mise en place issue 48 food safety
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mise en place is the college magazine for alumni and friends of The Culinary Institute of America.TRANSCRIPT
ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
No. 48, May 2009
FOOD SAFETY
Food Safety: From Pillory to Prevention
The complex world of food safety6
You Make Us Better
Time, dedication, and expertise at work18
6FOOD SAFETY
Inauguration Elation
Extraordinary circumstances, delicious food16
From Seed to Cup
A coffee sojourn to Nicaragua14
Across the PlazaFollowing the Presidential Trail | Student Creativity
Going, Going, Green | Kudos | 2009 Leadership Gala
20
Education for LifeSkillsUSA National Training Center at CIA | Coming Events
Book Shelf | ProChef® In His Own Words
26
Gifts at WorkWhy Give? | Giving’s Impact
30
Class Notes
Message from Steve Swofford | Class Notes | In Memoriam32
14
16
18 21
FOOD SAFETY
www.ciaalumninetwork.com
mise en place® No. 48, May 2009
Nancy W. Cocola, Editor
Leslie Jennings, Designer
Contributing WritersShelly Loveland
Jennifer O’Neill
Karl Thomas
Editorial Board
Dr. Tim Ryan ’77
President
Nancy Harvin
Vice President for Advancement
Mark Erickson ’77
Vice President–Dean of Culinary Education
Mission Mise en place is the college magazine for alumni and friends of The Culinary Institute of America, and reflects its principles and core values. Its mission is to foster a mutually beneficial and enduring relationship between the CIA, its alumni, and friends by:
Providing information of interest about the college, its alumni, faculty, and students.
Presenting substantive, balanced, and accurate coverage of major issues and events concerning the college as well as highlighting alumni leadership and contributions to the foodservice industry.
Creating a forum to help alumni network and build community.
©2009 The Culinary Institute of America All rights reserved. mise en place® is a registered trademark of The Culinary Institute of America, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499. The CIA at Greystone and the CIA, San Antonio are branch campuses of the CIA, Hyde Park, NY.
Photography: Keith Ferris, Denise Hall, Anne Rettig, and Bernie Tostanowski III.
4
It’s true. When last summer’s Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak heated
up, I called my son, who was away taking college courses, to tell him
to avoid jalapeños at his favorite Mexican fast food restaurant down the
street from campus. He snorted his disdain into the phone, reminding
me that I no longer had control over him. Oh well. I’d done my best.
I’d made the call, and now just hoped that the next time he got hungry
he would opt for pizza.
And while I consider myself a rational person, I stopped buying
tomatoes when at first we all believed the Salmonella outbreak was
caused by them. Even after the FDA told us that on-the-vine and
cherry tomatoes were untainted, I bypassed them in the grocery store.
I realize now that I helped contribute to the $100 million shortfall
experienced by the tomato industry…but I just couldn’t help myself.
With communication from government agencies so mixed and varied
during the crisis, it was hard to trust what I heard and read.
That’s the reason it’s so important that we “get it right” when it comes
to food safety. Every outbreak of Salmonella and E-coli initiates both
a practical and emotional chain of events that can have a devastating
effect on an entire industry and the economics of an entire region. And
while the government is trying to sort out its alphabet soup of agencies
overseeing our food supply, our industry can do its part by rigorously
educating managers and kitchen workers about safe food handling, and
keeping pressure on suppliers to provide us with food that is traceable
back to its point of origin.
I’m hoping that these increasingly frequent outbreaks will soon be a
distant memory and that, in the future, when I reach for a tomato I
won’t have to wonder if it’s safe to eat.
Nancy Cocola
Editor
mise en place no.48, May 2009 5
We look forward to your letters both tender and thorny, commenting on issues and articles in mise en place. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Submission does not guarantee publication. Please include your name and contact information with your letter. Submit to: Nancy Cocola, Editor, mise en place, 1946 Campus Drive, Hyde Park, NY 12538 or e‑mail to [email protected].
I received two e-mails about “The
Ambassadors” article in the Chocolate
edition of mise en place before I even got
my own copy—one from Noble Masi and
one from a ’91 graduate who is a cafeteria
manager in our school system. Both were
excited about the article. I received my
copy today when I got home from school.
WOW! Thanks for telling the story of
the Ambassadors’ visit to my school. The
Cooking with the CIA program is very
special for our students, school, county, and
state. And our students look forward to our
annual field trip to the CIA’s Hyde Park
campus. We look forward to working with
the CIA on future Ambassador visits to the
Center for Applied Technology–North.
Bruce S. Davis ’72
Severn, MD
I look forward to receiving mise en place
and keeping up with the CIA’s continual
improvements and progress. The Chocolate
issue, however, holds particular interest for
me. For the past four years I worked on a
project with over 50 researchers, globally,
documenting the history of chocolate;
wrote my dissertation on the medicinal use
of chocolate; and authored two chapters
in the forthcoming book Chocolate: History,
Culture and Heritage. So, I read with interest
the chocolate articles.
The issue’s photo imagery is fantastic; the
topic areas interesting. However, in more
than one section “fakelore” is perpetuated
and facts misreported. For example, we
searched for evidence that would indicate
who introduced the first heart-shaped box
of chocolates (timeline) and were unable to
determine its origins.
I applaud the CIA for sharing the lore and
science of chocolate. As an academic I
must remind those conducting research to
seek primary sources instead of secondary
sources to insure accurate information is
presented.
Deanna Pucciarelli ’91, Ph.D.
Muncie, ID
Love the new format. It really is excellent.
The Contract Food edition is your best yet.
Stories are interesting. The sections are
good choices. I would only suggest a bit
more coverage of campus life—like sports
team news. Overall mise en place is in a
really good format.
Ken Cummings ’88
Washington, DC
I just would like to thank you for making
such a good mise en place. I found it really
interesting and of course I really enjoyed
when some of my former colleagues were
mentioned. I particularly liked the piece
about contract food; it was quite interesting.
I now live in St. Petersburg, FL and am still
baking in my small apartment kitchen.
Rudolf Lang, CIA Baking and Pastry
Instructor, Retired ’96
St. Petersburg, FL
www.ciaalumninetwork.com6
Food Safety: From Pillory to Prevention
The story began back in 1785 when the governing body of the State of Massachusetts issued this law.
