mise en place issue 58 Decoding the Nutrition Label

6 Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Cup (236mL) Servings Per Container 4

Nutrition Facts

3/4 Cup (30g) Serving Size Servings Per Container About 13

Nutrition Facts Peach, raw Serving size 175g

Calories 68 Water 155

% Daily Value Total Fat 0.4g 1% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Vitamins Vitamin A 570IU 11% Vitamin C 11.6mg 19% Vitamin K 4.6mcg 6% Niacin 1.4mg 7% Potassium 333mg 10%

6

Decoding the Nutrition Label Unraveling the options

14 Q&A with President Ryan 30 years with the CIA

Amount Per Serving Calories 90 Calories from Fat 0

% Daily Value Total Fat 0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat 0g 0% Cholesterol Less than 5mg 1% Sodium 125mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 13mg 4% Dietary Fiber 0g 0% Sugars 12g Protein 9g 17%

Amount Per Serving Calories 110 Calories from Fat 10

% Daily Value Total Fat 1.5g* 2% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat 0g 0% Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0.5g Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 170mg 7% Potassium 75mg 2% Total Carbohydrate 25mg 8% Dietary Fiber 3g 10% Sugars 9g Protein 2g

20 It’s All in the Hands

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 8 fl oz (240mL) Servings Per Container About 7 Amount Per Serving Calories 110 Calories from Fat 10

% Daily Value Total Fat 0g 0% Sodium 0mg 0% Potassium 450mg 13% Total Carbohydrate 26g 9% Sugars 22g Protein 2g

The extraordinary life of Lyde Buchtenkirch-Biscardi ’72

30 Equipped for Success

NAFEM’s commitment to the CIA

20 14 10 24 10 Across the Plaza

Your Role in Nutritional Analysis | Labels Matter | Fair

28 Gifts at Work

Why Give? | Giving’s Impact | Gifts That Work

Trade: A Chef’s Perspective | The Architecture of Change Bringing Food and Art Together, Sustainably

22 Education for Life

Book Shelf | Delicious Environmentalism | San Antonio Campus and Beyond | Kudos | Food Safety: An Update

32 Class Notes

Class Notes | In Memoriam

Reading nutrition labels was something I never did. They were relegated in my mind to being the indecipherable words and numbers on the back of packages.

If I didn’t turn the package around, I’d never have to face my deep sense of inadequacy at being unable to figure them out.

I mean, really. What in heaven’s name is %DV? And what is the difference between sodium and potassium? Oh, and fiber. I realize it’s supposed to be good for you, but I was completely perplexed about how much or how little to eat.

And those front-of-the-box claims like “all natural,” “lite,” “promotes high

mise en place® No. 58, December 2011 Nancy W. Cocola, Editor Leslie Jennings, Designer

Contributing Writers Stephanie Jane Carter ’06

energy,” used to fool me, too. But once I started working at a marketing

Fareez Dossani (student)

company some years back, I got savvier. I knew that most of those claims were

Stephan Hengst ’00

bogus—the subtle twisting of words or phrases to imply a benefit. So, I just

Wyman Philbrook ’89 Ricardo Ramirez (student) Jennifer Stack ’03 Felicia Zammit

decided to eat what I liked and avoid labels altogether!

Well, last year my life changed. Illness and the subsequent road to recovery

Editorial Board

required that, against my will I might add, I had to start reading those darn

Dr. Tim Ryan ’77 President

Chet Koulik Francisco Migoya

represented, I discovered probably the most important lesson of all—what I

Dr. Victor Gielisse Vice President for Advancement

considered a serving size had nothing to do with reality. But, over time, by

Mark Ainsworth ’86

Tama Murphy

Brad Barnes ’87

Anthony Nogales ’88

nutrition labels on the backs of the packages. My first stop was to a nutritionist who defined words like daily value, fiber, potassium, carbohydrates, and all manner of fats. Armed with a new understanding of what the numbers

reading these labels and paying attention to what they told me, I have helped myself get well and feel healthier than ever.

Currently, there is a big debate raging in the industry, in the medical profession, and in the government about what information should appear on nutrition labels and what claims can be made on the front of packaging. Whatever the Institute of Medicine ultimately recommends to the Food and Drug Administration regarding best practices for labels, this is what I know to be true: Knowledge is a powerful thing and can change a life. It’s not enough to make the change on the packages; we have to provide outreach and show people how to use that information to their ultimate advantage—so all Americans can become healthier than ever.

Nancy Cocola, Editor n_cocola@culinary.edu

Sue Cussen Heather Kolakowski ’02

Chris Loss ’93 Douglass Miller ’89

Jennifer Stack ’03

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. ©2011 The Culinary Institute of America All rights reserved.

Photography: Shirley Cheng, Keith Ferris, and Katie Stoops.

4

You Make A Difference

to earn a Bachelor of Science in Hotel

and continues to create new collaborative

Did you know that almost 40% of CIA

Administration from the Cornell School

educational initiatives.

of Hotel Administration in an abbreviated

students were referred to the college by our graduates? We can’t thank you enough for your assistance in recruiting the best and brightest future culinarians to the CIA. And, we want to make it even easier for students to consider a CIA education.

That’s why we’re proud to announce that we are doubling the amount of the Alumni Referral Scholarship to $1,000. Students recommended by you are automatically eligible. To start them on the road to this great scholarship opportunity, you simply send a letter of recommendation about the candidate to: Admissions Office, The Culinary Institute of America, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY 12538-

time frame.

For CIA BPS graduates or those interested in ongoing professional development, the site also contains links to the School of Hotel Administration’s master’s degree program, executive education, and the latest research from the Center for Hospitality Research. The site provides insight into a variety of career opportunities through posted interviews with industry professionals and the latest news about joint initiatives. In addition, CIA alumni can connect with graduates of the collaborative degree program through a new group on the CIA alumni network

CIA Singapore Meets Sunny California Thirty-three students from the very first bachelor’s degree class at the CIA Singapore traveled across the globe to take their Food, Wine, and (Agri)culture course in northern California. They visited wineries and farms, meat and fish purveyors, food producers and suppliers, and restaurants, as they became fully immersed in the cuisine of the region.

“These students have just completed their most intense semester of technical courses,” said Chef Eve Felder ’88, CEC, managing director of the CIA Singapore. “They are

1499. Be sure to mention your graduation

entitled “SHA/CIA Alliance.”

year in the letter. Thanks again for your

Since its inception in 2005, the SHA/

referrals, and keep them coming! This

and are just waiting to see how all of this

CIA Alliance has enrolled more than

scholarship opportunity is available for students

information is applied in the field.” The

70 students in the collaborative degree

starting at the CIA after January 1, 2012.

students on this trip will complete their

program. The Alliance also sponsors food

bachelor’s degree studies in Singapore in

career exploration events, facilitates faculty

early 2013.

Info at Your Fingertips— CIA/Cornell Alliance

armed with a huge amount of knowledge

interaction between the two institutions,

Find out more about the CIA’s alliance with the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration at a newly launched, dedicated website—www. shacia.org. Graduates of the AOS program will easily find details about this collaborative degree program, which offers them a chance

CIA BPS students from Singapore at Yolo land and Cattle company in woodland, ca

5

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 4 cups (116g) Servings Per Container About 25 Amount Per Serving Calories 500 Calories from Fat 50

% Daily Value Total Fat 7.5g 10% Sodium 0mg 0% Total Carbohydrate 100mg 28% Dietary Fiber 15g 60% Protein 20g Iron 20%

6

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Decoding the Nutrition Label

By Nancy Cocola In your grandmother’s day, food was packaged in butcher paper,

The Oleomargarine Act of 1950 required the prominent labeling of

newspaper, brown paper, and the occasional piece of wax paper. The

colored oleomargarine in order to distinguish it from real butter. Those

meals she prepared came from ingredients she got walking down her

flim-flam artists were trying to sell consumers cheap margarine under

street from the butcher shop, to the fishmonger’s stall, to the local

the guise of it being butter! In 1958, the Food Additives Amendment

grocery store, and, finally, to the bakery. She couldn’t have conceived

required manufacturers to establish safety levels and declare the

of something called nutrition labels. All the nutrition she and her

presence of all additives put into its products. That same year, the FDA

family needed could be found in the meals she prepared. And, if there

published the first list of food additives generally recognized as safe

was a label on a package of food, it usually had to do with special

(GRAS). By 1973, we were beginning to see the precursors to today’s

dietary use intended for some poor soul with a medical condition. But

nutrition labels. Those labels covered all FDA-regulated foods. They

her world, the one in which you could be sure that the ingredients you

included the number of calories; grams of protein, carbohydrate,

used were all that were going into your body, began to change.

and fat; and the percent of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance

More prepared and pre-packaged foods arrived on the grocery shelves, a trend that continued over the years. Today, a huge percentage of our foods come ready-to-eat, and the supermarkets reflect that change.

Aisles are filled with rows and rows of boxes and cans that have within them, if claims are to be believed, the keys to our nutritional health and well-being. Things are “lite,” “contain real fruit,” are made from “whole grains,” and are considered “natural” or “clean.” And that’s just the front of the packages. On the back is a nutrition panel—that rectangular display of numbers, words, and percentages—that tries to provide consumers with facts instead of claims. That’s a good thing, except most people haven’t got a clue as to how to understand it.

(U.S. RDA) of protein, vitamins A and C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, and iron. Sodium, along with saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, could be included at the manufacturer’s discretion. Not many changes were made in nutrition labeling regulations over the next 10 years. It was primarily the interest in the relationship between diet and health that emerged in the late ’70s and early ’80s that changed food labeling.

Landmark Report Changes Nutrition Labels

8.5%

The Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health and the National

A great debate rages about the nature of nutrition labeling both on the

Research Council’s report Diet and Health: Implications for Reducing

back and front of food packaging. This concept of nutrition labeling is

Chronic Disease, both published in the ’80s, focused on the connection

fairly new in the scheme of things, and now, changes are coming. So

between diet and health. Suddenly heart disease, cancer, strokes, and

it might be good to take a moment to look back at how we got to this

diabetes were being “attached” to different food groups. Both reports

place and what the future holds.

made suggestions for planning healthy diets. But how many consumers actually see or utilize these reports?

History of Nutrition Labeling

12.6%

As far back as 1924, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was watching out for flimflam in food labeling. It condemned “statements, designs, or devices” on product labels that were meant to “mislead or deceive,” even if they were “technically” true. Then in 1938, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act included safe tolerances for unavoidable poisonous substances—yes, they were trying to keep us safe from poisonous substances. That same Act also made it clear that food was deemed misbranded if its label “represents, suggests, or implies that the food, because of the presence or absence of certain dietary properties, is adequate or effective in the prevention, cure, mitigation, or treatment of any disease or symptom.”1

mise en place no.58, December 2011

In 1990, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Louis Sullivan instructed the FDA to revise the current food label. He characterized the problem this way: “As consumers shop for healthier food, they encounter confusion and frustration. The grocery store has become a Tower of Babel and consumers need to be linguists, scientists, and mind readers to understand the many labels they see.” The FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sponsored a study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) based on the premise that changing eating habits would improve health and that food labels were one of the keys to helping consumers make educated choices.

