Exploration

sugarcane, and tea. They also brought animals and insects the

We know that Christopher Columbus did not set out to

honeybees, chickens, cows, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

likes of which Native Americans had never seen, including

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From the Americas they carried back to the Old World such oddities

Before the Columbian Exchange, no oranges could be found in

as peppers, tobacco, rubber, cacao, maize, sweet potatoes, beans,

Florida, no bananas were harvested in Ecuador, no rubber trees

vanilla, tomatoes, squash, quinoa, white potatoes, peanuts, papaya,

flourished in Africa, no cattle roamed the range in Texas, no donkeys

chicle, cassava, and yucca. In addition, they transported the turkey,

labored in Mexico, no peanuts graced a sauce in Thailand, no

alpaca, llama, and guinea pig.

cigarettes were smoked in France, and no chocolate was savored in

The New World’s crop plants like maize, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes, chilies, and manioc (starchy tubers) took root and have become essentials in the diets of hundreds of millions of Europeans, Africans, and Asians. The Old World’s crop plants like wheat and rice were quickly embraced in the Americas, and were

Switzerland. In turn, the large island plantations of sugar cane and coffee would not have existed had the explorers not brought over coffee from Africa and sugar cane from Asia. And the omnipresent chili in Indian food would not exist had the Portuguese not brought it back with them from South America.

pivotal players in the global population explosion and industrializa-

But with all the unique exchange of foodstuffs came diseases unique

tion that followed.

to each geographical area. The Columbian Exchange affected the

The arrival of maize in the Old World had an enormous impact.

Because it can thrive in areas that might be too dry for rice or too wet for wheat production, it was able to transform cuisine. Maize grows quickly and produces almost double the yield of wheat. It is good as a food for humans and livestock. However, when it became a staple of the European diet, a disease called pellagra reared its ugly head.

health of almost every society on earth, bringing destructive diseases that depopulated many cultures. By some estimates, nearly 80 percent of the native population of the Americas was wiped out from the introduction of such European diseases as cholera, influenza, malaria, scarlet fever, smallpox, typhus, yellow fever, and plague. In fact, the Old World made out better in this regard, as the diseases native to the New World were few. There were really only two—syphillis and

Potatoes were used as a cheap food for sailors returning from America

yaws. However the popular new corn crop was causing pellagra—a

to the Old World. Once the potato got to Europe, its ability to grow

skin rash caused by a lack of niacin. To retain the niacin in corn, a

in poor soil, resistance to cold, and ease of management gave it an

lime treatment must be administered. This was something Native

edge for temperate European environments with overtaxed soils. The

Americans did routinely. Europeans did not adopt the practice and

Europeans used only three varieties of potato, but they were enough to

started to become niacin-deficient from the corn they were eating in

provide food energy for thousands of poor workers that would in turn

lieu of wheat. Clearly it would take time to understand and adapt these

serve as a base to the industrialization of Western Europe. Despite the

newfound foods from afar. In the New World, that meant learning to

failure of the potato in Ireland, which resulted from the misguided

capitalize on the foods from Asia.

idea that it alone could feed a nation, the potato remains a major source of calories and culinary delight.

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www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Colonial Fascination with Asian Foods

Common Borders, Common Food

It is said that as early as 1766, Mr. Samuel Bowen, a former seaman

You don’t have to cross oceans or discover new continents to share

employed by the East India Company, brought soybeans back to his

food or culinary approaches. Wherever two countries share a border,

plantation in Thunderbolt, GA, from China via London. There, the

exchanges are necessarily going to occur. In the case of a small nation

soybeans were used to manufacture soy sauce and soybean noodles.

like Vietnam, regional differences in cuisine are directly related to

In addition, Bowen manufactured a sago powder substitute made

the sharing of common borders. Vietnam is a country consisting of

from sweet potatoes that came to him from South America. He then

two rich river deltas separated by a band of mountains. The Red

exported the three products to England. Samuel Bowen received a

River Delta provides rice for the residents of North Vietnam. The

patent for his manufacturing inventions to produce these products.

tremendously fertile Mekong Delta produces rice as well as a wide

His experiments suggest that Asian foods were already of interest to

variety of fruits and vegetables for the south and central regions.

European colonists in the New World.

Northern cuisine is influenced by the area’s proximity to China.

Another indicator of the growing interest in soybeans in North

Soy sauce, which appears in the north, shows up nowhere else in

America came from Benjamin Franklin. In 1770, Franklin wrote

Vietnam. And this region’s affinity for beef dates back to a 13th

his good friend, American botanist, horticulturalist, and explorer

century Mongolian invasion that blew through China. The central

John Bartram, to inform him that one could make “cheese” (curds)

region of Vietnam reflects the influence of the ancient kingdom of

from beans; indicating that tofu and the legume from which it was

Champa that controlled the trade in spices and silk between China,

processed was known in pre-revolutionary America. Today, soybeans

India, and Indonesia. The royalty of Champa showed a preference for

are one of the U.S.’s largest crops; American growers planted

small dishes placed on the table at once, allowing for lavish spreads.

approximately 79 million acres of it in 2008.

In southern Vietnam, influenced by its neighbor Cambodia, chilies

In colonial times, no item brought to the New World was more popular than tea. Tea reached Europe during the 1600s, when the Portuguese with their advance navy created trade routes to China and brought

provide heat in dishes, and fish sauce replaces the soy sauce of the north. The abundance of fruit in the warmer southern climate means added sweetness to many meat and vegetable dishes.

back tea to Portugal. From Lisbon, the Dutch East India Company

Today, the culinary world is on a quest for authentic cuisine. But it’s

transported the tea to Holland, France, and Germany. Soon the Dutch

clear that what we experience as a country’s “authentic” fare is in fact

were trading directly with the Chinese. In the mid 1600s, the Dutch,

an amalgam of flavors, techniques, and cultural influences that date

who were deeply involved in colonizing the New World, introduced

back to ancient times. As in the eras of conquerors and explorers, it

tea to America. These settlers were heavy-volume tea drinkers; they

seems we are lucky enough to live in a time when we can travel the

consumed more tea than the entire population of England at the time.

world and continue the process they began of influencing, and being

But attempts to grow tea in the U.S. were colossal failures. The climate

influenced by, the culinary riches of other nations—creating a true

and the cost of harvesting the delicate leaves by hand made

culinary exchange.

it expedient to import the product. Of course, the British government mistakenly thought that they could excessively raise the tax on the imported tea because many Americans were hooked on the drink. Instead, the result was the Boston Tea Party, an event that led to the American Revolution. And we all know what happened then!

mise en place no.50

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anilla A Gift from Mexico to the World

By Iliana de la Vega

The vanilla vines grow in humid tropical areas 10 to 20 degrees Research is fundamental to the mission of the Center for Foods

from the equator at a temperature between 75 and 85 degrees.

of the Americas at the CIA, San Antonio and the research team

Because vanilla also requires a good balance between sun and

has been traveling throughout Latin America with a singular

shade, the vines grow next to a tree called a “tutor.” In Papantla

mission—to capture and document the rich culinary traditions of

the orange, pichoco, coquite, and cojón de gato trees are favored.

the region. On the team’s recent research trip to the Mexican state of Veracruz, our focus was vainilla (vanilla).

two to four years old, and producing 40–100 flowers per year. The

The History of Vanilla

flower is hermaphroditic, meaning it has both anther and stigma.

From the port of Veracruz, we drove to the region where this

melipone bees. But after much study and observation, someone in

sophisticated flavor had its humble origins. Known as the vanilla

Madagascar discovered how to hand-pollinate the flowers with the

capital of the world, Papantla is located on the east central coast

help of a small stick, similar to a toothpick.

of the Gulf of Mexico, where years ago the Totonacs established their important culture. The Totonacs were the guardians of the “hidden flower” xanath (vanilla). According to some studies, the Totonacs used vanilla for medicinal purposes and also sent it to the Aztecs as tribute. In the Aztec language, vanilla was called tlilxochitl (black flower). Interesting, as vanilla’s flowers are almost white. The Aztec elite liked to prepare a drink called xocolatl (chocolate), which was a mixture of cacao beans flavored with vanilla pods. Aztec emperor Montezuma is said to have served xocolatl to Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who was immediately captivated by the flavor. It was Cortés who then introduced it to Europe.

Vanilla Cultivation, Up Close and Personal

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A vine will live approximately 10 years, bearing flowers when it is

Originally, pollination was left to nature and the rare wild black

While walking through the trees and vines, Don David, one of the compesanos (farmers), was lucky enough to find a single flower.

Open for just one day and only for a few hours—between 7 a.m. and noon—we ran to see it but had to wait until the video camera was ready to shoot. Camera! Action! Don lifted the anther from the stigma, pressed the pollen against the stigma with the small wooden stick, and voilà, the fertilization happened in front of our eyes. Within a half hour after fertilization, the flower closes.