“Whereas some evilly disposed persons, from motives of avarice and filthy lucre, have been induced to sell diseased, corrupted, contagious, or unwholesome provision, to the great nuisance of public health and peace: Be it therefore enacted that if any person shall sell any such diseased provisions, knowing the same without making it known to the buyer, such offence shall be punished by fine, imprisonment, and standing in the pillory, or one or more of these, to be inflicted according to the degree and aggravation of the offence.” And while it may have been satisfying for the public to see the
sellers of diseased food punished by being pilloried or imprisoned,
it took another 100 years before the U.S. government got involved
in the issue from the vantage point of prevention. Even then, when
it created the 1890 Meat Inspection Act it was only to prevent
meat safety from posing a barrier to trade. The Act required
inspection of salt pork, bacon, and pigs intended only for export.
mise en place no.48, May 2009 7
Food Safety: From Pillory to PreventionBy Nancy Cocola
It took the gruesome descriptions in Upton Sinclair’s book The
Jungle, based upon his seven weeks working inside the meat
industry, to help motivate the government to seriously look into its
own citizens’ food supply. Sinclair wrote:
“The workers fell into the vats…sometimes they would be overlooked for days, till all but the bones of them had gone out to the world as Durham’s Pure Leaf Lard! The meat would be shoveled into carts, and the man who did the shoveling would not trouble to lift out a rat even when he saw one.” Lewis’s claims were confirmed in the Neill-Reynolds Report,
commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt. That, along with
an increased public outcry, prompted the U.S. Congress to pass
two important and unprecedented pieces of legislation in 1906.
The Pure Food and Drug Act forbade manufacturers from selling
or transporting adulterated food products or “poisonous” patent
medicines. The Meat Inspection Act authorized the inspection and
condemnation of any meat found unfit for human consumption.
Both these Acts fell under the auspices of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) that divided their implementation between
two of its bureaus. The Meat Inspection Act fell to the Bureau
of Animal Industry, in part because it had veterinarians on staff
8
who could recognize sick animals. They were required to provide
inspection in every slaughterhouse and packing plant that then
existed—all 163 of them. Today, there are more than 6,000 such
facilities. The Pure Food and Drug Act fell under the Bureau of
Chemistry, which was the precursor to the modern Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). This was a great day for Harvey Wiley, a chief
chemist at the Department of Agriculture, whose research connecting
the contents of food and beverages with the health of consumers had
previously fallen on deaf ears. Wiley was clear that “adulterated food
made consumers weak, sick, and ‘unattractive.’” A man well ahead of
his time!
Charged with enforcement, these two bureaus had a clear mandate
that was a vast improvement. However, very quickly they were beset
by additional legislation that seemed unconcerned with the need to
coordinate oversight of the food supply as a whole. Only one year
later, in 1907, a Board of Food and Drug Inspection was created
to establish agency policy in enforcing the laws. Additionally, the
Referee Board of Consulting Science Experts was formed to advise
the department on safety issues associated with food additives. The
confusion began. According to Marion Nestle in her book Safe
Food, there are currently 35 separate laws, administered by 12
agencies, housed in six cabinet-level departments. Clarity
is elusive when it comes to the agencies monitoring the
safety of our food. For example, while the FDA regulates
dehydrated beef soup and chicken broth, the USDA
regulates dehydrated chicken soup and
beef broth.
Food Safety’s Alphabet SoupA look at the major players reveals a patchwork of
regulators overseeing our food supply. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) are the two Federal agencies we all know. They
inspect food products, enforce safety regulations, test
suspect foods, and work with industry to improve
safety practices. In its broadest definition, the
FDA is responsible for non-meat products such as
seafood, fruits, vegetables, and shelled eggs, while
the USDA oversees meat, poultry, and processed
egg products. Both agencies work extensively with
state food regulatory partners and within each are
agencies charged with implementation.
99
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health
agency at the USDA that is responsible for ensuring that the nation’s
commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe,
wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) operates under
the FDA. It has authority starting from a product’s point of U.S. entry
or processing to its point of sale—overseeing approximately 50,000
food manufacturers, processors, and warehouses, as well as 3,500
cosmetic firms. These figures do not include the roughly 600,000
restaurants and institutional foodservice establishments and the
235,000 supermarkets, grocery stores, and other food outlets regulated
by state and local authorities that receive guidance, model codes, and
other technical assistance from the FDA.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors human
health through disease surveillance. The CDC is a non-regulatory,
scientific agency. Its mission is to “promote health and quality of
life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.”
The CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Bacterial, and Mycotic Diseases
conducts surveillance for foodborne diseases; assists local and
state health departments during outbreaks; collects, organizes, and
publishes information on foodborne illnesses and outbreaks; maintains
the national reference laboratories for foodborne pathogens; and
develops new strategies for diagnosing and fingerprinting them.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) was established in
the 1960s when NASA asked Pillsbury to design and manufacture the
first foods for space flights. Since then, HACCP has been recognized
internationally as a science-based food safety system used by both
the USDA and FDA. HACCP’s seven principles are based on risk
assessment. By identifying critical control points in the manufacturing
process, HACCP identifies when safety controls should be applied, the
limits on those controls, and the corrective actions to be taken. It also
highlights record keeping and evaluation of the system itself.
When it comes to imported foods, the United Nation’s Codex
Alimentarius (food code) purportedly bases its recommendations on
scientific information. However, the makeup of its commission is
heavily weighted in favor of trade rather than consumer concerns
about food safety. And the issue of food imports is historically a highly
political one that bases its regulatory strictures, in part, on our ability
to maintain trade relations with different countries.
With the FDA grossly under-funded and incidents of foodborne illness
seemingly on the rise, a new industry of third-party companies calling
themselves food-safety consultants has emerged. Practically every major
food manufacturer today hires experts to check out the ingredients
that are entering its facilities. However, with no system of certification
established for these third-party inspectors, there is a fear that they are
just window-dressing for large corporations burnishing their public
image. But one can understand why large companies have taken the
steps to hire them when the cost of a recall can deal a catastrophic
blow to business.
Economic and Consumer FalloutThe ultimate goal for examiners is to identify the point at which
the contamination occurred in the distribution chain or in the
food handling. It’s an arduous task. Lots of inaccurate associations
are initially made because the implicated food is connected to the
unrecognized real source of the problem. Testing the food can be
difficult. The food causing the outbreak may have already been
consumed or overlooked when samples were collected. Contamination
may not be detected because it varies within the food, the pathogen
did not survive long in the food, or the test is insensitive to the
pathogen. And after all the well-intentioned attempts to isolate the
outbreak’s culprit, there are still casualties.
According to the Pew Charitable Trusts’ postmortem of this event, the
tomato industry, which represents a significant piece of this country’s
10
agriculture economy, lost more than $100 million in Florida and
close to $14 million in Georgia. After the event, jalapeño growers in
Mexico, who were not involved in the scare, were reluctant to plant
the crop again for export, fearing that they would have no market
in the U.S. These outcomes are not unusual. As a result of the
spinach outbreak in 2006, spinach farmers reported losses totaling
$350 million.