In response, Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, the most significant food labeling legislation since 1938. But, the concern remained about how to convey that information to the public.

7

The Science Behind the Design

8.7%

that companies could use to “help busy consumers make informed choices.” The program is called Nutrition Keys and it simplifies the

Lots of things on the nutrition label conspire to confuse the consumer.

more complex nutrition information into easy-to-read amounts and

Some values are expressed in milligrams while others are indicated

percentages of calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugars. Companies

in grams. Some nutrients with high numbers indicate a “good” value

will also have the option of listing two additional “nutrients to

while others with high numbers indicate a “bad” value. For example,

encourage,” choosing, at their discretion, from potassium; fiber;

2 grams of fat in a serving may be considered good, while 2 grams

protein; vitamins A, C, and D; calcium; or iron.

of fiber may be too low to do a body good. The simplest redesign of the label tried to help consumers focus on the %DV (percent of daily value), which indicates the percentage of a single nutrient within the context of a regular daily diet of 2,000 calories. Bold numbers draw the eye to that column to help consumers understand what part of their daily allotment of that nutrient they are about to eat and how much more they have “room” for. Serving size, determined by the USDA’s nationwide food consumption and intake surveys and other resources, is now given pride of place at the very top of the label to help consumers regulate the amount of food they eat. Calories are also made more prominent. All the facts are there but consumers still aren’t availing themselves of the information. What to do? Maybe simplifying nutritional information on the front of the box would turn out to be the answer.

Concerns have been voiced about the timing and effectiveness of the Nutrition Keys system in part because of the industry’s previous track record with the Smart Choices simple labeling system. Launched in 2009, Smart Choices was a rating system developed by a coalition of companies from the food industry. The program was discontinued later that same year after sharp criticism was levied for including products such as Froot Loops, Lucky Charms, and Frosted Flakes as Smart Choices. While they might have been healthy in terms of grains, they were loaded with sugar! Good did come out of the debacle. In December of 2009, General Mills announced that it would reduce the amount of sugar in many of its cereal brands.

Traffic Lights In the United Kingdom, the “traffic-light” front-of-package system

Up-Front: Answers or Confusion?

40%

Recognizing the critical nature of the nation’s obesity crisis, coupled with a growing sense that consumers are not understanding or utilizing the important information on the nutrition labels, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA requested that the IOM issue a review and recommendation regarding simplified frontof-package (FOP) nutrition rating systems and symbols.

has been in vogue for a number of years. The system, which uses red, amber, and green to indicate whether a product contains high or low values of a particular nutrient, is based on a nutrient-profiling approach developed at Oxford University. However, in March of 2010, after a great deal of lobbying from manufacturers, the U.K. decided to back away from its proposed use of the traffic lights. Industry felt that red symbols on the front, which indicated a negative value of that nutrient, were scaring off consumers. Despite a limited study out

The IOM study will be completed in two phases. Phase I will examine

of Oxford University that indicated the new system did nothing to

FOP nutrition rating systems and symbols by looking at current

change relative healthy choices of consumers, a different survey found

systems, assessing the strength and weaknesses of the nutrition science

that British consumers liked the traffic light labeling.

that underlies them, and reaching conclusions based on a nutrition perspective. Phase II will focus on assessing consumer use and understanding of FOP symbols. It will also determine which rating systems and symbols best promote public health. The report, which is scheduled for late 2011, will offer recommendations for best practices in developing and implementing a standardized FOP

The Guiding Stars is a nutrition guidance program developed by a group of nutrition and health experts from Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Tufts University, and University of North

nutrition labeling system.

Carolina that rates all food products in the grocery store. It is based

Even when that edict comes down from the IOM, there will be debate.

Organization. The program is evidence-based and was launched

Already, independent groups have begun to promote their front of package ideas to get consumers to understand what constitutes a healthy choice when in the supermarket aisles.

Nutrition Keys

8

Guiding Stars

on recommendations of the FDA, USDA, and the World Health in Hannaford supermarkets in 2006. As of fall 2010, it was in 1,500 stores. Products are assigned zero, one, two, or three stars based on their nutritional value. Products with more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and whole grains get more stars. Products with more saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sodium, or added sugars get fewer stars.

In January 2011, the Grocery Manufacturers of America and the Food

A number of years into the program, some data is in on the impact of

Marketing Institute announced a voluntary nutritional labeling system

the Guiding Stars program. According to Lisa Sutherland, assistant

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School, “The

ingredient list may well equate to being the healthiest for us.”

purchasing of low-sugar, high-fiber cereals increased greatly after program implementation. This finding is of particular importance to our understanding the potential impact of such programs on consumer diet.”

Ms. Gussow’s focus on ingredient lists is reflected in the “clean” label movement. In fact, many brands are developing internal review boards to evaluate what label changes can be made to a given product and what the logistical and financial ramifications might be of doing so. Brand developers have a few important questions to answer before

Nutrition iQ

they go changing the ingredients in a successful product. And, while

The Nutrition iQ , called the “better-for-you” program, comes out of the Joslin Diabetes Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, which is one of the world’s premier diabetes research facilities.

The Nutrition iQ system consists of color-coded tags denoting a food product’s status with respect to attributes such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, 100% juice content, Omega-3 and low saturated fats, whole grains, calcium, protein, low or reduced sodium, and low or reduced caloric content. The first phase of the program was launched in 2009 in all SuperValu® stores and included center store food products, with coverage of fresh food departments anticipated sometime in 2011.

there is pressure from consumers to clean up labels, companies obviously have to determine the benefits of change. Some of the questions they face are whether or not the product will actually taste better, if it will remain in compliance with FDA regulations, whether the subsequent change of labeling and emphasis (i.e., natural, organic, fat free) means a change in the demographic group of interest, and finally, will the shelf life of the product be affected? No government agency has defined the word “clean” in relation to labels, so there is no standard set. However, consumers can tell the difference between labels with four or five ingredients that they recognize vs. a label with a laundry list of ingredients that look decidedly like Greek!

No matter what side of the box you look at this issue from, making

NuVal

nutrition, ingredient, and FOP labels useful, informative, and accurate

Out of the Yale University Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT came the Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI). This algorithm is designed to generate a single score for a food based on its nutrient composition that ranks its relative nutritional value. The ONQI was developed over a two-year period by a team of leading nutrition, public health,

will be no easy task. Will simplification and better-for-you labels be the next step, or will we all get the education we need to decipher the information on the nutrition panel? What is clear is that consumers are slowly beginning to opt for foods that appear to be healthier for them.

Now all we have to do is make sure appearance and fact converge with awareness and education.

1

and medical experts from Harvard, Albert Einstein College

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Section 403, paragraph (i) and (i)(1).

of Medicine, Northwestern University, and Baylor College of Medicine, to name just a few. The team created a tool that any consumer can easily understand with the ultimate goal of guiding food choice based on overall nutritional quality. Called the NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System, it gives all foods a score from one to 100—the higher the score, the higher the food’s overall nutrition. So if you are holding two boxes of crackers in your hand and trying to decide which to purchase, the simple answer is, the one with the higher number.

Clean Labels

16%

What all of these front-of-the-package programs have in common

c Fa ts

Nutrition Education Program at Columbia University’s Teachers

on

items. Joan Gussow, professor emerita and former chair of the

it i

consuming artificial ingredients, preservatives, or other mystery

tr

list at the bottom of the nutrition label, you have no idea if you are

Nu

But, unless you turn over the package and read the ingredients

t6 Fa e m u fro Val % es 1 y 5g lori Dail 1% aw 2 Ca % ,r e2 na siz na g 0% 0 B a r vin s 20 0%

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g

al r t t g To S atu s Fa l 0m 51 te ro an Tr es te mg ydr a g 2 % ol oh r 6 33 % Ch ium ar b ibe 3 d F C So t al C ar y 8g in am To Diet r s 2 Vit n g ga Iro Su in 2 e

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is their shorthand approach to conveying nutritional information.

College, believes that the most important part of any nutrition label is the ingredient list. “I believe that foods with the simplest

mise en place no.58, December 2011

9

Your Role in Nutritional Analysis Some helpful tips

By Jennifer Stack ’03 Truly precise nutritional analysis of meals requires that all components of the actual meal be sent for laboratory analysis at a site that

Include as much descriptive and relevant information as possible.

• A sautéed entrée is usually served in a sauce made from the

utilizes incinerated ash or chemical extraction to determine content.

drippings that remain in the pan after cooking. If the rendered fat

This is time- and cost-prohibitive, so most nutrient analysis is done

is poured off before the pan is deglazed, the amount of fat removed

with computer software and nutrient databases. Even if you hire a

needs to be measured and the appropriate grams of fat and calories

registered dietitian to do the nutrient analysis, you play an important

need to be subtracted from the recipe.

role in ensuring accuracy. Actually most of the work of the analysis occurs before data is entered into a software program. The following steps and guidelines can help you improve the accuracy of your nutrient analysis by database, so you can present information to your customers with confidence.

• Although liquids added to the pan to make a sauce will necessarily be reduced, that action does not lower the calorie count, only the volume.

• Loss of calories from alcohol that is burned off during cooking also needs to be considered. Not all of the alcohol will burn off during

Optimizing Analysis

the making of quick pan sauces. Seventy-five percent of the alcohol

Observe and quantify the cooking methods and amounts of ingredients used.

remain in a dish that is simmered for an hour.1

• Put a generous, but measured, amount of salt or oil on the chef’s

remains when it is quickly flamed, and 25 percent of the alcohol can

• Check the yield of your recipes and identify if there are any discrepancies between what the recipe states is the yield and

mise en place tray and then measure the amount left after the dish is

what is actually plated. It is also essential to note what is actually

prepared.

consumable on the guest’s plate. For example, you may serve a

• Adjust the numbers on the recipe so the process in the kitchen matches the amounts being analyzed. For example, “salt to taste” needs to have a specific amount attributed to it, such as 1/2 teaspoon or 2 tablespoons. You must clarify if it is kosher, sea, or table salt.

• The amount of oil absorbed by foods being fried will vary enormously depending on the type of food it is and whether it is breaded or battered. Weigh or measure the amount of oil before and after cooking to get an accurate reading of the amount of oil absorbed.

• Confirm that the type of fat being used matches what the recipe calls for. It’s important to indicate if it’s olive oil, canola oil, or another type of vegetable oil, because the nutritional breakdown of each type of fat is different. Also confirm if heavy cream, half and half, and whole or clarified butter is being called for.

• Try to choose the food or ingredient you are using directly from the

10-ounce pork chop, but if it is bone-in, only eight ounces of that is consumable meat. It is those eight ounces only that can be used for the analysis. Use a kitchen scale to accurately quantify the edible portion.

Fluid ounces vs. weight and raw vs. cooked • Identify the form and/or cut of ingredients (e.g., red onion, peeled, finely diced, and four ounces, 112 grams) • The weight of fatty meats like sausage will vary greatly between the raw and cooked form, and grains that get hydrated when cooked will also weigh and measure differently from the raw form.