Curing the Pod Approximately nine months later, the green stem of the vanilla flower will turn yellow, indicating that it is time to harvest. Each pod is picked when it is perfectly ripe. Then the complicated and all-important curing process begins. The vanilla pod is washed, transferred to racks to drain for five minutes, and placed in cedar

Our team made plans to visit an organic vanilla plantation to

boxes. Once the boxes are filled, they are transported to the

chronicle the drying and curing process of vanilla. We arrived

ovens, where they are stacked, one on top of another, until there

on the beautiful 10-hectare (24.7 acre) plantation where our hosts

are 360 of them. The lines of boxes are covered with wet blankets

were waiting for us with the sad news that, it being late February,

and put into a 60 degrees C (140 degrees F) oven for three days.

we were a little early for the flowering season, which is from

The pods are then removed from the cedar boxes, placed into

March to May. A bit disappointed, we started walking anyway

large boxes for one day, and moved to special wooden racks called

with the lingering hope of finding one open orchid.

espigueros for three more days. Then, every day for a period of

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

three to six months, the pods are laid

• If too many orchids from the same

in the sun on top of petates (straw mats),

plant are pollinated, the result will be

from 8 a.m. until noon. Then they are

too many vanilla pods of lower quality.

collected, wrapped in the straw mats, and

This in turn creates weaker plants that

covered with blankets to sweat. Through

are susceptible to plagues and diseases

this labor-intensive, sun-drying/sweating

that are hard to control.

process, the vanilla “loses weight” and develops its characteristic flavor.

A Labor of Love From start to finish, the process of curing vanilla is labor-intensive. It is almost a ritual, a work of love. Today, the largest producer of vanilla is Madagascar, followed by Indonesia, Mexico, India, and Uganda. But quantity is not necessarily quality, and there are some important

• A fair trade policy is very important so that workers have the freedom to limit fertilization to produce higher-quality plants.

These practices and the time-honored growing, drying, and curing processes continue to be followed in Mexico, which is why Mexican vanilla is still considered to be the best—and remains a precious gift to the world.

factors to consider in producing a high-

Chef Iliana de la Vega is a Mexican/Latin

quality vanilla:

cuisine specialist at the Center for Foods

• Vanilla plants should be grown at least one meter apart, and the vine should be rather short— within arms reach of a man—for easier supervision. Smaller

of the Americas at the CIA, San Antonio.

She is the former executive chef-owner of El Naranjo, an acclaimed restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico.

plants are able to direct their energy into producing better pods rather than gaining biomass.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

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Shocking the Palate

Batteries Not Included

By Michael Nestrud ’04

An increasing number of American consumers are opting for food

to provide the perception of “iciness” and “freshness.” While pure

with heat or spiciness to it. But beyond the flavor and the fact that it

spilanthol is expensive and probably cost-prohibitive for most chefs,

is “spicy,” what is the sensation you get when you eat hot food? Is it

the Szechuan button is now readily available, and only a small amount

subtly tingly? Do you feel the burn in the front of your mouth or the

of these tiny buds goes a long way. Bartenders have been creating

back? Does the heat hit you immediately or does it slowly increase?

“electric” versions of every drink imaginable, especially those with

And then there’s how it affects your feelings. Are you euphoric or

pre-existing citrus notes, such as margaritas and mojitos. Nicolas

anxious? Do you like it or hate it?

Mazard of Koppert Cress, a distributor of the button based out of New

Increasingly, flavor scientists are asking these questions, and have begun to look beyond “spiciness” into its more complex perceptions.

Chefs are beginning to do the same on the front lines. They are working with products that provide new sensations, as consumers

York, suggests that the bud needs to be distressed in order to release its effect and that it can also be used as a palate cleanser.

From Heat to Ice

ramp up their search for variety and become more interested in tactile

Another sensation customers are seeking can be achieved through

impressions elicited from foods.

cooling compounds. You might recognize erythritol from your local

One such product is the Szechuan button. It is a flower bud whose potent citrus flavor creates a strong electric/tingling sensation in the mouth and increases saliva production. For that reason, the flavorless active ingredient in the button, spilanthol, is used by the food industry to counteract astringent, mouth-drying foods and drinks.

In confectionery products, spilanthol is used as “flavor crystals”

health food store. Erythritol is an all-natural sugar alcohol (with no intoxicating effect) that is almost as sweet as sugar but does not affect blood sugar levels. Erythritol and other sugar alcohols have a cooling effect similar to spearmint or menthol, but without the mintiness. It is particularly suited to creating desserts with an “icy” feeling. However, when combined with heat, erythritol creates a sensation all its own that chefs are exploring as well.

These spicy, tingly, icy, and electric compounds can cause everything from pleasure and pain to fear and topical numbness. So is this quest to challenge the palate just a fad? Well, salsa sales have outpaced ketchup in recent years, and the spiciness no doubt has something to do with it. Sriracha, the spicy Asian-style sauce, is ubiquitous, showing up in the kitchens of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Applebee’s.

Younger diners especially have proved themselves to be extremely knowledgeable and adventurous. While it isn’t for everyone, these new chemical sensations may be the answer to making that dull, boring, or outdated dish really pop.

Michael Nestrud is a former teaching fellow and graduate of the CIA. He has a bachelor of science in food science and is studying for his Ph.D. in sensory science from Cornell University.

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Olive Oil

Science and Soul

What do you get when you combine olive oil experts from the University of California, Davis Olive Center and The Culinary Institute of America with Claudio Peri, professor emeritus of food technology at the University of Milan and Paolo Pasquali, owner and operator of

• Control over transport and storage of the olives in the period between harvest and milling • Control over the milling process • Control and validation of the chemical and sensory analysis

Villa Compestri and originator of oliveTolive? You get Beyond

• Control over storage, packaging, transportation, and handling

Extra Virgin, the international conference held jointly at the UC,

• Precision, promptness, and clarity of the documentation

Davis and CIA at Greystone campuses in June 2009.

of procedures

Extra virgin olive oil is among the world’s most revered foods,

The CIA has agreed to spread the culture and use of Super-

but the category is broadly defined to include much oil that is

Premium Olive Oil in restaurants, using the system of oliveTolive

only average or below average. This conference brought together

created by Paolo Pasquali. The oliveTolive system brings

authorities from the Mediterranean region with experts from

premium olive oil directly to the consumer in the closed stainless

other parts of the world to explore the elements of excellence in

steel tanks used in production, thus conserving and maintaining

extra virgin olive oil—from technical production issues to flavor

the oil without interruption from the moment of production

discovery to culinary applications.

to the moment of use. It is a system that abolishes bottles and

This year’s gathering of 47 presenters focused on such topics as

other types of containers. As owner of Villa Campestri resort in

olive oil processing and phytonutrients, research on the quality of

Tuscany, Mr. Pasquali has established Italy’s first oleoteca—

extra virgin olive oil production, the language of flavor excellence

a center for olive oil research, study, and tasting.

and diversity, regional flavors, marketing, and super-premium olive

At the conference, the CIA took the opportunity to announce the

oil, to name just a few.

founding of its own oleoteca in the Spice Islands Marketplace at

Standardizing and guaranteeing excellence in olive oil production

the CIA at Greystone. In this way, the CIA will help expose the

was one of the main themes of the conference. In fact, Claudio Peri, Ph.D., president of Associazione TRE-E, an organization dedicated to promoting high-quality extra virgin olive oil, offered

hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to the highest-quality olive oil. In addition, the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant will be featuring meals at which the olive oil is center stage.

up a standardization method that uses benchmarked critical control points for the production and monitoring of olive oil worldwide.

Meeting these standards would result in a producer receiving the Super-Premium Selection Seal of Excellence. Some of these benchmarks are: • Clarity and coherency in production objectives • Human, financial, and material resources aligned with production objectives • Control of disease and infestations of the trees and fruits • Control over harvesting

Olive Oil Fun Facts • An average American consumes 4/5 of a quart per year.

• An average Greek consumes 28 quarts a year.

• Average Italians and Spaniards will consume 16 quarts a year.

• The U.S. consumes 8 percent of the world’s olive oil (the #4 consumer worldwide).

Statistics from University of California cooperative extension in Sonoma County, CA.

decisions and procedures in relation to production objectives

mise en place no.50, November 2009

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Mapping

Flavor Trends

Everyone seems to have an opinion about what the next food and

of the cacao plant), camu camu (similar to a cherry), cherimoya

flavor trend will be. Epicurious.com released its 2009 Food and

(a Peruvian fruit), and China’s Sea Buckthorn (small sweet berries)

Flavor Trends report letting us all know that Peruvian food is the

seem to be up-and-coming.

new Thai, noodle bars are the new sushi joints, “value” is the new “sustainable,” ginger is the new mint, smoking is the new frying, regional roasters are the new Starbucks, and rustic food is the new molecular gastronomy.