The emotional impact on consumers is reflected in their buying
patterns. In December 2007, the Thompson West Research poll
found 61% of Americans worry about the safety of their food. The
Food Marketing Institute’s U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2007 report
documented a 16% decline in consumer confidence in the safety of
the food they purchase in grocery stores. How many of us,
once an alert is issued, can overcome our fear and take
a “risk” to buy an item even after it has been cleared
by the FDA as having no part in the outbreak? This
emotional response can wreak havoc with a grower’s or
producer’s bottom line. But consumers have every right to remain
skeptical. So many mixed messages and signals emerge during one
of these events that it’s not surprising we willingly give
up spinach, peppers, and tomatoes while we wait for
our alphabet soup of agencies to give the “all clear.”
There has to be a better way.
Detection and PreventionIndeed, looking for a better way is front and center these
days. In her August 14, 2008 press release, Caroline Smith DeWaal,
director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI), praised the proposed bipartisan FDA Food Safety
Modernization Act, which would help refocus the FDA on preventing,
rather than just reacting to, foodborne disease outbreaks. The
bill would require domestic and foreign food companies to assess
potential hazards, develop food safety plans, and take steps to prevent
contaminated foods from being marketed. It also would require the
FDA to issue regulations for ensuring safer fresh produce.
DeWaal called upon the then-incoming Obama administration
to “bring our entire food regulatory system into the 21st century
by creating a unified food agency with a single leader and a firm
budgetary foundation.” President Obama is currently doing just that.
The outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium in peanut butter
that began in September 2008 has affected 575 people
in 43 states and resulted in the voluntary recall of 1,790
products. Traced to a Blakely, GA plant owned by Peanut Corporation
of America, the outbreak has prompted President Obama to call for an
investigation of the FDA’s practices.
And while it is easy to look at the FDA and find its failings, it is
historically under-funded and has limited power. For example, if a
company does internal testing for Salmonella that isn’t on the FDA’s
official clock and finds some, it doesn’t have to report it. The agency
also does not have the power to require a company to recall its
products; they can only request it be done.
Revamping the entire patchwork of federal agencies involved in
food safety is imperative. Among the key issues to look at along the
way: the traceability of our food and the new technology coming
out of universities across the country that will help us protect our
food sources.
We already have the technology to trace our food. Stickers on fruits
and vegetables are used as standardized price look-up codes. For
example, a “4087” on a sticker means red Roma tomatoes no matter
where you are shopping. Similar standardized codes could let retailers,
food safety investigators, and curious consumers know exactly what
farm a bunch of asparagus comes from. According to Caroline
Smith DeWaal, “unfortunately, the produce industry is reaping
what it sowed when it sought and received special exemptions that
allowed it to avoid the country-of-origin labeling requirements
that Congress passed in 2002.” We need to—and can—go beyond
country-of-origin labeling. We have the ability to trace back directly
to a specific farm. And when distributors mix produce from different
sources in repacking facilities, they should be required to maintain the
identifying marks or labels.
Our universities are cauldrons of new ideas and technologies. After
the 1998 Listeria contamination of hot dogs and deli meat, the Sara
Lee Corporation, as a condition of its probation, funded $3 million for
the Center for Integrative Toxicology at Michigan State University.
Researchers at Iowa State University have revealed a new technique
for testing for Salmonella in produce by applying simple adhesive tape
to food surfaces and utilizing ultraviolet light to identify pathogens. An
agricultural research scientist and his colleagues from the University
of Georgia have developed a microscopic biological sensor that
detects Salmonella bacteria, which has great potential for food safety.
Flourescent organic dye particles attach to Salmonella antibodies
hooked onto the bacteria. The dye lights up like a torch, leading the
way to the Salmonella! When fully developed, this technology would
allow for frequent testing at a much lower cost than is incurred
by sending samples to a lab for analysis. This point-of-packaging
11
testing, if conducted properly, has the potential to
dramatically reduce the chance of contaminated
food reaching grocery store shelves. There is also
irradiation. Despite the fact that it is proven to help
eliminate most pathogens in the food, the public has never
been able to get over the idea, despite spirited media releases
to the contrary, that the process makes food radioactive in some way.
What this shows us is that any technology applied to treat foods for
the purpose of reducing pathogens will have to meet the litmus test of
acceptance by the public.
A Responsible Foodservice IndustryAccording to CIA Trustee Emeritus Alan Plassche, consultant for
UniPro Foodservice, Inc., there are two fundamental ways that
the foodservice industry can help ensure a safe experience for
customers. First, we must concentrate on safe food practices in our
facilities—whether it’s a restaurant, processing plant, or distribution
center. Second, we must take responsibility for knowing the food that
“comes in the back door.” He highlights sick employees and food
handlers, cross contamination, insufficient pathogen kill-steps in
cooking, and improper temperature controls as vital concerns in
the workplace. Another CIA trustee emeritus, John Farquharson,
president of the International Food Safety Council, couldn’t agree
more. He believes that constant, ongoing education of front-line
managers is key. When his organization first started to raise
awareness about ServSafe® food hygiene training, the National
Restaurant Association was certifying only 20,000 managers a year.
Now they certify upwards of 200,000 a year. At the CIA, the ServSafe
course is mandatory. Taught by Professor in Liberal Arts Rich Vergili
and Manager of Student Employment Barbara Campbell, this course
looks at not only the specifics of safe preparation of food, but attempts
to connect young culinarians to food in a way that will enable them to
take on the responsibility of being champions of a safe food supply.
And that responsibility, according to Plassche, means knowing
without a doubt the food safety practices of your food sources. He
suggests putting suppliers through rigorous screening and drilling
down to make sure that standards and audits are in place to reduce
risk. He sites SYSCO, which goes as far as to conduct historical
studies of the land they are growing their produce on and the sources
of certain products that are prone to food safety risks. And while
small operations surely don’t have the resources for that kind of due
diligence, it is always possible to shop around for producers and
distributors who are willing to be transparent about their practices.
If not, he suggests choosing someone else. He likes to remind
restaurateurs about “strict liability,” which means that if a supplier
sells you contaminated food and you serve it to your patrons, you
are still liable. It’s an even greater incentive, he says, for everyone to
control the food supply they work with. This is a sentiment echoed
by Sam Melamedas ’79, director of purchasing at American Food
and Vending Corp. “We are responsible to our customers and are
always asking vendors where they got the food and if they can
produce the certifications from the growers saying their water supply
was protected.” The bottom line is that it is up to all of us in the
foodservice industry to keep pressure on the suppliers and growers, as
well as our own staff, to think “food safety” first.
Books have been written about the history of, and present-day
concerns regarding, the safety of our food supply. Hundreds of
regulations have been written to try and ensure that Americans
can trust the food they buy, resulting in a fragmented system that
consumers are now reluctant to trust. But as frightening as these
recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have been, there is an upside.