• Measure the amount of marinade and breading or batters before and after the food is dredged or marinated to estimate the amount that remains on the food and will be consumed by the guest. For example, if you have six cups of marinade made from four cups of oil and two cups of vinegar, and 80% of this marinade remains after

database in the amount that most closely resembles what ends up on

removing the food, you need to include 20% of the four cups of oil

your guest’s plate.

and 20% of the vinegar and other marinade ingredients in your analysis. Keep in mind that honey- and yogurt-based marinades cling more to the food than oil-based marinades made with wine, vinegar, or lemon juice.

10

Brining and marinating—the great unknown • The amount of sodium (from salt and condiments) and the amount of sugar that penetrate food during marinating and brining will vary depending on the strength of the solution, the duration of the brine/marinade, and the quality of the muscle fibers in the meat or poultry being marinated. America’s Test Kitchen did an experiment to determine how much sodium penetrates during the brining process.

They used a solution of 1/2 cup table salt dissolved in two quarts of cold water to brine a 31/2 ounce pork chop and a 31/2 ounce chicken breast, each for 30 minutes. The amount of sodium absorbed was

As you can see, obtaining accurate nutrition analysis is not a simple process! Since so many preparations and cooking techniques have numerous variables, the best way to assure accuracy is to seek assistance from nutrition experts trained in completing analyses for the foodservice industry. At HealthyDining.com you can find a team of registered dietitians who provide accurate and cost-effective nutritional analysis, among other services. If you choose to keep the work in-house, you can purchase nutrient analysis software at www. esha.com or a variety of other companies with available programs.

The ESHA Food Processor program is the one we use at the CIA.

245 mg in the pork chop and 353 mg in the chicken breast. They

Providing nutrient data for your menu is a service for your guests.

theorized that the loose white muscle fibers in chicken absorb salt

However, it can easily become a disservice if the chef does not put in

water more quickly than the tighter muscle fibers in pork. Based on

the time and thought necessary to ensure accuracy.

this data, at least a 1/4 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (280

1

mg sodium per 1/4 tsp or .7 gm) would need to be added to the cold water for each 100 gm (31/2 oz) portion of protein.

J. Augustin, et al, “Alcohol Retention in Food Preparation,” Journal of

the American Dietetic Association, (April 1992): 486-8 Jennifer Stack, MS, RD, CHE, is a CIA assistant professor in liberal arts and a registered dietitian.

11

Labels Matter

Portion Size: As with all menu descriptions, customers often base how much they are willing to pay for an item on advertised sizes.

If a restaurant advertises an eight-ounce steak, the restaurant has an

By Stephanie Jane Carter ’06

obligation to serve an eight-ounce steak. It sounds easy, but here is where

This past winter, McDonald’s added to its menu Fruit and Maple

purveyor or distributor. By the time it arrives at your restaurant, the steak

Oatmeal packed in containers boasting, “Undeniably delicious oatmeal.” Undeniably delicious or not, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture (VAA) found that the oatmeal undeniably contained no actual maple product, violating the state’s Maple Law. This law falls into a loose body of laws and regulations that exist at the local, state, and national level and are known collectively as truth-in-menu laws.

Perhaps better described as accuracy-in-menu, the laws are designed to protect customers against fraudulent food and beverage claims, and to help them make informed decisions and compare brands. If the laws are violated, restaurants can incur fines, lose consumer confidence due to bad press, and land in court for cases based on emotional distress,

it becomes tricky. Perhaps you ordered eight-ounce steaks from your may be seven ounces with one ounce of purged liquid. The purge is usually covered in the contract between the restaurant and the purveyor.

However, your customer is not part of the contract. When you advertised an eight-ounce steak, you created a warranty that the steak would be eight ounces when it arrives at the table.

Quality Definitions: As an example, prime, choice, and select are all grades of beef that have specific meanings under USDA guidelines.

breach of warranty, false advertising, and violation of consumer

Product Identification: The FDA has established standards

protection laws. A menu is an opportunity to cast your products in the

of identity for certain products, such as ketchup and cream. States have

best light, but that light should not obscure the truth or mislead your

also established standards of identity, as in the Vermont Maple Law.

customer.

Restaurants in Florida in the 1970s were reported to have been serving

There are several categories of menu descriptions that warrant a restaurant’s attention, including the following:

Size Definitions: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades eggs and other food items according to clearly defined sizes. If you advertise large eggs, they need to be the USDA’s definition of large, not your subjective idea of large. If the USDA has no size definition for the product, the restaurant may be held to a relevant industry standard.

neatly shaped pieces of shark and passing them off as scallops. Now, Florida imposes a hefty fine for advertising a fish as one thing and serving it as another.

Ingredient Lists: Ingredient lists should be accurate and not misleading. Many consumers have allergies, religious beliefs, and other issues that prohibit them from eating certain foods. Ingredient lists are better if they include potential allergens and meat products when they are present. Recently, a New Orleans reporter visited a famous New York City gourmet food purveyor and ordered a bagel with lobster salad. He noticed something strikingly familiar about the little orange and red tails in that salad—they were actually crawfish. So, he checked the ingredient list. Crawfish was listed first and lobster wasn’t mentioned at all. The discovery was reported by The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The

12

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Times Picayune, the Bangor Daily News in Maine, and countless blogs. The

an honest way. An item should not be called “fresh” if it has been frozen,

store owner claimed that he was not trying to deceive his customers,

dried, canned, or processed. If an item is advertised as “homemade,” it

making the case that most New Yorkers wouldn’t know what a crawfish

should be prepared on premises and not at a separate factory. Recently,

is. He referred to a Wikipedia entry stating that crawfish “are freshwater

a pierogi restaurant in Florida was cited for advertising “homemade

crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related.” The

pierogi” when, in fact, investigators found a freezer full of pierogi in the

saving grace was that the owner did not put lobster on the ingredient

restaurant’s kitchen bearing the label “home-style.” The off-premises

list. The more accurate menu description would be “lobster” salad

manufacturer got the label right, but the restaurant did not.

rather than Lobster Salad. That said, the store probably avoided a lot more trouble by having an honest and accurate ingredient list. While it avoided the courts, it has still suffered negative media attention and most likely a loss of consumer confidence and perhaps future sales.

Price: Restaurants are encouraged and sometimes required to make prices of items clear to customers. If an item is advertised at $6, it must be sold at $6. If a restaurant promises six shrimp for $12, there must be six shrimp in that order. Restaurant industry experts often encourage restaurants to make it clear to a customer when he/she will be charged

Illustration/Graphics: Illustrations and graphics are a way of describing a menu item to a customer. Many experts recommend adding a qualifier such as, “not actual size,” to avoid misrepresentations.

Menu Caution Statements: Certain foods require cautionary statements. Raw and undercooked foods even require a disclaimer of a certain size to explain that consuming these foods increases the risk of foodborne illness.

for refills, substitutions, and service charges in order to avoid disputes.

Health and Nutrient Claims: Claims such as “lite” and

Brand Name Usage: Words like Coke are brand names and

“low-fat” must be in compliance with the Nutrition Labeling and

misuse of these names is a trademark infringement. For example, a

The FDA has specific definitions for these terms. Additionally, the federal

restaurant cannot advertise that it sells Coke when it is using a substitute.

It cannot refer to a dessert as a Coca-Cola Cake unless that cake actually contains Coca-Cola.

Point of Origin: It is fraudulent to misrepresent the point of origin of an item. In some cases, state law creates specific regulations dealing with this issue. This is becoming increasingly relevant as consumers embrace the “local movement.”

Preparation Style: For example, items that are called “grilled” must be grilled rather than steamed with grill-marks added mechanically.

Items called “kosher” must meet the requirements of Orthodox Judaism.

Merchandising Terms: The government defines some merchandising terms, and you can get into trouble for not using them in

mise en place no.58, December 2011

Education Act of 1990, extended in 1997 to include restaurant menus. government passed legislation in March of 2011 requiring restaurants with more than 20 units to post calorie counts on menus, menu boards, and drive-throughs. The FDA is currently in the final phases of creating uniform labeling requirements and a final ruling is expected soon.

Asking yourself whether your menu descriptions are fair and accurate will go a long way in helping you avoid issues with menu labels. Some of this is common sense. For everything else, you should be familiar with the fda.gov and usda.gov websites, local and state regulations, and the educational material on compliance with truth-in-menus legislation provided by several reputable trade organizations.

With a slew of court cases and press involving misleading or inaccurate menu claims, a California Supreme Court summarized it best: “Labels matter.”

Stephanie Carter is the editorial director at the Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, LA.

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Q&A with President Tim Ryan ’77 Student, chef, educator, innovator, leader Recently, the CIA’s Board of Trustees announced

with that country, also came from the New

the renewal of President Tim Ryan’s contract for

World.

a 10-year term. He has already led the CIA for a

The CIA, along with a handful of pioneers

decade, stewarding the college through a period

like Larry Forgione ’74, Wolfgang Puck, and

of enormous innovation and growth. It seemed

Paul Prudhomme, were at the forefront of what

the perfect time to sit down with him and hear

became known now as the American cuisine

his reflections on where we have been and what

revolution. If you look back on those 30 years

lies ahead for the college.

and what has happened to American cuisine, it’s astounding. Our current students have only lived

You’ve been college president for 10 years, but you’ve been at the CIA much longer. What brought you back after you graduated?

in a time when American cuisine and American chefs were regarded as highly as French cuisine and French chefs. In the 30 years since opening Bounty, the center of the food world has arguably shifted from France to America, and the CIA has had a lot to do with that.

I’ve actually been at the school for 30 years.

I came back to open the American Bounty Restaurant.

1982

I don’t have one in particular because even

What were the challenges inherent in that project?

though I wear a suit and tie and am not in the kitchen, my upbringing and perspective is still that of a chef. And chefs are conditioned to

The American Bounty Restaurant was created to

think, “You are only as good as your worst meal.”

highlight American cuisine. The real challenge

That’s good and bad. The good news is there is a

was that the majority of the industry didn’t

relentless desire to be better and to worry about

believe there was such a thing as American

that worst meal. The bad news is chefs don’t

cuisine. So, along with doing research on

often step back and enjoy the bigger picture.

American foods, traditions, and ingredients;

It’s seldom I get time to step back and savor an

developing dishes; and designing the actual

accomplishment. For example, we opened up two

restaurant; I traveled around the country and

campuses this year. Each of these endeavors took

gave talks about American cuisine to prove it

six to seven years to bring to fruition. Aside from

existed. I encountered chefs who said we just

celebrating at the opening ceremonies, I pretty

borrowed our cuisine from other countries. My

much had to immediately move along to the next

counter argument was that we have lost sight of

project. Realize that on any given day, we can be

the fact that the cuisine of any nation is borrowed

juggling 100 immediate and long-range projects.

from other countries. Germany is known for

Many are realized, with an equal number never

sauerkraut, but that came to them from China.

seeing the light of day. You have to move along to

Italy is known for polenta, tomatoes, and pasta, which came to them from the New World and China. Hungarian paprika, which is so identified

14

What has been your proudest moment as CIA President?

the next thing. talking to new students

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

What is the profile of today’s CIA graduate? What are their strengths?