Is your head spinning yet? Well, there’s help to be had from the Center for Culinary Development. They’ve created a Trend Mapping ® technique to assess where a new food or flavor is in the long process of moving from trendy concept to mainstream

And FONA International, Inc., a Chicago area company focused on

acceptance. Trend Mapping operates under the assumption that all

flavor development, believes that the next generation of super fruits

major food trends have to pass through five specific stages of public

is hovering in the wings. While the now-familiar pomegranate,

awareness before they can be deemed fully accepted. Following a

mangosteen, and açaí will still be enjoyed, FONA is looking to

food as it passes through the steps can help you determine if and

exotic rainforest super fruits to catch on. Known for their health and

when your customers are ready try a new and exciting flavor.

nutritional qualities, fruits like cupuacu (a relative

Take a look…

Stage 3: The item begins

Stage 1: The ingredient, dish, and/or cooking technique appears at select upscale dining establishments, and ethnic and popular independent restaurants.

14

Stage 2: The item is featured in specialty consumeroriented food magazines, such as Gourmet and Bon Appéit, and appears in retail stores such as Sur La Table that target culinary professionals

to show up in mainstream chain

Stage 4:

Stage 5:

Mainstream

restaurants like

publications such as

Applebee’s or Chili’s

Family Circle and Better

as well as at retail

Homes and Gardens

stores like Williams-

pick up the buzz.

Sonoma that target recreational cooks.

The trend makes its way to quick-serve restaurant menus and is either starting to appear—or is having increased presence— on grocery store shelves.

and serious home cooks.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Following the Presidential Trail

Exchanging Trend and Resource Ideas

Travel is a large part of any college president’s job. You’ll notice as

In July, Tim participated in a one-on-one discussion titled “A

you follow President Tim Ryan’s itinerary of the past few months

Conversation with Tim Ryan” at the International Foodservice

that no matter which conference, convention, or personal meeting

Distributors Association Sales & Marketing Conference held in

he attended, his purpose was to shine a light on the CIA’s many

Philadelphia, PA. Kelly Brintle of Ventura Foods interviewed

goals and accomplishments, and cultivate relationships that will

him about the CIA, culinary trends, and leveraging professional

benefit the students, faculty, and facilities of the CIA.

culinary resources to give operator customers a boost in today’s marketplace.

Keynoter on U.S. Culinary Trends After a Board meeting in the Napa Valley, visits to Chicago and

Talking Student Opportunities

New York, and a quick trip to Florence, Italy for a wedding, Tim

Back on the CIA campus, Tim met with New York City

found himself in Madrid, Spain to give the keynote speech at The

restaurateur Shelley Fireman and his CEO Michael Chin. Shelley

International Foodservice Congress presented by EYE, a subsidiary

owns The Fireman Hospitality Group that encompasses New York’s

of Lebhar-Friedman. His spoke about foodservice trends in the U.S.

Trattoria dell’Arte, Café Fiorello, The Brooklyn Diner, Bond 45,

and their implications and opportunities for Spanish companies.

and The Red Eye Grill, to name just a few. The three discussed

While at the Congress, Tim was hosted by Trustee Jim Doherty

Fireman’s expansion plans, employment opportunities for our

and caught up with Roger Friedman.

externs, and CIA Consulting services and opportunities.

Honored as Dedicated Educator Since Tim was unable to attend the American Culinary Federation’s Convention in June, CIA Heritage Professor Fritz Sonnenschmidt accepted the 2009 American Academy of Chef’s (AAC) Sharing Culinary Traditions Award on his behalf. This honor is given annually to an AAC Fellow who has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the education of future culinarians.

Fritz sonnenschmidt brings AAC Award to president ryan

mise en place no.50, November 2009

15

Celebrating

the Stars & Stripes

By Michael Vernon ’09 Of all of the seasons, summer is my favorite. But it means a lot more to me than sunglasses and sunscreen, or heat and the need to turn on water sprinklers. Summer brings barbecues out of storage, fireworks in the nighttime sky, and the smell of freshly mowed grass. Families all around

mocktails. The Spice Club gave out handmade snow cones in many flavors to students looking to chill out. There were so many ways to have fun.

celebrate summer by eating grilled hot

Students had the opportunity to be

dogs and hamburgers and neighbors

truly entertained. Attractions such

stand shoulder-to-shoulder and watch parades and fireworks displays.

When summer arrives in the Hudson Valley, everyone knows a celebration is in store. At the CIA we begin with the Stars and Stripes Weekend. It is a two-day bash for students to celebrate Independence Day. Each year it seems to get better and better.

as The Wrecking Ball challenged them to stay on a pedestal while a ball came flying around. Jousting tournaments and the infamous Resident Assistant Dunk Tank were also on hand. The Slip ’N Slide refreshed those students who needed to cool down. They were able to decorate Frisbees with different colored paints and fill jars with a

This year’s CIA Stars and Stripes Weekend

cornucopia of colored sand. Henna

kicked off with a party on Anton Plaza

tattoos were popular among the bash

with a spectacular fireworks display

goers. Students could also compete for

accompanied by patriotic music. Friends

prizes given out at the end of the day.

danced the night away to a variety of

And always, music filled the air as

tunes and were able to get relief from the

throngs of people came to have a good

summer heat with refreshing drinks and a

time and celebrate.

cool breeze off the Hudson. As it turned out, all of this was just a warm-up for what was to come.

16

on hand to give demonstrations and provide freshly mixed tasty

It’s the many things like the Stars and Stripes Weekend that makes me proud to be a CIA student. It is a time to let

The following day, students had even more

go, forget about homework, and just

of a chance to celebrate. Tents were set up

have fun. As the last hurrah before

outside of Angell Hall, filled with goodies

students head home for the break, this

and libations. The Mixology Club was

was quite a sendoff.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

All the

BuzzZZzz The world is watching the honeybee population diminish dramatically from what has been coined Colony Collapse Syndrome. It’s prompting researchers, industries, and educational institutions to hunt for solutions and seek to raise awareness. For example, federal monies have been allocated to the University of Georgia to study the origins of the collapse. Ice cream industry leader Häagen-Dazs has established the HäagenDazs Loves Honey Bees campaign to raise research funds and awareness about the plight of the bees. What does an ice cream company need bees for? The company’s spokesperson reports, “More than 40 percent of our ice cream flavors are dependent on honey bee pollination.” It’s not that they use so much honey in production; it’s that the bees pollinate plants whose flavors are essential parts of their ice cream. At the CIA, Lecturing Instructor Rudy Spiess has provided a hive of 24,000 bees for the Chefs Sustaining Agriculture and Garden Society clubs to maintain as an extracurricular learning experience. Chef Spiess is teaching students about handling bees and their important role in the ecosystem. The bees on campus have inspired a number of responses, but this one, from recent graduate Jeremy Wise ’09, is pure poetry.

cia beehive

mise en place no.50, November 2009

honeybees the queen reseats her throne drones, competent hummers, tend every need she is young they are active the hive is full of commotion and bustle and potential for community it’s a social club of energy this is the way society should be if work was as sweet as honey then everyone would do it without asking without prompting not even questioning we the people would just do work the life of labor freely willingly and no one would claim superiority or they would get booted out of the colony alone and terrified of the wilderness breathe with the wind my little bee you are one of us as an individual powerless, insignificant as a unit, strong and unstoppable united we stand from the tree of happiness and content away from the ground where small men scrounge and hovel no wings to carry them above the mediocrity and obscurity

17

Something’s Fishy at the CIA The Hyde Park campus celebrated Poisson d’Avril (April Fish

RM Seafood; and Chris Moore, research scientist for NOAA

Day) with a Sustainable Seafood Summit organized by the Chefs

Fisheries Service. The panelists tackled questions pertaining to

Sustaining Agriculture club and led by Professor Corky Clark ’71

the definition of sustainable, related costs, farmed fish practices,

and Associate Professor Gerard Viverito.

and the role of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric

The event featured an educational forum on seafood sustainability with panelists Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods, Inc.; Chef/Owner John Besh ’92 of Besh Restaurant Group; Chef/Owner Ed Brown ’83 of Eighty One; Claudia

Administration), purveyors, and non-governmental organizations in sustainability.

Culinary students topped off the exciting event by designing, preparing, and serving a lavish menu for guests, featuring

Houge, foodservice program director for the Alaska Seafood

Alaskan spot prawns, crisped Alaskan king salmon,

Marketing Institute; Chef/Owner Rick Moonen ’78 of

Alaskan halibut, and a delectable chocolate dome cake.

Hail Fellows, Well Met... in Pittsburgh The Society of Fellows held its first destination weekend in

is one. The culmination of the evening was an exquisite dinner

Pittsburgh, PA from Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19.

prepared by Duquesne Club Executive Chef Keith Goughenour,

Hosted by Fellow Nick Camody, the event was centered at the

served in the Cave adjacent to the club’s wine cellar.

famed Duquesne Club. Fellows gathered at the club Friday for a wine and cheese reception and welcome by Nick and Fellows Leadership Council Chair Joel Spiro. They then walked to the highly acclaimed Six Penn Kitchen, where Executive Chef Keith Fuller displayed his culinary creativity.