They have certainly caught the attention of our lawmakers. Calls
for investigations into procedures at our watchdog agencies
offer renewed hope for the future. And with the pressure
from consumers, advances in technology, and a foodservice
industry that is increasingly educating its workers, a sea
change is coming in the way we structure our agencies and
ensure a safe food supply. Until then, we must, as an industry,
remain vigilant and do everything we can to ensure the
health of our customers and the safety of our food.
Food Safety Resources:www.FoodSafety.com
www.Recalls.gov
www.CDC.gov
www.cfsan.fda.gov
www.fsis.usda.gov
www.cit.msu.edu Michigan State University’s Center for
Integrative Toxicology
Internet Guide to Food Safety and Security by Elizabeth Connor
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Safe Food by Marion Nestle
www.ciaalumninetwork.com12
With all the watchdog agencies out there, how is it that we are still getting sick from the innocuous tomato, jalapeño, spinach leaf, or peanut butter sandwich? And why does it take so long for agencies to issue recalls and secure public safety? A look at one of the two most recent outbreaks may shed light on the process and answer these questions.
Salmonella SaintpaulThe recent National Restaurant Association’s “Food Safety in the 21st
Century Marketplace” conference served as a forum for speakers from
all segments of the foodservice industry to discuss growing concerns
about our global food supply. In his presentation, David Warnock,
Ph.D., director of the Division of Foodborne, Bacterial, and Mycotic
Diseases at the CDC, spoke about the typical course of an outbreak.
He reported that they usually begin slowly with scattered consumer
complaints of illness. From there, healthcare providers begin reporting
clusters of similar symptoms. Information from the national network
of federal, state, and local public health laboratories that develop DNA
“fingerprints” of bacteria are then accessed. If links are found between
cases, then the clusters are classified as an “outbreak.” And finally,
reports in the media alert the public and may heighten their awareness
of the origin of their own symptoms. There is a natural, built-in delay
between when an illness starts and the date a case is reported to public
health authorities.
Here is a very broad timeline of the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak
as presented by Dr. Warnock. It doesn’t reflect the many hours of
interviews, gathering of samples, scientific lab testing, control testing,
or conference calls and meetings between agencies. It does, however,
reflect the fact that tracing back an outbreak and isolating a single
source can be remarkably difficult.
anatomy of an outbreak 2008
JUNE
JUly
1:Trace back of
products begins.
1:Joint FDA-CDC advisory
update—869 cases with 107
hospitalizations. Tomatoes
still lead suspect. Other food
items consumed with tomatoes
are being investigated. A new
case control study established.
Increased number of labs
involved in testing food items.
7:North Carolina investigates
cluster of 13 illnesses and results
implicate guacamole made with
raw, red Roma tomatoes and
serrano peppers. CDC considers
strong probability that illnesses
are caused by more than one
food item.
5:FDA publishes
a list of states,
territories, and
countries where
these tomatoes
are grown and
harvested.
9:CDC issues advisory
update—167 cases in 17
states. Major restaurant
chains and grocery
chains announce they
are pulling tomatoes
from their outlets.
12:FDA updates
list of tomato-
growing areas
not associated
with the
outbreak.
17:FDA and CDC
clear tomatoes
as illness source.
Farms are no
longer producing
positive cultures.
7:FDA expands
consumer
advisory to be
nationwide. New
Mexico issues
press release on
55 cases.
3:FDA issues consumer alert for New
Mexico and Texas, warning consumers
not to eat raw, red plum, red Roma, or
round red tomatoes. On-the-vine and
cherry tomatoes were exempt from
this alert. Thirty potentially linked
illnesses appear in other states.
mise en place no.48, May 2009 13
APRIL MAY
august
16:The first incidents
of possible
foodborne illnesses
get reported to
physicians.
8–20:New Mexico
Department of
Health begins
collecting specimens;
serotyping them as
Salmonella
Saintpaul.
23:Match to
outbreak strain
identified in
Colorado and
Texas and a
multi-state
investigation
begins.
21:FDA announces finding
contaminated jalapeño
peppers at McAllen,
TX distribution center.
These peppers were
grown in Mexico.
Consumers told to avoid
fresh jalapeño peppers.
31:New Mexico
issues press
release
associating New
Mexico illnesses
with fresh
tomatoes and
identifies three
retail sources.
30:FDA announces
contaminated serrano
peppers and irrigation
water at farm in
Mexico. Advises
consumers not to eat
serrano peppers grown
in Mexico.
23:CDC issues
advisory
update—613
cases in 33
states.
18:Joint FDA-CDC press release
states outbreak is not over with
new cases being reported; 383
cases from 30 states. Assumes
contaminated tomatoes came
from Mexico or Florida.
28:CDC issues advisory—1,442 cases in 43 states with
286 people hospitalized. Serrano and jalapeño
peppers grown, harvested, or packed in Mexico
are cause of some of the clusters and major vehicle
in outbreak. Outbreak has ended. No new cases
of illness are reported. Final assessment of specific
food of origin—still unclear.
20:Texas reports an additional 134 cases.
CDC issues advisory update—552
cases in 32 states. Checking for
contamination between Mexico and
Florida. CDC and Texas investigate
a cluster of 47 illnesses whose results
implicate jalapeño peppers.
24–26:New Mexico officials
hypothesize fresh
tomatoes are the
source. The CDC
notifies the FDA of
this hypothesis and
New Mexico begins a
case control study.
25:FDA advises
consumers not to
eat jalapeño peppers
grown in Mexico.
Domestic peppers
are not implicated in
outbreak.
22:New Mexico Department of
Health notifies the CDC that a
cluster of 19 Salmonella cases
are under investigation and
epidemiologists begin patient
interviews. Data collected
includes travel; daycare
contact; contact with reptiles,
pets, and farm animals; types
and sources of drinking water;
history of swimming; and an
extensive history regarding
the location of, and the actual
foods eaten, for a full five days
prior to the illness onset.
www.ciaalumninetwork.com14
Boa constrictors; giant moths; big-eyed, gerbil-like rodents; howler monkeys;
pacas; and worms that slithered around in packs were just some of the
creatures that greeted recent graduate and coffee enthusiast Bernie
Tostanowski III ’09 and Lecturing Instructor in Café Operations Denise
Hall ’96 on their coffee sojourn to Nicaragua.
Counter Culture, an organic coffee-roasting company in Durham, NC,
is dedicated to educating the world about fine, direct-trade coffee. Its
commitment to spreading the word extends to organizing educational
trips of origin for its customers that take them to Counter Culture’s
partnering organic coffee farms in San Ramón, Nicaragua. As the first
Counter Culture Coffee Scholarship recipient, Bernie, along with his
instructor Denise Hall, gladly took them up on the offer to learn more about
coffee by following the beans from harvest to export and then brewing.