How would you like to see our alumni engaged with the CIA?

Two things. I’m confident that the student body

to stay connected. At the most basic level, they

I think that there are all kinds of ways for alumni need to let us know where they are and what they

of the CIA has never been better, and I base

are doing, especially if they move or change jobs.

that on 30 years of experience here and my own

Then, wherever they are, I’d love for them to help

experience as a student. If I compare today’s students with my classmates, I’d say today’s are far superior. They are also different. My

promote the college and their fellow alums. When at san antonio campus opening

if they win an award they can make sure that the

generation judges students from their 50-year-old

media coverage mentions they are a CIA grad. If,

perspective. If I delude myself into thinking that

within their own cities and towns, they can help

an 18-year-old Tim Ryan is the same as 50-year-

fellow alums get a leg up and succeed, that would

old Tim Ryan I’d be wrong. Let’s remember, the

be fostering and strengthening our alumni network

baby boomer generation, when judged by the

in a real way. Another way they can stay engaged

previous generation, was considered lacking and a disappointment, but we turned it around and it worked out.

is to refer high-caliber students. Those alums with confering with thomas keller at bocuse d’or

The same is true with today’s generation—they are

that is very important. Our alumni are typically

have the best student body we’ve ever had and

hardworking people who are proud of the school

we offer the best culinary education we’ve ever

but they look at the campus environment and

provided. The course of study is geared toward a

think, “They don’t need my money.” But, of course,

much more complex industry than when I went

as a not-for-profit school, all our monies get plowed

to school. Our CIA graduates have a different

back into the college. What alumni may not be

professional standard and ethic, which sets

thinking about is that when the school excels, that

them apart when they go out into the workforce.

benefits them too. If we can get everyone to start

They are a cut above and they stand out. They

out by giving $10 or $20, that would be great. If we

graduate today into the most powerful network in

could bump up our percentage of alumni support it

foodservice—43,000 CIA alumni. They have a leg

would make a huge difference to the college.

up on the basis of that alone. The CIA is better than it ever has been.

throwing out the first pitch at a steels game

Who are the chefs, past and present, who you think are pivotal to the industry?

For chefs in my generation, Paul Bocuse was the

Food science is already a big part of our industry

pivotal person—our Elvis. For today’s generation,

and we have lots of alumni embracing science in

there are so many more chefs to admire and

the preparation of food at all levels. There’s Grant

choose from. But if I had to pick one, I’d say

Achatz ’94 at Alinea, Next, and Aviary and Dan

Thomas Keller. Thomas stayed the path and he

Coudreaut ’95 at McDonald’s. After all, Dan can’t

became the American Bocuse. He is the first

create dishes without having collaboration with

American chef who we can arguably call the best

food science. We have a lot of alumni pursuing

chef in the world. I think one of the things that

R&D; and modernist cuisine is already important

Thomas shares with Paul is generosity with young

in the industry. We need to continue to offer

people. Paul is supremely generous and Thomas

more culinary science education to prepare our

mise en place no.58, December 2011

events like admissions receptions. And finally, they we don’t have a long tradition of that support, but

a more worldly view. I’m encouraged by that. We

graduates for the future.

the inclination to recruit students can do so with support the institution financially. As a college,

just different. They have technology and they have

Talk a bit about the future of food science in culinary education

they are mentioned in a newspaper or magazine or

congratulating a graduate

gets and emulates that.

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By Fareez Dossani What an exciting time to be a part of the hospitality industry. Chefs

in a democratic process, the community members decide if they want

are revolutionizing the way the world is eating. Never before have we,

to build schools, hospitals, or an infrastructure with that money.

as a society, been so conscious of our food. It’s great that Americans

The fair trade movement is providing education to children, aiding

are beginning to question where their food is coming from, but we

in healthcare, empowering women, helping create safe working

must take it a step further, and ask if the food we purchase is fairly

conditions, alleviating poverty, and, most important, giving these

traded.

individuals their pride back.

The local food movement has made great strides in reducing carbon

As the founder and president of Fair Trade@The CIA, I am proud

footprints and teaching us to take advantage of the resources at

to say that we have gone to great lengths to establish a fair trade

our fingertips. But we have come to expect immediate availability

committee here on campus. Our team of inspired students and faculty

of those commodity products that cannot grow on American soil,

is committed to bringing awareness of fair trade and its impact on

such as coffee and chocolate. This is where the notion of fair trade

poverty-stricken countries to the CIA community. Through lectures,

comes into play. Imagine waking up to a nicely brewed, fresh cup of

demonstrations, and tastings, we’ve introduced fair trade products

Nicaraguan coffee. Now imagine the backbreaking, intensive labor

to visiting guests, faculty, and the student body. And, we’re trying to

of the Nicaraguan people that secures it for us. In that process they

implement strategies so the campus could be considered for fair

make only two to three cents per pound of coffee. Generally speaking,

trade status.

the global population is unaware of the labor-intensive process and shocking compensation system that produces their wonderful cups of coffee.

What the practice of fair trade does for poverty-stricken workers is create a democratic society within each community. All farmers in the area pool resources and labor to certify their harvest, which, in turn, is sold on the market with a price floor. For a small fee, the certifier company provides avenues for these farmers to get their products in the market without having the hassle of going through

16

So far, we have been successful in facilitating and organizing the following events: World Fair Trade Day Brunch: The student body was invited to attend a brunch made with fair trade, organic, and local ingredients.

A menu that included fair trade coffee and beverages, spice-rubbed steak with eggs, local Wild Hive polenta grits, and a fruit and yogurt parfait with fair trade honey, pineapple, and bananas were highlighted. (May 2011)

often corrupt middlemen. These middlemen eat away at the farmers’

CIA Birthday Bash: In celebration of the CIA’s 65th birthday,

profits. Fair trade guarantees farmers a fair wage for their product,

Fair Trade competed with three other clubs on campus (Gourmet

and these monies are distributed throughout the community. Then,

Society, Expedition Thailand, and SkillsUSA) in an event to see

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

vivian jago, fareez dossani, and gonzalo gout at Earth DAy at the cia

cia students at world fair trade day brunch

which club would receive the most votes for its dishes from the approximately 300 individuals in attendance. The club supplied

of the working conditions and look after individuals who provide us

students with three types of ice cream: fair trade chocolate, vanilla,

with this bounty of ingredients.

and coffee. We did not win the competition, but we definitely ran out of ice cream! (May 2011) Organic Fair Trade Days: Each day, coffee from a different region of the world was highlighted and provided to the entire student body. We received direct feedback through surveys. ( June 2011) Screening of Black Gold: Co-hosted with the CIA’s International

Special thanks go out to our club advisor, Assistant Professor in Liberal Arts David Flynn, who has inspired and mentored us from the very beginning.

You Might Not Know That: Small coffee farmers receive less than four cents for each $3.35 latte sold in the United States.

Film Society, this event featured a movie about impoverished

In Fair Trade Agreements, forced labor and exploitative child labor

Ethiopian coffee growers and the injustices they face. (Sept. 2011)

is not allowed.

“Sustainable for Whom? Social Justice and the Locavore

It takes 4,000 hand-picked coffee beans to produce one cup of

Movement”: Dr. Maggie Grey, assistant professor at Adelphi

coffee.

University, led this presentation and discussion. (Sept. 2011)

All Fair Trade coffees, teas, and chocolates must use

Coffee Cupping Demo by Counter Culture: This demo was

environmentally sustainable growing methods.

at the CIA’s Sustainability Conference. (Sept. 2011)

Fair Trade is a partnership based on dialogue, transparency, and

The palate is the gateway to the heart and mind. As leading chefs and bakers in the industry, we have the power to single-handedly win the battle to raise consciousness about fair trade. We must treat the abundance that the earth provides carefully, and we must be aware

mise en place no.58, December 2011

respect that seeks greater equity in international trade.

Fareez Dossani is currently a student in the BPS program at the CIA and anticipates graduating in 2012.

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Building and maintaining a culinary program that anticipates

Beverage Management, Consumer Behavior; Leadership and Ethics,

and reflects the ever-changing foodservice industry takes vigilance and

foreign language (we now offer Chinese along with French, Italian,

commitment. At the CIA, we are always assessing how our academic

and Spanish); Mixology; Beer Fermentation; and Foodservice

programs are readying students to meet the challenges they will face

Management in Health Care, to name just a few. Second, we are

in the complex modern food world.

putting a greater emphasis on critical thinking and analysis. And

The CIA’s bachelor of professional studies (BPS) degree has held a unique spot in the industry since 1994, by providing the gold-standard program for those students wishing to extend their culinary education

third, each course will be delivered over a 12- or 15-week period, allowing for students to really sink their teeth into a topic and develop strong relationships with their instructors.

to include liberal arts and business management. BPS students are

Our Food, Wine, and (Agri)culture course and trip has also

preparing themselves for careers in managerial positions and building

expanded to create a more global perspective, and now includes

the specific skills to make them valuable in the marketplace.

experiences for our students in France, China, Spain, Italy, northern

Today’s chefs, both those on the line and in management, are being asked to take on complex issues of nutrition and wellness, sustainability, and even food policy. Our bachelor of professional

and southern California, and the Pacific Northwest. Assignments requiring high-level analysis and critical assessment of this experience encourage students to use their critical thinking skills.

studies degree is necessarily growing and changing. Extensions to the

The core of the CIA’s BPS program remains much the same as the

structure are being added that will enable CIA students to narrow or

one many of you graduated from. We didn’t have to go back to the

broaden their education based on their interests.

drawing board, but rather, we have expanded the architecture of the program to build upon existing excellence.

Creating Choice There are a number of ways in which we are enriching the BPS program. First, we are creating choice. That means students will have greater flexibility and more options for electives that include Macroor Microeconomics; Culinary Science; Foodservice Technology; Science of Nutrition; Advanced Cooking, Baking, or Culinary Science;

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As always, changes and improvements to our programs help to maintain the value of a CIA degree in the foodservice industry. We are proud of our alumni and the work they are doing. We strive to ensure that when you say, “I got my bachelor’s degree in culinary arts management or baking and pastry arts management from the CIA,” that statement continues to garner respect and admiration for years to come.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Bringing Food & Art Together, Sustainably The first annual CIA Sustainability Conference truly was an amalgam of information, food, and art. The schedule for the five-day event provided varied opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to heighten the dialogue around the issue of sustainability. Guest speakers like longtime food policy expert and environmentalist Joan Gussow and Tim Cipriano, executive director of food services for New Haven, CT Public Schools, talked about the challenges and rewards of bringing sustainability into our lives. The days were filled with relevant movies like Truck Farm, student-led garden tours, a poetry slam, performance art, food and wine presentations, panel discussions, and a school food menu competition. Students and faculty came away feeling both the winners of high school menu contest

optimism and pessimism that surrounds this important topic. But, most important of all, the conference gave rise to a new activism.