The Society of Fellows Leadership Council is looking forward to planning future regional weekends where more of its 164 members can gather to enjoy each other’s company and shared commitment to the CIA.

Saturday’s activities included a morning group tour of Pittsburgh by land and water in the amphibious Ducky vehicle. In the afternoon, individual Fellows took in the sights, aromas, and tastes of the Strip District, enjoyed one or more of the city’s wonderful art museums, or visited a few of Pittsburgh’s unique neighborhoods.

On Saturday evening, the Fellows were joined at the Duquesne Club by President Tim Ryan—a Pittsburgh native—and his special guests, famed Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris and his wife Dana.

It was a real treat for everyone present to hear Franco’s firsthand recollections of the legendary “Immaculate Reception” that helped to make him a hero to Steelers fans—of which President Ryan

18

left to right: franco harris, jim heisey, nick camody, and george chookazian

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Re nvent ng the B rthday Cake In its capacity as the “Official Sponsor Of BirthdaysTM”, the

an upcoming episode of the show. “The idea of living longer,

American Cancer Society joined forces with the CIA to reinvent

living healthier, and celebrating more birthdays is fantastic,” said

the birthday cake. Together, they sponsored a contest that

Goldman. “Baking isn’t as scary as you think and the winning

challenged CIA baking and pastry students to create an easy-to-

recipe is a prime example of just how easily more healthy baking

replicate cake recipe incorporating healthy ingredients that could

can be done at home.”

contribute to a more nutritious birthday celebration. “Who better

Visit www.morebirthdays.com for the official birthday cake recipe

to help reinvent a healthier birthday cake without sacrificing fun and flavor than The Culinary Institute of America?” said Elizabeth

and more information about the finalists.

T. H. Fontham, national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. Student submissions included an original cake recipe and description of how the recipe used healthful baking ingredients and/or techniques to improve on the traditional birthday cake. CIA deans evaluated the entries and selected five finalists—Arthur Battistini, Tamara King, Alexandra Mudry, Laura Sansone, and Lorraine Tran.

The “Ace of Cakes,” Duff Goldman ’98, helped select Alexandra Mudry’s cake as the winner and the official birthday cake of the American Cancer Society. Alexandra’s winning cake is a healthful version of a classic red velvet cake, featuring beets and cherries to replace the calories and saturated fats found in typical birthday cakes. Her inventive substitutions provide 25 percent of the daily recommended intake of iron as well as nine grams of protein. The cake also contains added fiber and antioxidants, making it more health-conscious while maintaining delicious taste and the fun, celebratory feel of a traditional birthday cake.

“Our students were encouraged to include ingredients with high nutritional value in their recipes,” said Thomas Vaccaro ’85, associate dean for baking and pastry arts.

“When we were presented with an opportunity to work with the American Cancer Society to reinvent the birthday cake, we were thrilled because the collaboration truly showcases our emerging chefs’ commitment to producing more healthful recipes. We’re also pleased to be part of the Society’s efforts to raise awareness of preventative health in fighting cancer, as the disease has touched so many of our students in very personal ways.”

At Charm City Cakes, where Duff films Food Network’s popular Ace of Cakes, the final cake judging was taped for

mise en place no.50, November 2009

winner, alexandra mudry

19

Learning Culinary Sustainability

By Dr. Chris Loss ’93

One Crop at a Time

Growing an understanding and appreciation of food systems

them in a form that can be easily absorbed by the roots of

from the ground up is the primary objective of the Greystone

crops. Composting is another reflection of the students’ drive to

Student Garden Project. An extracurricular activity for degree

utilize their ingredients to the fullest and minimize waste. It has

and certificate program students, the Garden Project emphasizes

also focused the students on ways to reduce the waste streams

experiential learning of culinary arts, sustainable agricultural

produced by restaurants, improve the recycling program, and

practices, and food science. It builds a wealth of knowledge that

minimize the cost of hauling food scraps and packaging to the

will serve students well throughout their careers. In turn, as

landfill.

industry professionals we are well-served by understanding these topics and what they bring to our restaurants, hotels, and businesses.

In another example, the students have planted barley grass as a form of “green manure” to minimize the use of fertilizer. The barley grass is tilled into the ground in early spring, replenishing

Putting Sustainability Into Practice

nitrogen and water. Straw is used to block out the sun and acts as

Garden Project students employ sustainable culinary practices

used to help retain moisture in the soil and reduce water waste.

in a variety of ways. When preparing compost for their garden, they are applying principles of microbial ecology. Carlyle Watt, a student in the Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program, and Ross Warhol, a baking and pastry arts student, have been creating compost piles from kitchen scraps, shavings from old wine barrels, and straw, and monitoring temperatures on a regular basis. Microbial growth and metabolic activity heat the compost to temperatures of 150 degrees F. This activity breaks down the macronutrients in the vegetable scraps and preserves

a natural weed deterrent. In the heat of the summer, straw is also

The give and take between the soil and the student farmers has increased their awareness of sustainable practices and the challenges of bringing fresh produce to market—in this case, the St. Helena Farmers’ Market. Each spring, Greystone students busily prepare for the opening of the market, where they sell their crops and educate market goers on the culinary function and flavor of fresh produce. They have been so successful that the twoyear-old garden, which was originally supported by a grant from the Menu Research and Flavor Discovery Initiative, is now financially self-sustaining.

20

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Carrying The Torch on Externship

Sharing the Bounty

Garden Project alumni have gone on to take externships at farms

Greystone students are sharing the fruits of their labors not only

or restaurants that have a sustainable focus on the menu. A.O.S.

with the St. Helena Farmers’ Market, but also the Wine Spectator

student Jesse Eldridge is working at the Eldorado Hotel in nearby

Greystone Restaurant, the Greystone Bread Club, local food

Sonoma, where he is learning to work with local farms to provide

banks, and the “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference. So

dishes that incorporate seasonal ingredients. He has maintained

if you’ve been to the Greystone campus in recent months, you may

his connection to the Greystone garden, taking time from his

have already benefited from the wholesome, delicious results of the

externship on weekends to help weed and mulch the garden in the

lessons our students are learning. And just wait until they join us in

early morning hours. Jesse has also been integral to developing a

the industry.

new chicken program for the Garden Project. He designed coops by reusing old planter boxes, in keeping with one of the primary tenets of sustainability—minimizing off-farm inputs (Grubinger, 1999).

Michael Shethar, another associate degree program student, is working at Nash’s Organic Produce, where he is further cultivating his passion for farming and food systems. As part of his externship at the farm outside Portland, OR, Michael runs its farmers’ market

References: Grubinger, V.P. (1999) Sustainable vegetable production from startup to market. NRAES-104, NRAES, Ithaca, NY. Chris Loss, Ph.D., is the Ventura Foods Chair for the CIA’s Department of Menu Research and Development. A 1993 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Dr. Loss earned his doctorate, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

booth, where he shares his knowledge of best cooking practices for produce as well as his passion for all things fresh and local.

An article in the Peninsula Daily News (“Working like a charmer today,” D. Urbani de la Paz, Feb. 7, 2009) featured Michael and highlighted the importance of local food production and its draw for consumers interested in the locavore movement.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

21

preparation, along with important nutrition and food safety tips.

Veteran host Brad Turner said it best. “This show is one way of taking care of soldiers and their families. Three times a day, military chefs have the opportunity to make someone’s life better,” explained Brad. “Grill Sergeants recognizes the growing interest in food and tailors the shows to meet the interests, situations, and needs of our military families.”

The CIA was delighted to nurture its long-standing relationship with the U.S. Armed Forces by providing a state-of-the-art venue like the Danny Kaye Theatre to film the shows. And a number of

Grill Sergeants Cooking for the Pentagon Channel If you looked at the Grill Sergeants’ schedule for taping nine shows

CIA students were in the prep kitchen, rubbing elbows with these fine military chefs and learning what it’s like to work behind the scenes on a top-flight food show.

Visit www.pentagonchannel.mil/grillsergeants to check out what’s cooking on Grill Sergeants.

in three days, it was organized with military precision. Filming began at 0800 hours with a break at 1200 hours and a call to strike the set at 1500 hours. On meeting the Grill Sergeants you might expect to find the closely controlled personalities stereotypically associated with people in the military. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. When introduced, Sergeant First Class Brad Turner, a veteran of Grill Sergeants, bypassed the hands extended in greeting to give warm, enveloping hugs.