Landing in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, they encountered a fairly
modern city with palm tree-lined roads and, you guessed it, a Best Western
Hotel where our CIA adventurers stayed. But after only one night, they
waved goodbye to luxury and embarked on a three-hour van ride to
San Ramón, where they were installed at Finca Esperanza Verde, a
coffee farm that was their base of operations for the next week.
Guided by staff from Counter Culture, Bernie, Denise,
and the other group members got the lay of the land
by hiking the hilly trails all around the farm. They
discovered the variety of vegetation necessary to
provide the shade coffee plants require for maximum
growth. They learned about a unique worm-
composting system that marries coffee bean husks
with worms and water to create a concentrated run-off
used as a liquid fertilizer. And they visited the butterfly
pavilion that supports the growth of the butterflies
needed for the local ecology.
The day they spent picking coffee beans high up on the
hot, humid, but verdant hills of San Ramon held many
surprises. “Unlike a winery where you can clearly see the
rows and find your grapes to pick, coffee plants are grown under
the banana plants and amidst many other varieties of vegetation,”
explained Denise. “Once in the forest, it was possible to see a semblance
of order. And then, all you needed to do was pick the ripe, bright-red
cherries that contained the beans.”
From Seed to CupA Nicaraguan Coffee Harvest
15
But it was not that simple, according to Bernie. “The
eight of us from the U.S. spent 2½ hours picking ripe
beans [cherries] and tossing them into baskets tied
around our waists,” he said. “When we tallied up
our harvest, we had picked less than half the amount
an experienced picker would have harvested. And,
we had collectively earned only $4.50.”
During visits to other coffee cooperative farms,
Bernie and Denise were struck by the primitive
conditions in which the growers and their families
live. Scrap wood walls and dirt floors were not
uncommon. But, while their family homes may
be little more than shanties, their milling houses
are often constructed of brick. At one farm, the
owner has two de-husking machines in his wet mill
building. A cot in the corner is reserved for his
uncle, who sleeps there to ensure that no one steals
the machines in the dead of night.
Nicaragua is the second-poorest country in the
Western Hemisphere, but all the farmers in this
cooperative have ownership of their land because,
after the revolution, the government allowed people
to homestead. Counter Culture works to ensure
that there is no middleman, and that all profits from
the harvest go directly back to the farmer. Counter
Culture has helped all of its growers to develop
organic practices. Trust and commitment on both
sides is essential, as that type of conversion can take
as long as seven years to accomplish.
As a bonus, the group was able to squeeze in a
trip to a local chocolate factory to observe the
facility where they roast and process cacao. And
finally, they all returned to the U.S. to spend a
full day back in Counter Culture’s main roasting
facility in Durham, NC. Bernie got to roast his own
small batch of the very beans harvested at Finca
Esperanza Verde.
Bernie’s enthusiasm for learning and interest in
every facet of the coffee-making process has led
Counter Culture to consider making this an ongoing
scholarship for a student interested in pursuing
coffee as a career. Bernie most definitely will. He
explains his vision this way. “I love music, and I’m
passionate about coffee. I’m hoping to one day have
a coffee house that serves up truly excellent coffee
and great live music.”
www.ciaalumninetwork.com16
By Jennifer O’Neill
We received an e-mail “S.O.S.” from Occasions Caterers, a
prominent Washington, DC firm owned by my twin cousins Mark
and Eric Michael that
read, “We need extra
waiters and kitchen staff
to work inauguration
events! Can the CIA
help?” Our response
was a resounding,
“Yes, we can!” Three
current CIA students,
two staff from the
Advancement Office, and
many CIA alumni from the DC area answered the call.
Our intrepid group was scheduled to work three of Occasions’
50 scheduled events over inaugural weekend. Our experience
was simultaneously exhausting and exhilarating. But at the
end of each day we realized how essential the foodservice
industry is. Without it, there is no party!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Event #1: Breakfast for 2,200 guests. Sponsored by the Inaugural Finance Com-mittee at the National Building Museum 4 a.m. Arriving in the dark, we immediately started prepping
country egg pie, apple pain perdu, applewood smoked bacon, and
platters of tropical fruit. And as you would expect at an event of
this magnitude, small but annoying problems invariably cropped
up. We were short 58 bowls of butter, were low on jam, and didn’t
have enough electricity in our kitchen to power the coffee urns.
But ingenuity, from Occasions’ staff, overcame each obstacle.
6 a.m. Suddenly, drifting in over the clatter and hubbub,
came the strains of Carole King’s “Natural
Woman.” We all remarked that the sound
system must be great because her voice
sounded so real. And it was real! Carole
King was in the Great Hall warming up
for her performance later. The goodwill at
this event was plentiful so it didn’t seem to matter when we ran
out of tea bags. Our servers’ friendly smiles and the music of the
Dartmouth Gospel Choir, BeBe Winans, and Carole King seemed
to help the tea drinkers forgive and forget.
1:30 P.m. Plates and tables cleared, our weary group stepped
outside and was immediately rejuvenated by a city filled with joy
and enthusiasm. We follow our hearts (and thousands of other
people) to the National Mall to enjoy the “We Are One” concert.
Everyone was transported as the music of Bruce Springsteen, John
Mellencamp, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, and others filled the air.
monday, January 19, 2009
Event #2: Bipartisan Dinner Honoring
Colin Powell for 1,200 guests at the National Building Museum 10 a.m. Our tent kitchen was freezing! Heaters were turned off
to keep 1,200 grilled Gulf shrimp and passion fruit salads chilled.
We wore our down coats while our frozen fingers attempted to
plate vegetables in the shape of an artist’s palette. While the Secret
Service “swept” the Great Hall—a three-hour operation—servers
were stopped in the middle of setup. They removed us from the
kitchen to be “magged” with a metal detector. Then, the Secret
Service insisted we move our CIA van or it would be towed
immediately. Assistant Director of Donor Relations Rebecca Kent
raced out the doors screaming to Secret Service agents, “Please
don’t tow that van!” But, finding a tow-free zone
was nearly impossible. Stopping a DC police
officer to ask for help, she discovered he was a
proud CIA grad. The CIA to the rescue, again.
3 P.m. Already behind schedule, we raced to
catch up in the kitchen when we met Marilyn,
Inauguration Elation
our intrePid cia volunteerS
Jennifer o’neill & Peter ziehl
mise en place no.48, May 2009 17
a determined Department of
Health officer. She hovered over
the chef as he cooked, slowed
production with the wave of her
meat thermometer, and frightened
workers as she yelled about proper
gloves and sanitation procedures.