At the poetry slam, a group of students presented a poem called Ain’t No Sunshine. Each wrote his or her own verse in homage to Mother Nature. Here is one of the powerful verses by Ricardo Ramirez that marked an evening filled with creativity and emotion.

s our eyes first met some six million years ago

From your nursing breast just long enough

We connected.

To mumble words of a Scientific Industrial Revolution

I was completely infected with the need to seek

In just cute enough a way to ease you into the idea that

your grace

I am better than you.

I called you Ahm, Vieja, Mere, Mater, Okasaan. . .

I whispered words of mental superiority and

Mother.

I pretend that I can spin the earth on my tongue.

The same word broken into a thousand different

I laugh and I play

languages

While I genetically modify your DNA as if to say

As it sailed from the tower in the desert with the

NO!

same sentiment.

THIS is the way things are supposed to be.

My mind can’t grasp why your name

In a letter from the moon forwarded to me by the sun

Is the resonating sound that my silver-coated tongue

It reads; hey sun, moon here

Will lash from the depths of my lungs

Do you think these humans truly understand that

As I dance in praise and thanks for your bounty.

They are only borrowing this world from their children?

You cradled me for centuries

Maybe if they crammed their carbon into plastic bottles

In your evolutionary womb as you provided for me

They might be able to taste the sense of urgency

Everything.

As it drips from their lips

To show you my gratitude

And recycle their ignorance into a hunger for change.

I unlatched my suckling grasp mise en place no.58, December 2011

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It’s All in the Hands

By Nancy Cocola Spend time with Lyde Buchtenkirk-Biscardi ’72 and your eyes are immediately drawn to her hands. They look strong, capable, and used. You can see her life story in those hands and it’s a tale filled with creativity, independence, resourcefulness, and firsts.

Lyde was a young woman when she realized that cooking was something she could be passionate about and employ her two hands doing. She’d heard about the CIA in New Haven, CT and in 1969 she applied. Alas, the college was not taking women that year—something to do with not having adequate living accommodations for them. Never one to be deterred, she reapplied in 1970 and was accepted, along with 12 other women. In those days, the male students were issued chef’s jackets to wear in the kitchen and the female students were given blue, knee-length dresses.

Lyde led the campaign to get the women the same chef’s coats as the men. With the help of then-CIA Vice President Joseph Amendola, those women were soon donning CIA chef’s whites.

After graduation, Lyde took a position in the bakeshop of the Delaware DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, DE. Though she loved baking, she made the move to the position of sous chef in the kitchen. From there (above): carving a carousel horse (right): lyde with competition–worthy salt dough figures

Lyde went to work at the Wilmington Country Club, in the same city. To keep herself busy, challenged, and on her toes, she often participated in food shows, where she could express her natural creativity. It was at The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show in New York that Lyde caught the eye of faculty from Johnson & Wales University. For the next three years, she helped build the fledgling J&W culinary program by teaching and taking students to food shows and competitions. Once again, it was at one of those shows that she crossed paths with her old mentor Joe Amendola. He lured her back to the CIA, where she spent the next 20 years.

Teaching at the CIA offered Lyde the opportunity to work in a variety of areas. She moved seamlessly from the skills kitchen to American regional cooking. She loved teaching charcuterie and meat fabrication. And she spent five years teaching in and developing the fish kitchen. Lyde even had the opportunity to be the team

20

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

leader helping to develop curriculum for the 30-week baking and pastry program. No challenge was too big for her to tackle.

The First and Only Female CMC One of the biggest challenges Lyde took on while on the faculty of the CIA was the Certified Master Chef (CMC) exam—the ultimate certification challenge for culinarians.

Lyde and then-colleague Tom Peer, who is currently the CIA’s senior director of food and beverage operations, decided to take the exam together. Mornings spent in related courses and afternoons cooking under the scrutiny of demanding judges made for grueling days. Both passed the test, and Lyde became the first woman to ever achieve CMC status. Indeed, she is still the only woman to ever do so. While proud of this distinction, Lyde’s primary aspirations were in the teaching kitchen, so the CIA got to share in the reflected glory of having the only female CMC on its faculty.

Being Handy After 20 years at the CIA, Lyde’s talented hands were aching to take on new challenges. Oh, she’d always done remarkable sugar and pastillage work for shows, and was renowned for her gingerbread houses at holiday time, but she had other talents to explore. Metalworking became her next venture.

Commissioned by the college to create pieces for the tables and walls, Lyde developed a signature look for the Apple Pie Bakery Café on the Hyde Park campus. Then, eight years ago, she realized a childhood dream by joining the AmerScot Highland Pipe Band. But learning to play the bagpipes wasn’t enough for her. Lyde discovered she could re-purpose white and red chef’s jackets to create official tunics for the youth pipers in the band. Yes, she can sew, too! But wait, there’s more. Woodcarving is another avocation, and she is currently carving and painting a carousel horse to be included in the

(above): iron work created for the apple pie bakery café (left): lyde in her home workshop

Adirondack Carousel in Saranac Lake, NY. And finally, she is an avid bicyclist. You might even see her riding her requisite 15 to 20 miles a day on the roads around the CIA!

Lending a Hand There is one additional project Lyde intends to be involved in, though not for a good many years to come. She has made a bequest of her entire estate to the CIA and is establishing the Buchtenkirk-Biscardi Endowed Scholarship. So when she is no longer around to cook, weld, bake, sew, pipe, ride, and carve she will be lending a hand to a deserving CIA students and keeping her hands in the future of the culinary world she loves so much.

mise en place no.58, December 2011

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Book Shelf Hip Asian Comfort Food

By Dennis Chan ’00 As executive chef at the Blue Bamboo in Jacksonville, FL, Dennis Chan has taken a family legacy one step further and is making it “hip.” Using bold Asian flavors that are fresh, elegantly presented, and delicious, Chan shares the secrets behind such housemade specialties as flaxseed crackers, fried dragon whiskers, and blueberry BBQ pork tenderloin. The practical and easy-to-follow recipes are accompanied by full-color photos that entice you and invite you to try creating Asian comfort food for your next meal.

For Cod and Country Simple, Delicious, Sustainable Cooking

By Barton Seaver ’01 National Geographic Fellow and chef Barton Seaver is well-known in the culinary world for his stance on sustainable seafood. In this book, he introduces a new kind of casual cooking featuring seafood that hasn’t been overfished or harvested using destructive methods. Organized by season, For Cod and Country is a full-color exploration of recipes showcasing a wide variety of fish caught at specific times of year, combined with fresh vegetables and vibrant spices. The book also includes “A Separate Season” for seafood available year-round, and healthful and ocean-friendly substitutes for fish species that are overharvested.

Through a compelling narrative, Seaver shares his insights about how the choices we make for dinner impact our well-being, our

22

planet, and the global community.

My Indian Kitchen Preparing Delicious Indian Meals Without Fear or Fuss

By Hari Nayak ’97 This beautifully photographed book will unlock the hidden magic of Indian cooking for both enthusiasts and professionals alike. Born in southwestern India, author Hari Nayak shares the secrets of his family’s own style of cooking as well as his favorite dishes from other regions of the vast country. The often elaborate, traditional techniques and preparations associated with Indian food have been simplified in this book without sacrificing any of their authenticity. This delightful blend of Asian and Western influences makes his beloved Indian food accessible to all.

The Founders of American Cuisine Seven Cookbook Authors with Historical Recipes

By Harry Haff ’79 In this fascinating book, Harry Haff introduces us to seven little-known cookbook authors who shaped the cuisine of our young nation. You’ll meet Amelia Simmons, who in 1796 wrote the first American cookbook designated for “women of all stations”; Mary Randolph, who developed a cookbook that touted her system of kitchen organization and methods of preparation; Miss Leslie, a popular children’s book author who wrote for the individual household rather than for the wealthy; Mrs. Abby Fisher, a former slave and servant whose adaptation of traditional African ingredients became integrated into the lexicon of Southern fare; Lafcadio Hearn, who brought the Creole culture to the national stage; Charles Ranhofer, who documented the food served at America’s most famous restaurant, Delmonico’s; and Victor Hirtzler, who was known for attributing his ingredients to their places of origin.

You’ll also get a firsthand look at their actual recipes. Great fun.

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Barton Seaver ’01 is known for his

such organizations do great work, he says,

passionate stand on eating sustainably

“Dinner is the last bastion of our personal

from our world’s fisheries. His successful

stewardship of the environment—a kind of

restaurants in Washington, DC garnered

delicious environmentalism.”

kudos for delicious preparations of seafood that was sustainably and responsibly fished. Diners there had two pleasures—eating well and knowing they were being socially responsible. But for Barton, it wasn’t enough. Three years ago, he left the restaurant business and began casting a wider net in his attempt to reach more people with his message.

In his most recent role, Barton gives guest lectures at the Harvard University Medical School, where he shares his views on the confluence of ecological and human health.

He admits that he is trying to broaden the field of evangelists for good food! He believes food is the most powerful drug we have and that it can either “make us sick or help make us well.” And he dreams of

In 2010, Barton was named a National

a day when doctors dole out prescriptions

Geographic Fellow specifically tasked

for different kinds of food essential to

with working on issues related to the

the healing process rather than just

world’s oceans. The Fellows program

prescriptions for medicine.

exists to support individuals focused on projects in the area of conservation.

Barton proposed a new video series exploring sustainability, community, and environmental concerns as they relate to one of the world’s most common rituals— dinner. And so, Cook-Wise was born.

The public demands that its food be available all year long. That means fish, which are indeed seasonal, end up either being farmed or depleted. Barton believes, “We have eaten our way into this dilemma and can eat our way out of it. By teaching people to eat seasonally, we run less of

Barton goes on location meeting

a risk of exhausting our resources.” And

fishermen, farmers, and scientists doing

finally, by demoting protein from the

the positive work of bringing sustainable

center of the plate, we are making more

food to the dinner table. “I want to

room for vegetables, which Barton believes

highlight the work of individuals so

hold the most potential for culinary

everyone can see the human side of

creativity.

the environmental movement,” Barton explains. He believes we have relied for too long on professional environmental stewards—those large, non-profit organizations to which we give our annual donations. And while Barton knows that

When Barton asks the question, “What’s for dinner?” he is really saying, “What delicious, sustainable meal can we share together that helps steward the earth and bring community to the table?” It’s all about delicious environmentalism.

23

The CIA San Antonio Campus

and Beyond

By Stephan Hengst ’00 Since the CIA San Antonio celebrated its grand opening in October

The first floor includes two main teaching kitchens, where associate

2010, the educational offerings at the CIA’s newest outpost have been

degree students learn and hone their skills; a dining room for family

steadily increasing. Indeed, the arrival of the college in San Antonio

meal; and the Latin kitchen designed for the college’s resident Latin

seems to have heralded a growing sense of culinary pride throughout

cuisine experts—Chefs Iliana de la Vega and Elizabeth Johnson-

the city. That equates to a burgeoning metropolis filled with aspiring

Kossick. The authentic indoor and outdoor Latin kitchens include a

culinarians, great chefs, and delicious food.

wood-fired oven, traditional masa grinder, and outdoor pachamancha,

As someone who graduated from the CIA’s Hyde Park campus with its towering and classical Roth Hall, I found the newly built San

The second floor of the building houses the Dunkin’ Brands bakeshop,

Antonio building, well, different. Made of metal and glass with hard

three academic classrooms, and a conference space/demo kitchen that

angles and planes, the building feels ultra modern. However, it is

can accommodate groups of up to 200 participants. The third floor

situated in a setting rich in culinary history. The Pearl Brewery site

features the campus library, administrative offices, and meeting rooms.

was the birthplace of a Texas favorite—Pearl Beer. Today, with care and restoration, the brewery’s original buildings, which include the brewery, smokestack, and stables, cradle the modern CIA building perfectly at their center.