Staff Sergeant Guy Winks, CIA military liaison for the past year, was showing some first-day jitters—he had never filmed a show before. And while Sergeant Edmond Perez is comfortable on the CIA campus because he’s participated in the ProChef® program here, he too had first-time nerves. Joining the film crew were the Tastebuds, an Air Force trio whose live music and easy banter with the chefs during filming gave the shows a spontaneous and informal feel.

Because U.S. troops and their families are stationed all around the world, Grill Sergeants taped shows that covered German, Korean, Turkish, Italian, Indian, Asian, Spanish, and Mexican fare. The military recognizes food as a common denominator among peoples and a great way to familiarize deployed families with local foods and customs. The goal is to foster better integration of the troops into the culture of the country in which they reside.

Grill Sergeants provides delicious meals through step-by-step menu

22

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

What’s in a Name?

By Joseph Diamante When it comes to naming a restaurant, very few chefs would agree with Shakespeare’s sentiment in Romeo and Juliet when he wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

For most chefs and business owners, not just any name will do. It is the name itself that captivates the senses and attention of the public. Chefs invariably seek out names for their businesses that evoke their own style, point of view, and creativity, reflecting the artist behind the product. And few businesses have a more intimate relationship with their customers than those in the food world. Spurred by the complex drive to make their mark on both the food and the environment in which it is served, chefs frequently name their restaurants after themselves. In New York City alone, there are over two hundred listings of restaurants identified by a first name or surname.

Indeed, what could be more personal than a chef’s name?

The famous Joe’s Restaurant in Florida was unsuccessful in stopping another restaurant from calling itself “Little Joe’s Restaurant.” Again, not finding bad faith, the court merely made the latecomer use the word “Little” in the same size print as “Joe’s Restaurant”—taking away the implication that it was a sub-branch of the original restaurant.

Then there’s family. When a relative decides to enter into a family member’s business arena, legal issues—not to mention family gatherings—get very complicated. Joseph Gallo, brother of Ernest and Julio Gallo of winemaking fame, decided to use his name for a cheesemaking business. In true American tradition, Ernest and Julio Gallo sued their brother, seeking to stop him from trafficking on the Gallo family name for the cheese business. Here, the Court decreed that though Joseph Gallo was, to some degree, trading upon the good reputation created by his brothers, he could continue marketing cheese and identifying himself as involved in the business. The court stated that Joseph

Ah, but trouble may lie ahead, and often

Gallo could use his name in small print

arrives when another person with the same

or use the phrase Joseph Gallo Farms on

or similar name also opens a restaurant.

the cheese labels, but the court would not

The problem is further complicated if it is

allow him to use his name as the prominent

a relative who decides to enter your line of

trademark.

business using essentially the same name.

The laws in most states recognize that everyone has the right to use their name or surname for a business, as long as they do so in “good faith.”

That means that the new entrant did not operate in “bad faith” or with the “intent” to trade upon the reputation of the first person.

However, all lawyers know that proving bad intent can be tough.

So, should chefs or business owners resist the temptation of using their names or surnames as the brand of their restaurant?

Probably not. But, the universe of possible names is only limited by one’s imagination and efforts to build recognition in that name. And, like a fine meal, a restaurant name should be unique, interesting, and memorable, like Nobu, French Laundry, or Le

For example, the owner of the famed Sardi’s restaurant in New

Bernardin. And, by refraining from using your own name, you will

York City brought a lawsuit against a Sardie’s restaurant in

potentially avoid a sizable headache from relatives and unknown

Burbank, CA. A person with the name Lyle Sardie founded the

others, as well as numerous visits to your trademark counsel.

California restaurant. The court refused the New York Sardi’s request to stop the use of the name Sardie’s in California, finding no bad faith. Though the names sounded the same when spoken, they were not spelled the same.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

Joseph Diamante is a partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP. He specializes in intellectual property law, including trade secrets, patents, and trademarks and copyrights.

23

Book Shelf A Tavola!

By Gianni Scappin and Vincenzo Lauria In A Tavola!, popular faculty members Gianni Scappin and Vincenzo Lauria join forces to present the reader with a quintessentially Italian dining experience. Chef Scappin shares treasured family favorites as well as dishes with new world flavors presented with an old world sensibility. From

By Becky Sue Epstein and Ed Jackson ’00 By necessity, lighthouse keepers were the ultimate locavores. They were bound to their lighthouses in round-the-clock jobs with often only a boat for transportation. This delightful book features 47 lighthouses chosen for their interesting backgrounds and stories from eight major U.S. geographical

assorted antipasti and satisfying breads to hearty stews, and from

regions. Following the story of each lighthouse is a menu for a

rustic, one-pot dishes to memorable desserts, each recipe will

modern-day lighthouse meal. With 300 recipes, the book captures

inspire you to create. Mr. Lauria’s beverage suggestions help guide

the essence of the local foods available to lighthouse keepers from

you to the perfect wine and food pairing, and his prized recipes for

the 1700s through today. Filled with delightful and informative

a selection of Italian digestivos make a perfect end to the meal and

morsels of information about the coastal regions they highlight,

encourage you to linger just a little longer A Tavola!—at the table.

every page of this book will give you food for thought.

Rustic Fruit Desserts

By Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson ’92 Crumbles, buckles, cobblers, pandowdies, slumps, grunts, and pocket pies are experiencing a long-overdue revival. In Rustic Fruit Desserts, the authors share their repertoire of classic, delectable fruit desserts. Each season’s bounty inspires

24

The American Lighthouse Cookbook: The Best Recipes and Stories from America’s Shorelines

The New Book of Soups

By The Culinary Institute of America With its thorough approach to soupmaking techniques, breadth of recipes, and beautiful color photography throughout, The New Book of Soups is an indispensable addition to any cook’s library. The CIA has

the creations found in the book. Spring’s fresh, sweet strawberries

updated and expanded the selection of recipes from its kitchens

lend themselves to a whole-milk ricotta tart. Summer’s irresistible

and classrooms for this edition. Containing all the recipes you’ve

fruits spill out of a nectarine, boysenberry, and almond crisp. Fall’s

come to enjoy from the original Book of Soups, this book adds 30

harvest inspires a ramekin of pumpkin custard with cookie crumb

brand-new recipes and more than 130 new full-color photographs.

crust. And the long, dark winter receives a bit of brightening from

The chapter on shopping for soup ingredients is an invaluable

a moist olive oil cake with fresh Meyer lemons, Indian River

resource for planning trips to the market. Whether you are looking

grapefruits, and Minneola tangelos. The broadly appealing and

for a soup to warm up a cold winter night or cool off a sultry

easy-to-prepare classics in this book will quickly become favorites.

summer afternoon, The New Book of Soups is sure to hit the spot.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

The New Style of Kitchen Leadership

By William Nardi ’09

With the incredible number of high-profile chefs and Food Network

The 50 respondents overwhelmingly indicated their preference for

celebrities today, members of our profession are enjoying a level of

chefs having core skills in line with a new, positive style of kitchen

public esteem unparalleled in culinary history. So many chefs are

management. Leadership and decision-making were most highly rated.

publishing chronicles of their experiences in their restaurants and giving us all a glimpse into the once-mysterious kitchen environment.

In response to the query of which specific characteristics are needed to fulfill the role of chef, the top 10 characteristics were: organized,

For culinary students and up-and-coming chefs, it is both an exciting

with a 4.76 score out of 5; reliable, with 4.73; and honest, with 4.71.

and a complex time as the tension grows in kitchens between the

These were followed closely by disciplined, knowledgeable, honorable,

“autocratic” chef and a new breed of

confident, observant, adaptable, and

chefs. The autocratic or “screaming

approachable. Being approachable,

chef” is not new to the kitchen and

honest, honorable, and reliable were

is the norm in many restaurants.

all classified as positive management

As students, we are exposed to this

characteristics and supported the idea

style of management as well as to

of a new perception attached to kitchen

chefs who didn’t believe in this type

leadership.

of leadership. Assistant Professor in

Even more interesting were the least

Culinary Arts Phillip Crispo is an

desirable characteristics of a chef

example of the latter.

that participants indicated. The 10

While Chef Crispo was the instructor

least favorable characteristics were:

in the Escoffier Restaurant, he saw

passive, aggressive, charismatic,

himself as a coach rather than chef. He

opinionated, outspoken, self-conscious,

supported introspection in his students

gregarious, brave, opportunistic,

by asking questions and creating

and noble. Finding aggression and

an environment that encouraged

being opinionated as least favorable

curiosity and shared ownership. His

characteristics bore out the belief

philosophy is, in part, articulated

that the notion of “screaming chef”

in the book Leadership Lessons from a

leadership is being rejected. When

Chef by Charles M. Carroll ’86. The

participants were asked if they thought

book develops the idea of a chef as a

a hostile and temperamental style was

positive manager; someone who fosters

necessary in a management position,

a creative and dedicated kitchen based

over half recognized that though this

on respect. Carroll believes, “The days

chef crispo guiding a student

of the screaming chef are over.”

approach was once true, the perception and the need is now changing.