5 P.m. Anticipation ran high as guests arrived, many of them
celebrities and dignitaries. We asked Ben Affleck to please move
aside so we could pour wine, chatted with actor Bradley Whitford,
passed individual cheesecakes to Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks,
shared greetings with Steven Spielberg and Smokey Robinson, and
even got to talk to Jamie Lee Curtis while on a bathroom break! It
was a surreal experience. Senator John Warner introduced Colin
Powell and Vice-President-Elect Joe Biden, who both spoke. Then,
to a spellbound crowd, President-Elect Obama took the stage
to speak about Colin Powell’s many accomplishments. We were
breathless both because we were only 150 feet away from the next
Commander in Chief and because we’d just served 1,200 people in
10 minutes flat.
midniGht: Exhausted, we hit the sheets…our wake-up call
was for 3 a.m.!
tueSday, January 20, 2009—inauGuration day!
Event #3: Swearing In and Parade Viewing Party for 900+ guests high atop Pennsylvania Avenue 4 a.m. After only three hours of sleep, we were running on
fumes. Nonetheless, we wrestled dozens of Cres-Cors up service
elevators to the building’s 12th floor. Our client had requested
a six-hour buffet. Almost immediately, we hit a snafu. Due to
security and transportation problems, 20 of our staff were “no
shows.” Now each of us had to do the work of three people.
10 a.m. The food flew out of the kitchen and into guests’
mouths so fast we were constantly rushing to prep and restock.
During the swearing-in ceremony the party came to a halt as
all eyes turned to the television. But the moment it was over our
guests rediscovered their voracious appetites! We replenished our
waning energy with quick trips to the rooftop to scan the parade
route below. Though unsettling, it was also comforting to see
snipers posted on every rooftop.
4 P.m. Twelve hours after we’d arrived, the last guest departed.
We were bone-tired and did our best to clean up as quickly as
possible—the end was in sight!
5:30 P.m. Completely spent, we desired nothing more
than sleep, but it eluded us as visions of our once-in-a-lifetime
experience replayed in our minds. Now, when anyone asks if,
despite extraordinary circumstances, CIA students and staff will
provide first-class foodservice that’s worthy of a president, our
answer will be…Yes, We Can!
Jennifer O’Neill is an alumni relations officer.
inauGural Query
“if you could be any-one in WaShinGton d.c. thiS Week…Who Would it be?”
rebecca morriS: “i’m so happy that for the first time since the kennedy administration there will be small children running around the White house. i can only imagine Sasha and malia’s excitement. i’d love to be one of those kids—having sleepovers…playing pranks on the Secret Service…and visiting my dad at the office.”
Peter Weltman: “i wish i were abraham lincoln. his face was never far from inaugural events. his “house divided” plea was referenced during the first of many speeches at our breakfast events and it set the tone of ‘unity.’ not only did his monument have the best seat in the house during the ‘We are one’ concert, but i know he would be proud to witness the excitement in Washington.”
cia StudentS Peter & rebecca
www.ciaalumninetwork.com18
Every day of the year, alumni like you reach out to current and
prospective students and do something extraordinary. Your
invaluable insights offer students a glimpse into the real world
of foodservice. Your astute advice guides them as they make
important career choices. And the modeling of your expertise and
professionalism sets the standard for their own performance. Your
commitment to them and to all things culinary helps pass on a
legacy that starts at the doors of the CIA.
Whether you choose to be a mentor, provide an externship site,
expand students’ education by offering a demo on campus, talk
the ears off a prospective student and his or her parents at a
College Fair, or donate a Gift-in-Kind to the college, every one of
your generous acts helps to Make Us Better.
Friends in ChicagoFor the past 12 years,
Michael Garbin ’76
has been hosting
the CIA’s Alumni
Reception during the
National Restaurant
Association’s annual
meeting in Chicago,
IL. Michael is the
executive chef at the
Union League Club
of Chicago where the
Club’s membership
recognizes the
importance of
Michael’s relationship with the CIA. With three restaurants and
180 guest rooms, this private club has all the amenities of a small
hotel, and a CIA-trained executive chef certainly adds to their
cachet. Michael gives back to the CIA by coordinating the Alumni
Reception. Every year, he asks for and receives the unstinting
support of local alumni. Together they donate all the food and
beverages for the event, leaving the CIA with only the expense for
the wait staff. “I feel that hosting this reception is the best way for
me to continue to give back to the college,” Michael says. “I want
the CIA to know they have friends here in Chicago!”
A Man With a MissionWhen Paul Sofka ’97
talks about spreading
the word, he means it in
the culinary sense. Paul
is in the unique position
of director of culinary
services at the Houston
First Baptist Church in
Houston, TX. There are
many challenges when you
provide sustenance to a
congregation that numbers
as many as 14,000 members. Paul might find himself preparing
meals for a three-day Southern Baptist Convention of 8,000
people, providing lunches for the K-8 church school and childcare
center, or creating daily meals for the more than 200 church staff.
But Paul’s other job is to spread the word about the CIA. That’s
why he attends Career and College Fairs, representing the CIA
whenever he can. He describes three types of people he meets
there—parents who wish they could go to culinary school, kids
who definitely know they want to come to the CIA, and the ones
he calls the “wanderers.” He’s there to convince them that the CIA
is the best culinary education around. There’s nothing like a man
with a mission!
GOAAAAAALLLL!Not many chefs can say
they recruit potential
externs for their hotels
by playing ice hockey,
but Mark Quitney ’85,
executive chef at the New
Orleans Marriott, can. In
the past when he would
come north to the CIA’s
Career Fairs, he would take
the time to engage some
of the students in a lively
scrimmage during which he
You Make Us BetterOne Student at a Time
michael Garbin ‘76
Paul Sofka ‘97
mark Quitney ‘87
mise en place no.48, May 2009 19
could formulate opinions about whether they would be a good match
for an externship slot. If you think Mark has fun when he’s visiting
the CIA, you’d be right. “I love my school,” he says. “The best part of
being a student here was that everyone wanted to be a chef.” Today,
Mark, who has been with Marriott for over 19 years, has revitalized
the New Orleans Marriott, taking it to 12th place among the 330
Marriott properties! He’s also started a Culinary Council with the
other four Marriotts in New Orleans to lower costs and consolidate
ideas. He loves the fact that after an externship with Marriott,
many of his CIA students come back and work for the company.
GOAAAALLL!
Duck, Duck, Goose When Robert Ambrose
’88 gives a demonstration
about foie gras to students
in Professor Patrick
Bottiglieri’s class, he’s come
to expect certain things: CIA
students are well-informed,
they ask lots of pertinent
questions that others might
not think of, and they are
concerned about every step
of the production process,
from raising the ducks to
preparation for cooking.