And I can’t forget the CIA’s own restaurants in San Antonio. The CIA Bakery Café, which overlooks the teaching kitchens, allows guests to watch our students in action. It opened to rave reviews in 2011 and was recently named the “Best Bakery in the City” by San Antonio

In 2004, in a small building on the same site, a pilot project called CIA

Magazine. A full-scale restaurant is slated to open in February 2012.

at the Center for Foods of the Americas began. It offered the college’s

As yet unnamed, it will feature a wide variety of dishes from Latin

tried-and-true curriculum, through a 30-week certificate program in

America. Like all of the CIA’s on-campus restaurants, it will be an

culinary arts, as well as programs for industry professionals and food

integral part of the educational program.

enthusiasts that emphasized Latin American food. All this took place in a mere 5,000 square feet. Today, the new campus building houses six state-of-the-art teaching kitchens and bakeshops, and spans 30,000 square feet. We now offer an associate degree program in culinary arts, a Latin Cuisines Certificate Program, professional development classes for chefs, and various food enthusiast programs like the CIA’s

In August, we welcomed our first class of students who are pursuing their associate degree in culinary arts. No doubt the school will soon be filled with the aromas of the onion brulée, reducing stock, and freshly baked bread that we all associate with being a CIA student.

The new campus building reflects the culture and spirit of San

Looking Beyond the Campus— Alums with Vision

Antonio. The lobby is filled with a colorful array of nichos—niches that

No matter what part of town you visit, you’ll find CIA alumni either

house an assortment of culinary artifacts from Mexico and other parts

working in or owning their own restaurants. To the delight of visitors

of Latin America on loan to the college from private collections.

who come to tour the campus, great food and hospitality are right

Culinary Boot Camps.

24

barbacoa pit, and parilla grill.

outside the door. Johnny Hernandez ’89 owns La Gloria, which is

Sohocki cooks without benefit of blenders, mixers, choppers, ice cream

famous for its fun-filled approach to authentic Mexican street food.

machines, deep fryers, burr sticks, or anything else with a motor—just

Andrew Weissman ’96 owns Il Sogno and Sandbar, both of which

like his grandma Gwendolyn did.

have opened to rave reviews. He also operates Sip Coffee House downtown on Houston Street, and will soon open a food truck concept called The Luxury.

The newest addition to San Antonio’s CIA alumni restaurant roster is RoMo’s Café on the west side of the city. It has the distinction of being the first restaurant in San Antonio to be opened by a CIA San Antonio

New Orleans’ very own John Besh ’92 and his chef/partner Steve

graduate. Chef/owner Rob Yoas ’10, graduated from the San Antonio

McHugh ’97 opened LÜKE San Antonio on the city’s famed River

program and sous chef Whitney Matthews ’09, graduated from the

Walk in 2010. This is Chef Besh’s first foray outside Louisiana, and is

Hyde Park program. Together they make delicious food.

well worth a visit.

And now is a great time to expand your food repertoire. Reserve

Doug Horn ’92 opened Dough Pizzeria in 2007. Dough is one of

your space in a professional development class at the CIA’s new San

an elite group of 54 restaurants in the U.S. and 292 in the world to

Antonio campus.

receive the prestigious certification from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana for serving authentic Neapolitan pizza.

Another CIA graduate, Michael Sohocki ’00, recently opened Restaurant Gwendolyn, named for his grandmother. The restaurant’s concept harkens back to a time before the industrial revolution. Chef

To learn more about the CIA San Antonio, visit www.ciachef.edu/texas.

Tour the San Antonio campus now by scanning this QR code with your smartphone.

After visiting the San Antonio campus you might enjoy: • Browsing the Pearl Farmer’s Market— Saturday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

• Touring the CIA Campus—Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.

• Shopping in “Tienda de Cocina,” which offers everything from authentic Latin culinary tools to handcrafted jewelry to the CIA’s Masters Collection • Browsing in Twig Book Shop—where you can find CIA cookbooks • Checking out VisitSanAntonio.com for more great adventures

25

KUDOS Alumni

5 Fifty 5 is 5 for 5

Challenge of a Lifetime

At the 20th New Orleans Wine & Food Experience—a five-day

Poughkeepsie, NY resident and owner of Corsino Cakes, Derek Corsino

extravaganza—Mark Quitney ’85, executive chef of 5 Fifty 5,

’09 received a call from the Food Network asking if he would like to

pulled off something of a coup. A total of 33 restaurants submitted

participate in a Renaissance-themed cake challenge on its Food Network

almost 50 recipes for judging. Mark and his team prepared five

Challenge. He just couldn’t say no, as that kind of exposure would be

dishes to compete in four different categories. His seafood gumbo

great for his fledgling baking business and for the Hudson Valley. His

in a bread bowl earned him the gold medal in the soups and stews

groundwork included a visit to the New York Renaissance Faire in

division. He scored silver with his wood-grilled Tomahawk steak

Tuxedo Park, NY as well as lots of sketching and prepping before the day

with John Folse blue cheese and mushroom ragoût in the meat

of the competition. He shipped off 12 boxes of decorating equipment to

and poultry division. And, he received three bronze medals, two

the Food Network studio. During the eight-hour competition, he not only

in the seafood and one in the dessert divisions. Apparently it

had to stand up against competition veterans, he had to comport himself

wasn’t hard for the judges to agree on how wonderful his warm

in front of the very demanding judges. He did both, coming in at a very

apple tarte Tatin and bananas Foster cheesecake combo was!

respectable second place.

Future Alumni CIA Awards Scholarship to NAACP Winner CIA Trustee Emeritus Arnym Solomon ’69 was on hand at the recent NAACP annual convention in Los Angeles, CA to support the start of a national high-school culinary competition with a high-value CIA scholarship for the winning student.

He was instrumental in helping the college develop this new relationship and was at the convention to serve as judge, speaker, and presenter—giving the college great exposure within this important national organization. cia trustee emeritus arnym solomon ‘69 presents a cia scholarship to trevon oliver of baltimore, md

26

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

e g n a h C f o s d The Win

By Wyman Philbrook ’89 In May 2009, mise en place published an article on the history of food

annual meeting in Columbus, OH this past June. Public health

safety that encompassed the mix of agencies and real-life complexities

advisors from Minnesota and the National Park Service presented

of keeping our food sources safe. Since then, the Food Safety

separate overviews of the results of Policies, Training, and Verification,

Modernization Act has passed, resulting in some interesting changes

a risk-based evaluation of foodborne illness factors in retail operations.

for the industry.

In the past, compliance inspections centered on what the operation

The most significant change coming out of the Act is the granting of

did right or wrong on the day of the visit. Potential re-inspection

mandatory recall authority to the Food and Drug Administration. The

was determined based on the number of violations or the level of

agency can now order a manufacturer to remove a food product that

risk they posed. The new approach will be more collaborative and

can cause harm to the public, and even levy punishment for non-

encompass present and potential health risks. An initial assessment

compliance. In the past, recall was voluntary.

by the regulatory official will focus on reviewing and analyzing

U.S. businesses importing foodstuffs must receive verification from a foreign supplier or producer that a recognized international body is using a risk-based process such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) to determine that the food was produced under safe conditions. In turn, any product that is determined to be potentially harmful can be detained. Effective October 2011, fees will be assessed for follow-up reexamination of the product, whether it is released to the public or ultimately destroyed. These costs will be passed down

the operation’s written Standard Operating Procedures, staff training records, and management knowledge and commitment. A development plan is discussed with the manager and put into practice to address gaps or deficiencies in the current program. A strategic plan is agreed upon jointly. This turns the inspector’s role from one of adversary to one of collaborator. The inspector and the food establishment work in tandem toward their common goal of providing safe food for the consumer.

through the food chain and will have the most effect on imported

Another major change from the past is the establishment of an

produce and seafood, which are the largest segments.

Industry-Foodborne Illness Investigation program that involves

U.S.-based food facilities, excluding restaurants, will be required to implement preventive controls to minimize hazards that could affect food manufactured, processed, packed, or held by that facility. Specific areas that must be addressed are facility cleaning and sanitation, worker hygiene, exclusion of wildlife and livestock from fields, regular water testing, product traceability, and record keeping of all actions taken. Small businesses—a term yet to be defined by the government—

both representatives of the regulatory side and foodservice industry training. This is an opportunity for foodservice operators to learn how regulatory bodies analyze public health information and to see the integral part they play in the analysis of a foodborne illness.

Cooperative training provides education to all parties and helps to guarantee a more unified team response when a potential outbreak has occurred.

would have extended time periods to develop risk-assessment

Food protection is moving toward a risk-based, preventive approach

programs and be eligible for grant-funded educational programs.

along the entire food chain. Active managerial control and the use

Small producers, like roadside stands or those earning less than

of HACCP guidelines in all phases of foodservice is the proverbial

$500K, would be exempt from this requirement.

handwriting on the wall. Current discussions indicate that within the next five years, the entire industry will see a dramatic change in the

From Adversary to Collaborator There are also significant changes in the way the regulatory agencies are working with retail food establishments. Several pilot programs were presented at the National Environmental Health Association’s

mise en place no.58, December 2011

type and quality of safety evaluations by regulatory agencies. Happily, this will be a more collaborative effort.

Wyman Philbrook is the owner of Philbrook F&B Consulting and Training (www.philbrookconsulting.com), a food safety company.

27

Why Give?

Lee Cockerell

Executive Vice President (Retired) Walt Disney World Resort Donor to the Waldorf-Astoria Distinguished Alumni Endowed Scholarship

What Motivates You to Give?

While compiling ideas for a new book, I asked my three grandchildren to tell me what service really means to them. Tristan, my 10-year-old grandson, said, “Papi, service means you should always be the giving one.” My 12-year-old granddaughter Margot said, “Papi, the most important thing is to be nice.”

And lastly, my 15-year-old grandson Jullian said, “If you are really serving, you say ‘yes’ instead of ‘no.’”

I have been very blessed in my career and personal life and haven’t forgotten the people who served and helped me achieve the successes I’ve had.

I directed my CIA contribution to the WaldorfAstoria Distinguished Alumni Endowed Scholarship because early in my career I was very lucky to work as assistant food and beverage director under Eugene Scanlan at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Gene took a personal interest in me.