I became more curious about what it really takes to be a chef and so

The fact that honesty, honor, and approachability were valued above

developed a study to answer the following questions. What types of

being opinionated and aggressive supports the conclusion that, in

skills does a chef need? And, what kind of personal characteristics

order to foster a dedicated and healthy work environment, a chef has

does it take to become a great chef/leader in the kitchen?

to be a more positive manager. And leaders in the kitchens of today’s

Participants in the study were asked to rate characteristics and skills on a scale of one to five, with five being the most important and one

foodservice industry must begin to adopt contemporary, positive, and reinforcing management styles.

being the least. More than 100 foodservice professionals were polled

William Nardi received his B.P.S. in culinary arts management in February

with the help of The Culinary Institute of America and Internet

2009 and is currently a manager in training in the Escoffier Restaurant.

culinary portal GigaChef.com, a company founded by CIA alumni Brad Barnes ’87 and Lisa Brefere ’78.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

25

KUDOS

networking, and social functions. Dale Miller ’79 was honored with the Chef Professionalism Award for exemplifying the highest

Alumni Accolades

standard of professionalism and elevating the status of chefs

Cameron Mitchell Receives 2009 Golden Chain Award

and cooks in the U.S. John Metcalfe ’90 was named the Las Vegas 2009 Chef of the

Nation’s Restaurant News honored CIA Chairman of the Board Cameron Mitchell ’86 with its Golden Chain Award at the 50th

Year on Sunday, June 28, at the

annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) Conference

American Culinary Federation,

held October 4–6, 2009. Cameron, who is president and CEO of

Las Vegas Chapter’s Chef of

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, was recognized along with other

the Year award ceremony held

leaders in the foodservice industry, including: Chuck Fallon, president

at the Palms. Chef Metcalfe is

of Burger King Corp.; Phil Friedman, chairman and chief executive

the 39th Chef of the Year and

of McAlister’s Corp.; James Greco, chief executive of Bruegger’s

the third CSN Culinary Arts

Bagels; Jeffrey Harvey, president and chief executive of Burgerville;

Program chef to be honored by

and Randy Kibler, president and chief executive of Bojangles’ Famous

john metcalfe ‘90

the ACF.

Chicken ‘n Biscuits.

Food & Wine Magazine Selects Best New Chefs The much-anticipated list of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs for 2009 has hit the media, and CIA alumni made news by earning five of the 11 spots for the coveted honor. The magazine has been recognizing “outstanding talent and promise” with the Best New Chefs award for the past 21 years.

Congratulations to…

Faculty Feats There’s a Doctor in the House Associate Professor in Liberal Arts Dr. Robert Johnson, Jr. received the Hay-Nicolay Dissertation Prize for his doctoral dissertation entitled Trial By Fire: Abraham Lincoln and the Law. Given for the best thesis on Abraham Lincoln, two prestigious Lincoln organizations, The Abraham Lincoln Institute and The Abraham Lincoln Association, chose the recipient. The monetary prize and award were presented at the annual Lincoln Symposium at The National Archives II in March 2009. Dr. Johnson presented his dissertation research to the conference attendees.

Nate Appleman ’99, A16 and SPQR in San Francisco, CA Bryan Caswell ’99, REEF in Houston, TX Kelly English ’04, Restaurant Iris in Memphis, TN Mark Fuller ’94, Spring Hill Restaurant & Bar in Seattle, WA Linton Hopkins ’95, Restaurant Eugene Holeman and Finch Public House, Atlanta, GA

ACF Awards Alumni At its 2009 National Convention in Miami, FL, the American Culinary Federation gathered foodservice professionals from across the country to share an array of workshops, seminars, demonstrations,

26

Dr robert johnson, jr.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Chef Jones Accepts Society Invite Associate Dean for Restaurant Education Lou Jones has been invited to join the World Master Chef Society. Based in Essex, England, the international organization has chapters in Asia, the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The Society recognizes elite chefs from around the world with the objective of promoting the art and science of fine cuisines, supporting education through demonstrations, and sustaining high standards of culinary excellence in every field of food production.

Congratulations, Chef Jones! president ryan and chef migoya accept award from R&I Editor-in-chief kelly killian

Best in World!

Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary

Apple Pie Bakery Café Takes Ivy Award

Students, Career Changers, and Food

The six winners of the prestigious 2009 Restaurants & Institutions

Irena Chalmers, was named Best

(R&I) Ivy Awards were honored at The Field Museum in Chicago on

Book for Food Professionals in the

May 17, at a gala Ivy Awards Dinner and Celebration. The evening’s

World at the Gourmand World

exquisite four-course meal was prepared by chefs from the CIA. The

Cookbook Awards ceremony in

Apple Pie Bakery Café, under the leadership of Assistant Professor in

Paris, France on July 17, 2009. A

Baking and Pastry Arts Francisco Migoya, is the fifth CIA restaurant

distinguished jury selected her book

to receive an Ivy Award. The CIA is the only organization ever to

from more than 6,000 submitted

earn five such awards. Previous Ivy-winning CIA restaurants are:

titles from 107 countries. Edouard

Escoffier Restaurant (1981), American Bounty Restaurant (1987), Wine

Cointreau founded the awards in

Spectator Greystone Restaurant (1999), and Ristorante Caterina de’

1995 to help readers find the best out of the 26,000

Medici (2004).

food and wine books produced every year.

ProChef® Pros

Lovers, written by CIA instructor

CIA Production Wins Communicators Award

We extend our congratulations to the following CIA faculty and

The International Academy of the Visual Arts gave

teaching assistants for

out the 2009 Communicator Awards recently. As

successfully completing their

the largest and most competitive awards program

ProChef Certifications.

honoring the creative excellence of communications professionals, it receives thousands of entrants

Level II

each year. So we are especially proud that the

• John DeShetler ’68,

CIA production, Delivering Classic Service in our

professor in culinary arts

Care Venues, earned the Award of Excellence. The

• Tony Nogales ’88,

program is the second video produced for the

lecturing instructor in

Classic Residence by Hyatt Senior Living properties.

culinary arts

It focuses on front-of-the-house food service in

• Jeffrey Ruskup ’08,

Hyatt’s high-end dining rooms.

Escoffier Restaurant teaching assistant

Correction: In our last edition we indicated that Savoring

• SSgt Guy Winks, 2008–09

the Best of World Flavors, Volume III: Vietnam

military liaison to the CIA

and the Island of Sicily by John Barkley ’97, Kenneth

Level III • Mark Ainsworth ’86, professor in culinary arts

Wilmoth, Greg Drescher, Steve Jilleba ’77, and Janet level iii prochef, mark ainsworth ‘86

mise en place no.50, November 2009

Fletcher had been nominated for a James Beard Award. In fact, it won the award.

27

Why Give?

jerry maahs (left)

Marianne Maahs The Jerry D. Maahs, Founder of Alto-Shaam, Scholarship Fund

What Makes Giving Meaningful?

It was important to me and my family that we establish a way for Jerry’s name to be forever linked to foodservice, education, and continued development in the culinary arts. Jerry invested

What Motivates You to Give?

I wanted to establish a living testament to my husband, Jerry D. Maahs, who passed away in 2006 after a difficult struggle with

passionately in the foodservice industry and this scholarship will see that others with equal passion will have the opportunity to make a difference in the foodservice industry as well.

cancer. As a restaurant owner in the 1950s, Jerry experienced

Jerry would have been proud to see that students who may have

many challenges in serving quality food to his customers. One

humble beginnings like he had will, with a little help and hard

such challenge was finding durable, high-quality, commercial

work, be able to achieve their dreams.

kitchen equipment. Jerry found the solution by inventing the low-temperature cook and hold oven that utilizes the patented

How Do You Give?

Halo Heat system. Through his company, Alto-Shaam, Inc., he

In conjunction with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, we were

spent the better part of his life revolutionizing the way in which many foods were prepared. The “cook and hold oven” became a kitchen staple and Alto-Shaam became a trusted name in quality commercial foodservice equipment.

able to establish the Jerry D. Maahs, Founder of Alto-Shaam, Scholarship Fund. This perpetual scholarship of $1,000,000 allows The Culinary Institute of America to give a “full ride” to a culinary arts student. That includes tuition, expenses, room and

Jerry was devoted to improving technology in the commercial

board, books, fees, and equipment. The endowment will continue

kitchen and spent years working with culinary experts from all

in perpetuity. To honor Jerry, it is only fitting that we give back to

over the world consistently refining the products he developed

the culinary community by helping top students who otherwise

with the sole purpose of providing better food. A perfect way

could not afford this high level of culinary education.

to honor Jerry was by partnering with the CIA to establish a perpetual memorial fund that would allow a young student the opportunity to achieve success in the culinary arts.