His pleasure in educating
current CIA students and his commitment to the college is evident
in the many things he does. Through his work as chef and sales
representative at Bella Bella Gourmet Foods—a prime source for
foie gras, specialty meat, and heirloom poultry—Robert has donated
product for the annual Dinner with the Masters®, participated in
the Hudson Valley Harvest Dinner showcasing local products, and
provided lively demonstrations for our students.
Cultivating Chefs“I enjoy working with students to help them learn and grow, and to
build future leaders for the industry,” says Sean Woods ’92, executive
chef at Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande-Lakes. Almost 17 years ago,
when Sean was a mid-level manager, he established the Ritz-Carlton
as an externship site for CIA students. Externs have six weeks in
each of three areas—fine dining, casual, and banquet. This ensures
they have time to become part of the team and develop a routine and
rhythm. Even though he is now extremely busy as executive chef, Sean
still finds time to be part of the students’ training. “I love working
side-by-side with them, plating up on the banquet line or when I’m
expediting in the kitchen. But the most rewarding thing is getting
letters from former externs telling me how they have progressed in
their careers and knowing I’ve made an impact.”
Thanks to all who already give so much of their time and
expertise to our students. But there are so many more talented
and experienced alumni out there we hope will consider ways
they can have an impact and make the CIA better…one student
at a time.
For more information, contact Alumni Relations at 845-451-1401
or e-mail us at [email protected].
Sean WoodS ‘92 With extern laura hooten ‘09
robert ambroSe ‘88
www.ciaalumninetwork.com20
Following the Presidential TrailChange is a constant at the CIA; whether it’s a new CIA board
chairman, a new cutting-edge residence lodge at our Greystone
campus, or just the prospect of a new president in Washington, DC.
President Tim Ryan is involved in these changes—both weighty and
light—revealing the variety of hats a college president wears.
Presidents and Board Chairs Convene In January, Tim and Chairman of the Board Cameron Mitchell
’86 attended the Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and
Universities (AGB) Conference for presidents and board chairs.
The 42 participants—21 presidents and 21 chairs—were there to
get up to speed regarding their roles and responsibilities, to hear
the latest best practices, and to exchange information and insights
with other leaders in higher education. Even more important
was the time provided for presidents and chairs to bond, think,
and discuss plans for how they are going to move forward with
their specific boards. Tim and Cameron came away with similar
observations:
• The CIA Board is in very good shape, and its processes and
procedures meet or exceed the best practices presented.
• The CIA is well-known and highly regarded, garnering more
interest from conference participants than any other college
present.
Greystone’s New Green Residence During a recent visit to the Greystone campus, Tim officially broke
ground for a new student housing facility that will probably be
one of the greenest buildings in the Napa Valley. Its 31 units will
house 60 students and a resident assistant. Water conservation and
energy efficiency are key components of this project. To that end,
low-flow sinks, toilets, and showers as well as wastewater treated for
landscape irrigation, are planned. Solar panels will heat water used
in the facility and collect energy for electric power.
The lodge is expected to be finished in July 2009 with a Leadership
in Energy Efficiency in Design (LEED) gold certification.
From President Ryan to President Obama The Rachael Ray daytime talk show invited presidents from various
sectors of the business and entertainment world to share their
management tips with Mr. Obama in advance of his becoming
President of The United States of America. Tim’s particular advice
for the future president carried the ring of familiar themes.
“As we all know, America already has all the right ingredients. Given
that, I encourage President Obama to approach his job much as a master
chef would. Focus on bringing out the very best in the ingredients you
have—without over-complicating the dish. Adjust the seasoning as you
go, and keep your kitchen spotlessly clean. And remember that while few
dishes will appeal to all, you should have something on your menu for
everyone—even if their tastes and preferences are different. If you follow
that formula, the result will surely be a winning recipe for our nation’s
future. Congratulations, and we here at the other CIA wish you the best
in your Presidency.”
PreSident ryan and chairman of the board cameron mitchell
left to riGht: GreyStone director of adminiStration & finance bob Graham, tim, and manaGinG director charleS henninG at GroundbreakinG.
mise en place no.48, May 2009 21
The B.P.S. Restaurant Operations course, taught by Professor
Patrick Bottiglieri and Associate Professor Bill Guilfoyle, has
added a new requirement. Students in this capstone course must
organize and manage an entire fine-dining event—soup to nuts.
With a fixed budget in hand, students in each of the course’s five
sections had to come up with a concept, determine a marketing
plan, and organize the front- and back-of-the-house operations.
Students were responsible for recipes, costing, budget, and
formulating an accurate profit and loss statement. And finally, the
group had to decide which charitable organization would be the
recipient of the event’s profits.
A look at the January 2009 Fabulous Las Vegas! dinner event
provides a window into the challenges and learnings of this
hands-on experience. The cocktail hour in Farquharson Hall
had an open bar, passed hors d’oeuvre, and casino games like
blackjack, baccarat, craps, and roulette. Then, the guests moved
to Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici where six serving stations, each
bearing the names of famous Las Vegas hotels, were set up.
As in real life, the unexpected often happens. Fabulous Las Vegas!
was no exception. Putting water into the base of a soup warmer
resulted in a leak of mammoth proportions. With the doors about
to open, students worked frantically to find out the cause of the
problem and clean up the mess. But the guests never knew—they
experienced a flawless event.
Raising money for their chosen charity required that students
approach local store owners and individuals as well as the CIA
for raffle items. Gifts included books, wine, food, health club
memberships, and jewelry. Raffle tickets were a modest $2 each.
The students were exhausted but delighted with the results of their
efforts. “It was great way to use all the skills we’ve leaned so far,”
said Chelsey Poole ’09. And Carolyn Coppolo ’09 was happy to
see that “even in a recession, the community was willing to help a
good cause.” The evening’s raffle raised $1,140. All monies were
donated directly to the American Heart Association.
Some other student-run events that benefited the community were:
Fire and Ice Progressive Dinner Guests started the evening at St.
Andrew’s Café, where they enjoyed a reception and silent auction.
Then it was off to Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici for a wonderful
dinner. All told, the auction and dinner raised enough money to
donate $4,000 to Dutchess Outreach (the class’s chosen charity)
with an additional $2,400 going to the CIA Scholarship Fund.
Fantastic!
Valentine’s Day Dinner-Dance
Farquharson Hall was
transformed into a romantic
getaway for 170 guests. They
all enjoyed a reception, open
bar, five-course dinner, and
dancing to the popular band,
The Big Smoothies—who
brought down the house! In
all, $2,600 was raised for
the Leukemia/Lymphoma
Society.
As an educational exper-
ience, these five events
couldn’t have been more
perfect. As a community
service project, they couldn’t
have been more timely. Kudos
to all our creative students!