He not only personally trained me but he focused on my professional development. I am pretty sure that without his influence in my life I would not

stranger, or a student. We all need help along the way, both financially and emotionally. That is why I have always practiced servant leadership. And frankly, giving just feels good. It is a win-win and a great way to leave a legacy.

have achieved the success that followed. Maybe

How Do You Give?

my contribution to the CIA can have that same

I give in different ways. I give my time and knowledge freely. I support

impact on a student, and maybe one day she or

education both within my family and through the CIA. My wife

he will write about me so my grandchildren and

Priscilla and I give financial support and time to many non-profits.

great grandchildren can read about how nice their

I care for members of my family when they are in need, and I give

grandfather was, because he was the giving one and

to the CIA to help students realize their dream of getting the best

said, “yes!”

culinary and hospitality education in the world.

What makes giving meaningful?

Giving is meaningful if you are helping another human being to make their dreams come true— whether it is your family, friends, co-workers, a

28

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Giving’s Impact Alaina Reese Missbach ’11

Recipient: Southern Wine & Spirits Endowed Scholarship

Describe your life prior to coming to the CIA. I was born in the hospital at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, the daughter of a career military officer. I attended college at West Point, where I met my husband, Kyle Missbach. We joke that we “honeymooned in Iraq,” as we were both deployed just a few short weeks after we got married. We spent those 11 months apart as I was stationed at Victory Base in Baghdad as a node center platoon leader and Kyle was a Dragoon commander engaged in direct combat.

We both returned to Fort Hood, TX. Our second tour in Iraq began in October 2006. This time, both Kyle and I were stationed together and we spent 15 months there at Camp Taji.

What motivated you to attend the CIA? Being a military officer and serving in Iraq was a great experience that I will always cherish. However, after 27 months of deployment, we decided it was time to start a family and pursue our civilian interests.

I had always wanted to be a chef but it wasn’t until Kyle brought home a copy of Cook’s Illustrated, which I devoured, that I shared my dream with him. He encouraged me to go back to school while he supported us. Kyle found employment in Danbury, CT, while I went to work at a local restaurant to fulfill my entrance requirements. In June of 2009, Eleanor, our first child, was born. I began to commute to classes at the

What are your plans for the future?

CIA in February 2010.

Kyle has accepted a position as a diplomat with the State Department

What has been the best part of being at the CIA?

in Mexico City, Mexico. I’ll be graduating in December 2011, delivering our second child in January 2012, and moving to Mexico City in April! As a mom and an “accompanying spouse,” my goal will be to balance family life, professional aspirations, and the embassy’s

I felt at home in the Army and I feel at home at the CIA. I am

mission, within the political and cultural climate of each country

continually amazed at the CIA’s diverse student body and the

in which we live. I see myself involved in “culinary diplomacy”—

incredible chefs and instructors who share their love of food with us.

engaging people though the common ground of food. I can connect

Every time I finish a class I tell myself that was the “best course ever,”

people in a less formal way through the pleasures of the table.

only to find out that the next class is even better! I love volunteering at the tutoring center, where I assist students in B and L blocks with culinary math, product knowledge, menu development, and nutrition course work.

How has your scholarship helped you?

Going back to school and commuting 100 miles every day meant that we went from two incomes to one, with a lot of additional expenses.

Receiving tuition support meant I could spend time with my infant daughter and my husband. That time with my family was a gift for which I will always be thankful.

mise en place no.58, December 2011

29

Equipped for Success

By Felicia Zammit

“Commitment.” It’s a word so synonymous with The Culinary

They, along with key members of the CIA team, discussed the future

Institute of America that you might think that’s what the “C” in CIA

of the partnership. Conversation included:

stands for. You can see that commitment in the eyes of our students.

You can feel the commitment from our loyal alumni. And you can experience commitment every day in the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff. But commitment to the CIA can be found in yet another place—in the steadfastness of our corporate sponsors.

In 2010, the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), a trade organization of approximately

• industry education, • research on where the foodservice industry is going, • future equipment needs and understanding how chefs use what they buy, • looking at how students learn from the equipment they use, and

550 foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers, committed

• products, from the manufacturer’s to the end user’s point of view.

to a 15-year, $1.5 million dollar partnership with the CIA. NAFEM

According to Brad Barnes ’87, CMC, senior director of culinary

prides itself on offering its members feedback from actual equipment operators to assist them with the development and enhancement of their products. According to Deirdre Flynn, NAFEM executive vice president, there was no better place than the CIA to offer that information. “For more than 10 years, the CIA has been our most trusted advisor, by always keeping us in the loop in terms of market and industry trends, research, design, menu ingredients, cooking techniques, and more,” says Ms. Flynn. “In 2010, we decided to make our relationship a more official partnership. Not only are our members learning from the CIA, but our partnership allows our members to expose students to career opportunities on the supply side of the

education at the CIA, “This is a critical partnership, which will support the advancement of the profession through thought leadership.”

In addition to his role at the CIA, Chef Barnes also is the first recipient of the NAFEM Professorship in Culinary Arts. In this role, he acts as a liaison between the culinary world and the NAFEM-member manufacturing world. “The role is to continually devise and drive the pipeline of information, which will bridge the gap between end user and manufacturer,” says Chef Barnes. For NAFEM, he was an obvious fit for the job. Ms. Flynn explains, “We are excited to have

industry.”

the opportunity to work with Chef Barnes to expand our members’

In August 2011, members of the NAFEM/CIA Advisory Board,

for culinarians worldwide. His experience as an educator and business

comprised of executives from NAFEM-member manufacturing organizations, convened for the first time at our Hyde Park campus.

knowledge of the equipment and supplies challenges and opportunities owner is critical to helping our members understand how the chef thinks about equipment and supplies.”

As for the future of this partnership, Ms. Flynn feels that the sky is the limit, explaining, “Our ongoing partnership will advance knowledge of foodservice equipment and supplies globally by exposing the industry—students, faculty, manufacturers, culinarians, and foodservice operators— to cutting-edge ideas, and research and information to continue to advance the delivery of food away from

30

Seated (l-r): Eric Schawaroch ’84, CHE, CIA; Nisha Gupta, San Jamar/Chef Revival; Mary Potter, CFSP, ACP, Inc.; Brad Barnes ’87, CMC, CCA, AAC, CIA; Terry Hoelle, CFSP, Ice-O-Matic; Suki Hertz, RD, CIA; kari kinder, cia; Dr. Victor Gielisse, CMC, CHE, CIA.

home.”

Standing (l-r): Charlie Souhrada, CFSP, NAFEM; Bill Sobanski, In-Sink-Erator; Jim Cullinane, CFSP, ITW-Vulcan Hart; Steve Darnell, SPG International; Ron DeSantis ‘81, CMC; Alan Peppel, CFSP, Dexter-Russell, Inc.; Cliff Baggott, CFSP, Cres Cor; Steve Dowling, SaniServ; Deirdre Flynn, CFSP, NAFEM.

advancement officer.

Felicia Zammit is a CIA

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

Gifts That Work Flowers Flourish at Restaurants Flowers can really liven up a room. And that’s exactly what CIA groundskeeper Amy Eggers does with the beautiful bouquets of flowers she picks from the gardens on the Hyde Park campus. Amy starts her day walking through campus looking for the flowers that are ready to be cut and pruned. Then she creates lovely focal pieces for the lounge and main dining rooms of the American Bounty and Escoffier restaurants. Her work received so many accolades that Jay and Ellen Minnick, friends of the CIA, have gifted funds for a small cutting garden to secure flowers for the tables at St. Andrew’s. The gift is in honor of Ellen’s mother and a close family friend.

Win-Win for Sodexo and CIA Students Sodexo, the leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions and a longtime supporter and friend of the CIA, has pledged a gift of $150,000 toward scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio. The scholarships will provide additional educational opportunities for Latino students who aspire to be the foodservice industry’s leaders of tomorrow. Sodexo is also establishing a new paid externship for students who attend the San Antonio campus.

The newly established Sodexo Scholarship Fund will provide two scholarships a year for the next three years to qualified Latino students. One scholarship is for new students who enroll at the CIA San Antonio. The other will help current students who demonstrate financial need and who maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. In addition, Sodexo is creating a paid externship, beginning in 2012, for CIA San Antonio students to complete the required field experience toward their associate degrees.

“Sodexo is proud to be able to assist talented individuals who otherwise might not have access to the world-class education provided

amy arranging cut flowers from CIA gardens

by The Culinary Institute of America,” says Lorna Donatone, chief operating officer and education president for Sodexo. “This is a winwin for the students and Sodexo, because our company will now have a wider and more diverse group of talented CIA graduates from which to recruit our future leaders.”

Sodexo has a long relationship with the CIA, from participating in the college’s quarterly career fairs to hiring high-quality students for externships and management positions throughout the company. As part of this gift, the college’s Office of Career Services will work with Sodexo to create a customized employee recruitment plan.

The facilities appearance team

mise en place no.58, December 2011

31

’86

Mark Fortino is vice president operations support

of TrustHouse Services Group based in Charlotte, NC. TrustHouse Services Group is the parent company for regional foodservice businesses specializing in the provision of on-site contract foodservices.

Mary P. Lee is merchandise coordinator for Trader Joe’s in Needham, MA. Craig Nasser is The Practical Chef on a weekly cooking segment for KVOA Tucson, an NBC affiliate. You can catch his live show every Monday. Scott C. West is executive director of business development for Clemens Food Group/Hatfield Quality Meats in Hatfield, PA. His daughter, Nina, began her studies at the CIA in October 2011. He and his wife are proud to be sending her to such a prestigious school.

’87

caterina de’ medici in roth hall

Robert K. Bell is executive chef at the Sandi Pointe Coast

Bistro in Somers Point, NJ. Michael D. Harris is a pilot for US Airways

’78 ’70

John C. Lear is chef-instructor at Culinard at the Culinary

Institute of Virginia College in Mobile, AL. Prior to that he was executive chef at Geno’s Fresh Catch Grill in Orange Beach, AL.

’72

William H. Barker, Jr. is

now has time to enjoy stamp collecting

and enjoys time with his wife and her

owner of The Frosted Mug in

and letterboxing—an outdoor hobby that

two beautiful kids. Jeffrey McNamara

Cheswick, PA. He’s thinking of heading

combines elements of orienteering, art,

is president of Americana Hospitality

to the Myrtle Beach, SC area in the next

and puzzle solving. He is also a part-time

Group in Woodbridge, NJ.

few years. Edward M. Goodwin is cook

sawyer at The Sugar Oak Farms Sawmill

at Health Alliance of the Hudson Valley,

in Malta, NY.

Woodland Pond in New Paltz, NY. He is also working as a part-time catering chef at Vinum Café at Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY. His latest project is the building of a 1,400-acre cattle ranch in Aryana, Brazil. He would love to hear from any of his classmates. Deborah

’82

James M. Schlarbaum works at the El Meze

recently relocated to New Orleans. They

solutions architect at Ilumina

are enjoying all the fantastic food in that

Solutions in Delaware.

exotic and exciting city.

’75

of Koehler Kheel Reality

LLC, a real estate developer specializing

’80

Garry W. Fishman is co-owner of Sweet Boy Cup

Cakes, a bakery in Charlotte, NC. He

in adaptive re-use building. He was the

wants everyone to know that his work and

lead developer for the Hotel Easton in

his new marriage are going great.