28

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Giving’s Impact

Michelle Stone ’08

Hopes for the Future:

B.P.S. in Culinary Arts Management, anticipated 2010

I have thought of several possibilities as far as my career goes. I am

Recipient of the The Jerry D. Maahs, Founder of Alto-Shaam, Scholarship Fund College Highlights: I would have to say the biggest highlight of my first year of college would be my personal growth. I see how much I have progressed

interested in food writing, but I am a strong believer that in order to be a good food writer you should be an experienced chef first.

I am looking to get my bachelor’s degree in hospitality restaurant management. I have also thought about the possibility of becoming a personal chef because I feel there is more of a chef-client connection in that aspect of the foodservice industry.

The Impact

not only with my cooking abilities, but with my interpersonal

The Alto-Shaam gift has had an amazing impact on my life. It

skills as well. I have always been timid; it’s just who I am. But

has helped me attend the school of my dreams and pursue my

after a year at the CIA, I have more confidence in myself and I’m

career of choice. I remember the day I found out I was receiving

no longer afraid to speak up and answer questions, or to ask one.

the scholarship; it was very unexpected and I burst into tears.

Chefs can be intimidating, especially when you don’t know exactly

I honestly thought it wasn’t true and there was some sort of

what they expect from you during the first few days of a class.

mistake—that’s how much of a shock it was. I am truly thankful for

The best part of my experience was getting to the point where I

this scholarship and to the generous people at Alto-Shaam. It’s like

realized I could do this as long as I kept my will to learn.

a dream come true.

Outside Interests/Hobbies Outside of class I am fairly laid back. I enjoy visiting with friends and family, playing soccer, hiking, and, of course, cooking.

mise en place no.50, November 2009

Host Mentors

Make A Difference

Can you remember way back to your CIA externship experience? You showed up

“My experience with the Host Mentor Program has been great

in a new city with suitcase in hand, not

because I was able to show a CIA extern my city and share ideas

knowing where to eat, where to catch a

and experiences. By being a sounding board, I believe I helped

movie, or where other chefs went after

her. She even spent some of her days off in my restaurant both

hours to unwind. If you remember those

in and out of the kitchen. She was able to see the restaurant

feelings of uncertainty and anticipation,

world through a different perspective. She sat in on manager

you also remember how nice it would

interviews and tastings, and expedited in the kitchen. She also

have been to have someone—a friendly

played the role of customer in my restaurant, which provided

face—to help shepherd you through the

me with valuable input from the guest’s perspective. I felt that

transition.

this enriched her externship experience by involving her in the

Host Mentors have a flexible and varied

bigger picture of the restaurant business. I highly recommend

role with extern students. Some may find themselves helping the student find

being part of this cutting-edge program with the CIA.” —Robert Kabakoff ’86

appropriate housing. Others may take the time to show students the culinary life of the area by introducing them to local purveyors, manufactures, farmers, and markets. Still others may choose to

“I feel I need to give back to

help externs learn more about the art and

my alma mater. I have created

cultural opportunities of their new home

a great network and feel that

base. The opportunities to connect and be

by giving back, I’m not only

helpful to an eager and grateful student

offering my network, but also

are endless.

adding to it.”

Hear what our Host Mentors are saying…

—Francisco Robert ’05

“I want to mentor a student because I would have loved to have someone in the same city as my externship. I loved my experience at the CIA and want to

“Students are our future. Through

give as many students as possible the

mentoring we can continue our

best opportunity to succeed.”

learning by helping others while

Jeanne Oleksiak ’06

contributing to their successes.

It’s an excellent opportunity to network with local chefs and establishments.”

Chuck Berardi ’78

“I believe that giving back to a student is just as rewarding as a great meal.”

Richard Hoetzel ’85

So, think about becoming a Host Mentor and helping a student make and keep connections to the food culture of your city and to other CIA alumni. For more information, contact Marcy MacInnes at m_macinn@culinary.edu or 845-451-1283.

30

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

student luau circa 1965

A Lifelong Connection All of us in foodservice feel the ripple effects of economic highs and lows. During down times, it’s especially important for us to stick together. With the CIA helping alumni and alumni helping each other, we will all manage through these tough times.

So, don’t forget that you have Lifelong Services through our Career

’71

Lee R. Martin is retired. He has been married for 34 years

and has two sons and a grandchild he now has time to enjoy.

’78

Robert Hollander is a sales

’79

John Cuff is executive chef

representative for Halperns’

Steak & Seafood in Atlanta, GA.

Services Office at the college. This means: eRecruiting—where you can look for a job or post one of your own online

for Rosebank Farms Café in

Seabrook Island, SC. Chris Quilty is the

Career Fairs—where you can meet business leaders who come to the

Corporate Director of Food & Beverage

Hyde Park campus to recruit

for Hershey Hotels in Harrisburg, PA.

Online Community—where you can post to fellow alums and explore options with your network of friends and colleagues CIA Career Guide: Tools for Success—where you’ll find great help

’81

Steve Buckley is director of national accounts for The

Schwan Food Company in Marshall, MN.

for writing résumés and cover letters, getting interview tips, and more

He is married to Debbie (Farmakis)

Let us be of help to you. You are not alone. Stay in touch!

owner of The Taos School of Cooking in

Patty Hamilton Senior Alumni Relations Officer

mise en place no.50, November 2009

Buckley ’81. Jo Ann Carolla-Polt is Ranchos de Taos, NM. Opened in June 2009, the school focuses on home and

31

gourmet enthusiasts. William Osgood is chef/owner of Piper’s Café & Catering.

Celebrating 20 years in business, Piper’s Café has long been considered one of Indianapolis’s top 10 independent caterers.

’82

John J. Troiano is executive

’84

Bill Doyle was featured in

chef for Shop Rite Supermar-

kets in Plainview, NY.

the June 15, 2009 issue of

FoodService Director magazine in an article about the baking demo program that he runs for Whitsons Culinary Group in Mahwah, NJ.

’85

Timothy J. Bowen is direc-

’88

John Zelko was inducted

Brian Langel is a manager

cantaloupe on side. $5. SO GOOD. (3:06 PM June 30)

’89

This incredibly popular L.A. street taco truck, with a CIA alum at the wheel, has taken a unique and

his son, Cedrick, was born in September

roy at work in kogi bbq truck

tor of culinary operations for

Harrah’s Entertainment in Las Vegas, NV.

What Are You Doing?

That is the question millions of Twitter users answer every hour of every day. If you ask Roy Choi ’98, co-owner of Kogi Korean BBQ Taco Truck, what he’s doing, this is what his Twitter page would look like: KoGI Special! Twisted GriLLed Egg n Cheese Sandwich w/ braised Korean Chillies! Served with chile salted

fascinating road to success—a success that’s attributed to the boom in social networking.

Roy, who is of Korean descent, declared, “The last thing I wanted to be was an Asian chef.” He aspired to work in the world of French and Italian cooking and make his mark in New York City. But he never excelled as he thought he would. “I was more of a journeyman,” he explained. “I wasn’t like my idols.”

It was only after he let down his guard and “walked through the door to cook the flavors that I grew up with” that he hit his culinary stride. With the support and expertise of friends and extended family, he

at Dussmann AG & Co. in

Frankfurt, Germany. He is married and 2000. Kathryn Joanne Roos is assistant general manager for the Black-eyed Pea Restaurant in Houston, TX.

’92

Joseph “Joe” LaVilla is author of the International

Culinary School’s new book The Wine, Beer and Spirits Handbook—A Guide to Styles and Service. Philip L. Mastin is executive

began a revolution in Los Angeles street food. Kogi melds meticulous mise en place, first-class ingredients,

sous chef for the Piedmont Driving Club’s

great service, and food that pairs Korean BBQ with the portability of tacos and burritos.

golf club location in Atlanta, GA. The

However, start-up was anything but easy. At first, Roy and his partners Caroline and Mark Manguera

Culinary Federation named him the 2008

would troll the L.A. club scene at night, handing out flyers inviting patrons to try Kogi tacos for free. But no one was buying! It wasn’t until Eats.com food blogger Alice Shin—now in charge of Kogi PR—invited 100 of the country’s top food bloggers to a tasting at Kogi, that things began to pick up. Simultaneously Mike Prasad, brand director and new media consultant, created the look and feel of the Kogi Web site and connected Kogi to Twitter—where it became a phenomenon.

When your restaurant is in a truck that changes location every day, viral marketing is an essential part of success. And, when Kogi devotees stand on line (sometimes for upwards of an hour) waiting to place their orders, they can Twitter their friends and tell them the location and the specials on the menu.

It’s a kind of old-fashioned word-of-mouth, executed at warp speed! And like with Roy Choi and Kogi, success can accelerate just as fast.

32

into the American Academy

of Chefs on July 10, 2009.

Greater Atlanta Charter of the American Chef of the Year.

’94

Eugene Giunta is assistant

’95

Karen Masri (Craddock)

general manager at TGI

Friday’s in Everett, MA.

was married in 2007. She is

currently second vice president for wealth management at Smith Barney in New York City. Michael Volpe is executive pastry chef at IndianaLive! Casino in Shelbyville, IN. Richard Wheeler is the

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Arizona brewery representative for Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins, CO. Richard recently relocated to Phoenix to oversee the launch and territory expansion of Odell Brewery into Arizona. In April 2009, he welcomed his second child, Gaun.

’97

Pairing by Comparison and Contrast

By Jason Spiro, B.P.S. candidate Less than a decade after graduating from the CIA, Alexander Stupak ’00 is known as a multi-talented,

Michael B. Chase is executive chef at Tuxedos and

globetrotting chef. He’s worked in several top-rated

Tennis Shoes Catering in Seattle, WA.

and cutting-edge kitchens, including Clio in Boston,

Michael B. Miello is corporate chef at

Publican and Alinea in Chicago, and, most recently,

U.S. Foodservice in Perth Amboy, NJ. John Schmitz, Jr. is executive chef for Centerplate at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX.

’98

wd~50 in New York City, where he’s taken up residence as executive pastry chef.

In April, Alex attended the World Gourmet Summit

Bradford Boisvert received the Silver Medal for Best

Vancouver Island Restaurant at Vancouver Magazine’s 20th Annual Restaurant Award ceremony.

in Singapore where he and wd~50 Chef/Owner Wylie Dufresne presented and prepared a multi-course

pandan dessert

meal. Of course, while in Singapore, Alex was able to sample local food. “The cuisine,” he explained, “is an amalgam of Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian food, so when visiting there you can experience tidbits from all of those cultures.”

’99

Jeffrey Lee Knab is operating manager and owner of

When asked what his favorite spices were from the region, he answered, “all of them.” But he does have a

The Brotherhood of Thieves restaurant in

favorite. While still in Singapore, Alex used Twitter.com to “tweet” his love for the pandan leaf, which, he

Nantucket, MA—a job he has enjoyed for

says, “I’ve always loved...and being there certainly reminded me to use it again. I understand the pandan

the past seven years.

’03

S. J. (Nelle) Bauer is chef/ owner of Jennifer James 101

in Albuquerque, NM. It’s a 30-seat white linen restaurant that relies on its gardens, private meat farmers, veggie farmers, and produce foragers for the bulk of its food items. In 2008, Albuquerque The Magazine

leaf’s traditional uses but when I smelled it I immediately began a mental list of other flavors that came to mind. If flavors are popping into your head—there has to be a reason.” The list he created when musing about the pandan leaf included popcorn, butter, coconut, and basmati rice. “If pandan reminds me of coconut,” he points out, “and rum and coconut taste great together, then chances are pandan and rum are going to taste great together.”

“You taste everything you come across,” he says, “and you burn those flavors into your memory and make

named Jennifer James 101 the Best Undis-

them part of you.” He then asks himself, “What do these flavors remind me of and what are they lacking?”

covered Restaurant award and gave Nelle

This, he says, is “pairing by comparison” and by “contrast and support.”

the Best Chef award. Laura A. Simpson is chef at Hotel Hershey’s Fountain Café

Perhaps it’s no surprise that this self-taught pastry chef (who graduated from the CIA with an A.O.S. in

in Hershey, PA.

culinary arts) is “not a die-hard pastry fanatic.” On a recent episode of Food Network’s Iron Chef America in

’04

which chocolate was the secret ingredient, he narrowly beat out Iron Chef Cat Cora ’95. But though he Peter Johnson is executive chef for Aramark Business

Services division at Marsh McLennan in New York City. He was married to his beautiful wife Michelle in April 2009.

loves desserts, he states, “I love the discipline of cooking just as much.”

The environment of wd~50 is well-suited to this chef, who describes himself as applying iconoclastic logic to problems. “For the last six years I’ve been studying texture and the manipulation of it,” Alex says. What

David Lenweaver is restaurant manager

has the journey been like? “I chose to become a pastry chef for immediate creative freedom. As a pastry

at the Bellevue Country Club in Syracuse,

chef I could control my own menu. As a sous chef I didn’t have that opportunity, which I found immensely

NY. Jarrod R. Spangler is chef/owner of La Pecora Nera in Pontebernardo, Italy. Take a look at what he’s up to at www.osterialapecoranera.net.

frustrating.”

“This will sound corny,” he says, “but I’m pretty sure I was born to be a chef. I began in kitchens as a dishwasher when I was 12. I studied cooking as a vocation in high school. The CIA was the natural

’05

Karina Gordon and

progression.” And then he took the less-traveled road for a culinary arts graduate and became a self-taught

Nicholas Massaro ’05 are

pastry chef. Although it has all worked out for him, he says, “I don’t recommend doing what I did.” But we do recommend trying what he does.

mise en place no.50

33

In Memoriam

Problems Paying Your Perkins Loan?

Franklin Knight Brown ’58

If you have a Federal Perkins Loan

She received her bachelor of science from

David Pfurr ’74

and are having trouble making

Cornell University in May 2009.

David Charles Marsh ’81

payments, we may be able to help.

Carl Becerra ’82

Call our Perkins Loan specialist to

engaged to be married in May 2010 at

chef de cuisine at the Kiawah Island Re-

the Hershey Hotel in PA. They have been

sort. He recently had the opportunity to

together since March 2004 when they met

guest chef with Charlie Trotter. Jeannine

at the CIA. Matthew R. Ianetta is chef

M. Sacco is an entrepreneur in residence

at Sear Restaurant in the Marriott Atlanta

at KensaGroup, LLC Inc in Ithaca, NY.

Marquis, Atlanta, GA. Aubrey Saxton is sous chef at First Course in Keene, NH. First course is a 16-week culinary training program primarily for adults with disabilities that provides them with the skills to obtain meaningful employment in the community.

’08

Michelle Blackwell is employed by The Centre Hills

Country Club in State College, PA.

Christopher Culver, Sr. ’91 Dean Renner ’09

find out what options are available to you that might include deferment, forbearance, special payments, cancellation, or rehabilitation of

’06

the loan before it goes to collection.

Ashley Marie Fonzo and Paul Cozza ’06 were married

Alive & Well

Collection agencies can charge up

In the August 2009 edition we mistakenly indicated that

balance in collection fees. Continued

pastry chef at Sterling Affairs Catering

Gianni David Fabiani ’03 had passed away. Nothing

delinquency will have a serious

in Carlstadt, NJ. Jason Kessler is sous

could be farther from the truth. He is alive and well,

impact on your credit rating and

chef at Buca di Beppo in Las Vegas, NV.

working in Hawaii at the Four Seasons Resort Lana’i, The

your ability to obtain future loans.

Lodge at Koele. We deeply regret any distress this error

Already in collections?

caused his family, friends, and colleagues.

See what we can do to help.

in August 2008. Ashley is catering and sales coordinator at the Hyatt Hotel in Morristown, NJ, and Paul is an assistant

Matthew LaGrow is executive chef for Organic Trails Cafes, LLC in Columbus, OH. Catherine Elizabeth Marczak is pasty chef at Fire and Ice on Toby Creek in Trucksville, PA. William Morrison is

to 30% on top of your outstanding

Contact Janet McKenney, accounts receivable specialist, at 845-451-1695 or jp_mcken@culinary.edu

student chili cook off 2009

34

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Win! a Fabulous masters collection

Hyde Park Carving Set ®

It’s easy!

Just tell us about one of your most embarrassing, surprising, or hilarious moments at work in 100 words or less. (Don’t worry, that’s just about the number of words in these two paragraphs.)

Did something startling happen in your kitchen? Do you have an amusing front-of-the-house anecdote?

Is there a corporate tale that will have us all shaking our heads? The winning storyteller will receive a Hyde Park® Collection two-piece carving set—a $120 value. Runner-up storytellers will receive specially selected gifts. We will reveal the winning tales in an upcoming issue of mise en place as well as on the alumni Web site.

Post your story on the Web at www.ciaalumninetwork.com or send it in by snail mail to: The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Relations Office 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538

Deadline for entries: December 15, 2009

The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Relations 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499

At this time of year, we feel especially thankful and wish to extend our gratitude to the many alumni who:

Hosted an admissions or alumni reception • Mentored students Referred prospective students to the CIA • Supported CIA scholarships Provided externship opportunities • Donated gifts-in-kind Proctored an admissions test • Helped at a college fair Recruited at an on-campus Career Fair • Hired our students and alumni Held a demo or lecture at the CIA • Attended a CIA event

All of us wish you and yours a happy holiday season!

Alumni Relations Admissions 845-451-1401 1-800-285-4627 ciaalumninetwork.com

Advancement 845-905-4275 ciagiving.org

CIA Web Sites Career Services Conrad N. Hilton Library Professional Development ciachef.edu 845-451-1275 845-451-1270 1-800-888-7850 ciaprochef.com

General Information 845-452-9600