Easton, PA. Peter Latimer and three

Cynthia Litterini is chef de cuisine

friends from the class of 1975 got together

at the Youghiogheny Country Club in

after almost 30 years. Joining the informal

Elizabeth Township, PA.

reunion were Claude Blais, Tim Wills, and John O’Rourke. Peter says, “We had so much fun catching up. The two years we all spent together a long time ago was a small part of our lives, but a very important part. These folks will be lifelong friends.”

32

’81

foodservice industry to have

more time with family. He is a school bus driver for the Ballston Spa Central

His restaurant, The Milton Inn, was

is referred to as “The Weapon” by his

number one restaurant in Baltimore and

friends.

the surrounding counties. Deborah (Oddo) Snyder is culinary instructor for

’83

Scott N. Ruesch is a fourthgrade teacher at the McDill

Elementary School in Stevens Point, WI. in education from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Mark Waldron is executive chef at Sharon General Hos-

the Peoria School District in Glendale, AZ. In March 2011, Deborah brought 18 of her culinary students to visit the CIA.

’91

Brody Wargo is the senior water quality field technician

for Aquarion Water Co. He is also a

pital in Sharon, CT, and he loves every

published author with titles like Roadhaze,

minute of it.

Mind-Dance, Off the Top of My Head, The Calling, and Dragon’s Honor—a children’s

’85

Timothy J. Bowen is vice president of culinary opera-

tions in Las Vegas, NV, for Caesars En(Erich) Karl Ruger left the

“Chef of The Year 2011” by

the Restaurant Association of Maryland. recognized by The Baltimore Sun as the

In August 2011, he received his master’s Peter R. Koehler is owner

Brian Boston was voted

Restaurant in El Prado, NM, where he

Nash and her husband of 30 years Lawrence Asch is principal

’88

tertainment, which includes Paris, Bally’s, and Planet Hollywood Resorts and Casi-

book.

’93

Shane Henderson is executive chef at the Morrison-

Clark Inn & Restaurant in Washington,

nos. Mark A. Quitney is the executive

DC. Morrison-Clark won the 2011 Diners

chef for the New Orleans Marriott.

Choice Award through Opentable.com.

School District in Ballston Spa, NY. He

www.ciaalumninetwork.com

The Deaf Chef Josh Jensen ’08 didn’t become deaf until he was about a year old. And as he is the only deaf person in his extended family, he learned early on how to keep up in a hearing world. After graduating with an AOS degree from the CIA, Josh went on to earn a bachelor of science degree in culinary arts management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas this past year. He has reached so many of his personal and professional goals already and shows no signs of slowing down. Josh is currently working at the Marriott in Orlando World Center as a banquet chef assistant. We sat down with him to find out how he makes it all work.

How did you handle your special learning needs while at the CIA? Once I was admitted to the CIA, I immediately contacted the Learning Strategies Center–Office for Disability Services at the college to set up American Sign Language interpreting services. I really appreciated the interpreting services I received, and feel that it “evened the playing field” by giving me the same access to classroom instruction as my hearing peers.

How do you communicate at work with others on the line?

If I am working on a station with another person, I might confer with him or her before we start, and agree who is making what. It is really a matter of paying attention and using my observational skills. It’s all in the camaraderie with your co-workers. They want to communicate with me,

Do you think it’s possible to advance up the corporate ladder despite your deafness?

so they start learning sign language. Sometimes we develop our own

There is only one thing that deaf people can’t do that hearing people

communication, or what I call “kitchen sign language” that is specifically

can, and that is being able to hear. Deaf people put a lot of effort into

culinary. For example, we might develop a sign to indicate “rare” and

compensating for their lack of hearing. For example, when I was working

another one to say “well-done.”

as an extern at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA, I encountered a

detail. And, after you work together awhile, you naturally start to develop

If one of the important senses a chef uses when cooking is hearing, how do you compensate?

problem when my chef, who was the person who handled all the tickets, shouted out all of the orders. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear him. So, in order to solve this problem I asked him to print two similar tickets, one for him and one for me. He was more than happy to do it.

My short answer is that my educational experiences at the CIA paid off!

In order to be a leader, you need to be able to problem solve and think

My long answer is that my kitchen experience in and out of the CIA

on your feet. I learned those skills at an early age from my family, most

taught me to cook by sight and smell. I look for the right color, texture,

of whom are business people. They taught me how to communicate with

and aroma when I am cooking. On occasion, I might ask someone to tell

hearing people through gestures, writing, lip reading, and e-mail. I can

me when he or she hears something specific, such as the “crack” when

even talk on the phone using videophone relay services, text messaging,

I am cooking risotto. If I am baking something with a timer, I might

and video conversations. While I know that communication is important

ask someone to let me know when the timer goes off. Teamwork is very

in climbing the industry ladder, I also believe that motivation and

important.

determination can be key to achieving your goals.

’94

Michael E. Savino is chef/ owner of Michael’s Cookie Jar

in Houston, TX.

’95

William R. Benner is executive sous chef at The Black

Point Inn on Prouts Neck, Scarborough,

’01 ’02

Lij Heron writes the blog chefandsteward.com.

Favienne Helber Roop is professor of pastry arts at

J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, VA.

ME. Michael A. Ton is executive chef/ owner of Basa Restaurant and Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar, both in Louisville, KY.

’96

Kyler A. Chavez graduated

currently serves on the advisory board

summa cum laude with a

of the D.C. Farm to School Network and

bachelor of science degree in hospitality

consults on school food projects across

administration from Boston University

the United States. Kathryn M. Sheehan

School of Hospitality Administration in

is executive pastry chef for Rose Mediter-

May 2011. In addition, he was inducted

ranean in Caldwell, NJ.

into Eta Sigma Delta, the national honor society for top academic scholars in the field of hospitality. Noel Cintron III is

’03

Ilan Bonen is general

sous chef for Table 45 at the Interconti-

manager of Earl of Sandwich

nental Hotel in Cleveland, OH. Alyssa

restaurant in Wellington, FL. Lindsay

Moles is the mid-Atlantic regional farm

A. Wolfe is in graduate school at Penn

to school coordinator with the National

Kyle W. Shadix is corporate

State University, studying food science

Farm to School Network based at The

executive research chef for

and doing research in the area of food

Food Trust in Philadelphia, PA. She

PepsiCo Global, where he is busy estab-

’09

Derek J. Corsino is chefowner of Corsino Cakes in

Wappingers Falls, NY. Troy D. Strand is chef/owner of both The Grist Mill Restaurant and Chef to Order Catering in East Troy, WI. He recently got engaged and is getting married in 2012.

chemistry.

lishing culinary capabilities to enhance Tracey (Alger) Norton is

In Memoriam

the bakery market manager

Andrew P. Amarante ’48

Alan D. Robison ’76

She got married on April 10, 2010.

Peter Acton ’59

John M. Shoop ’77

Julie M. Epstein Pearson

Andrea Smith has lived in Lisbon, Por-

is chef-manager for Aramark

tugal for almost four years. She works as a

Malcolm Trott ’59

Robert John Schaerer ’83

the company’s global beverage portfolio.

He is a certified chef de cuisine and registered dietitian.

’97

’08

’04

for Panera Bread in Sunset Hills, MO.

in Richmond, VA. She was married in

freelance writer for www.catavino.net with

Robert Allen Smith ’60

Leslie Z. Clearwater ’85

April 2011.

a focus on Portuguese food, wine, and

Ronald M. Hessels ’65

Jeffrey H. Blackmun ’88

to contribute to its new guidebook, Fodor’s

Paul E. Dickenson ’66

Wayne D. Wells, Jr. ’94

Portugal, published in June 2011. While at

Edward K. Gorton ’67

Ira P. Siegel ’95

Lewis E. Clark ’70

Eric Oreste Doran ’98

Jeffrey P. Hoeflich simul-

Dennis C. Maugle ’72

Kathleen Anne Karlak ’08

taneously earned a master’s

Mary (Sperling) Amatucci ’74

Ryan Emerson Sitko ’08

travel. She was recently asked by Fodor’s

’99

Reinaldo J. Peraza is chefowner of Panzur Restaurant

& Wine Bar in Tivoli, NY, which serves progressive Spanish fare with French and Basque influences. Michael J. Stiglitz is chef-owner of the gastro pub Two Stones

the CIA, Andrea was a student tour guide.

’05

Pub, the Pig & Fish Restaurant, and Pick-

in business administration and a Juris

led Pig Pub. All three are in and around

Doctor, specializing in corporate and

Newark, DE. His goal is to become an

employment law, from Penn State Univer-

instructor and administrator at the CIA

sity in 2011. He intends to return to the

by 2020!

foodservice industry to practice law for

Thomas F. Suddeth ’74

resorts, hotels, and casinos.

’00

Michaella and Ryder Zetts are thrilled to share a picture

of their future culinarian, Fenton, born in April 2011.

’06

Nicole Hannigan is executive pastry chef for Castle on

the Hudson in Tarrytown, NY. Joseph N. Sorbello got married and opened J&J Café in Grafton, NY, both in 2011.

’07

D. Hope Hertzler is hospitality director for Evangelical

Homes of Michigan. She is planning on having classmate Rebecca Morris serve as her maid of honor at her 2012 wedding. Kathryn M. Koster is sous chef for the Seneca Gaming Corporation in Salamanca, NY. Joseph N. Lucci is executive chef at The Woodward House in Bethlehem, CT. David W. Pflaum is sales manager for Neyers Vineyards in St. Helena, CA.

34

the beautiful, free-standing ristorante caterina de’ medici opened in 1984.

The CIA at Greystone is housed in an imposing stone winery building, which was built in 1889 and originally known as Greystone Cellars. Between 1950 and 1990, the magnificent building was home to the Christian Brothers Winery. In 1995, the CIA opened its California branch on that site with an eye to the past and a vision for the future.

Since 1995, one of Greystone’s neighbors, Markham Vineyards, has been producing a small amount of Greystone CellarsŽ wine exclusively for the CIA. Now, after a national launch, these approachable wines are available everywhere through Terlato Wines International.

And, a percentage of the price of every bottle you purchase for your personal or business use is donated to the CIA Scholarship Fund.

Sip, Savor, Share, and Give to the CIA!

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

By Giving to a CIA Student You… • Turn Dreams into Reality • Become a Champion of Education • Transform the Present and Change the Future Students begin their CIA careers with great anticipation and a heart full of dreams. You can help them get started on their road to lifelong success.

The items in our Holiday Giving Catalog make perfect donations and help offset the cost of a CIA student’s education.

Visit www.ciachef.edu/holidaycatalog and check out all the great ways you can give.

Questions? Call 845-451-1602.

Alumni Relations Admissions Advancement CIA Websites Career Services Conrad N. Hilton Library Professional Development 845-451-1401 1-800-285-4627 845-905-4275 ciachef.edu 845-451-1275 845-451-1270 1-800-888-7850 ciaalumninetwork.com ciagiving.org ciaprochef.com

General Information 845-452-9600