Student Creativity Serves Community
22
By Shelly Loveland
At the CIA we are keenly aware of the importance of
sourcing food locally, promoting sustainable agriculture,
reducing waste and pollution, and conserving energy.
That’s why understanding green principles is a
fundamental part of our students’ educational experience
as well as an institution-wide commitment. At the CIA,
“being green” means protecting the environment through
initiatives such as these…
Promoting SustainabilitySourcing From Local Farms
By “going local,” the CIA is able to reduce its carbon
footprint, help nearby farms thrive, and allow students
to better understand the benefits of the chef-farmer
connection.
The CIA is the first college known to have a farm liaison.
Paul Wigsten, produce buyer at the Hyde Park, NY
campus and a 10th-generation farmer, holds this unique
position. Each February, he meets with area growers
to review the ingredients CIA chef-instructors plan to
use in the coming year. The farmers then plant crops
accordingly. In 2007 alone, the CIA purchased $500,000
worth of product from more than 24 Hudson Valley
farms.
Out in California, the CIA at Greystone is perfectly
situated to take full advantage of the state’s renowned
agricultural riches. Purchasing Manager Jim DeJoy works
closely with his distributor to, as much as possible, source
just the right ingredients for Greystone’s restaurants
and education programs from growers located within a
50-mile radius of the St. Helena, CA campus.
Sustainability in Education
From Introduction to Gastronomy to the Wine and
Food Seminar, the CIA curriculum helps students gain a
profound understanding of where food comes from and
how its production affects the world we live in. Student
clubs like the CIA Garden Society and Chefs Sustaining
Agriculture in Hyde Park, and the Greystone Student
Organic Garden Project on the St. Helena campus, make real
the lessons of the classroom. Students in Hyde Park sell their
gardens’ bounty to the CIA storeroom and to local alumni-owned
restaurants. California students sell product from their “Greystone
Green Thumbs” booth at the St. Helena Farmers’ Market.
Providing a Green EnvironmentRecycling
Here are just a few statistics that reveal the CIA’s commitment to
recycling, composting, and even pre-cycling.
Food scraps—1.7 tons per day—are sent weekly to McEnroe •
Organic Farm in Millerton, NY for composting.
Used cooking oil is sent to Mopac for recycling and •
conversion to biodiesel. Greystone’s used cooking oil is sent
to St. Helena High School, where students transform it into
biodiesel fuel that’s sold to wineries to power their equipment.
Glass, metal, corrugated cardboard, and plastics are sent to •
Waste Management, Inc.
Eliminated the use of 15,000–18,000 paper cups a week on •
the Hyde Park campus.
Housing
The six residence lodges on the Hyde Park campus were designed
for optimal energy efficiency. That investment was recognized
with a rebate incentive from the New York State Energy Research
and Development Authority. As one of their many energy-saving
features, the lodges employ geothermal heat pumps, which use the
Earth’s constant temperatures for heating and cooling. According
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, these heat pumps
are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and cost-
effective systems for temperature control. Preliminary reports
show that the CIA lodges use 52 percent less energy as compared
with annual averages for student lodging in the Northeast.
New student housing at Greystone has been designed to earn
a minimum gold-level LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building
Council. (See p. 20 for more.)
These and other initiatives that are in the works ensure that the
CIA is always going, going, green.
Shelly Loveland is a writer/editor at the CIA.
Going, Going, Green
23
KUDOSPresident Ryan Receives AwardThe Silver Plate Award for Specialty Foodservices will be presented to
President Tim Ryan on Monday, May 18, 2009, at a banquet hosted by
IFMA at the National Restaurant Association’s Hotel-Motel Show in
Chicago. The Silver Plate is awarded in nine categories representing
the industry’s segments. At the banquet, one of the Silver Plate
recipients will be named winner of the coveted Gold Plate.
The Staff of LifeLecturing Instructor in Baking and
Pastry Arts Hans Welker and former
Teaching Assistant Christopher
Teixeira ’07 were awarded the gold
medal for Best Bakery Display at
the 140th Annual Salon of Culinary
Arts sponsored by The Société Culinaire Philanthropique at the 93rd
International Hotel/Motel Restaurant Show. Hans and Chris created
an amazing showpiece table that groaned under the weight of 47
different types of yeasted and non-yeasted decorated breads.
Fab Faculty!Kudos to Associate Dean for Curriculum and Instruction for Culinary
Arts Thomas Griffiths ’80, who was named the 2009 ACF Northeast
Region Chef Educator of the Year. He will compete for the national
title against other winning regional counterparts at the 2009 ACF
National Convention in Orlando, FL in July.
Congratulations to Associate Professor in Hospitality and Service
Management Mauro Sessarego, who recently earned his Master of
Science degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Service
Leadership and Innovation. His course of study included such courses
as service metrics, human resources, and global management.
To Hell and Back As Hell’s Kitchen Season 5 premieres, three CIA grads stand poised
and ready to take on the often-painful route that leads to the grand
prize—a head chef position at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in
Atlantic City, NJ. Demanding absolute perfection, Michelin three-star
Chef Gordon Ramsay puts the chefs through hellish, rigorous culinary
challenges, testing to see who will crack under the intense pressure.
Best of luck to our three alumni: Ji-Hyun Cha ’04, a private caterer
in Palisades Park, NJ; Andrea Heinly ’06, a line cook from Reading,
PA; and Giovanni Filippone ’97, an executive chef in Destin, FL. All
should take comfort in the fact that two CIA graduates have prevailed
in the past. Heather West ’03 was the Season 2 winner and Christina
Machamer ’08 was the Season 4 winner.
Alumni Across America SuccessGuests poured into the Westerly Yacht Club for the Fifth Annual
Alumni Across America Scholarship Dinner anticipating another
memorable meal created by Alumni Council member David Miguel
’78 and his CIA alumni friends. This event, which is in its fifth year,
was created by David and his team: Barbaraellen Olson ’82, Paul
Fidrych ’82, Joseph Collins ’81, Andrew Nathan ’85, Matt Chacho
’05, William Gifford ’01, Eric Perrin ’86, Brian Levitsky ’99, David
Gryzch ’86, and new CIA student Frank Drury. Westerly resident
Ken Sorensen ’73, kindly provided housing for the Alumni Relations
team. This terrific group of alumni raised $8,000 for CIA student
scholarships—and we thank them!
chef miGuel (center) With hiS cia buddieS
www.ciaalumninetwork.com24
At the annual CIA Leadership Gala on March 26, excitement
filled the air as captains of the culinary industry, renowned
chefs, and devotees of the CIA converged to honor this year’s
Augie recipients. And, while enjoying an evening of food and
conviviality, they were also helping to raise funds for CIA
scholarship endowment.
With the colorful actress Ruta Lee as emcee, the evening was
filled with both comic and serious moments as Alumnus of the
Year Grant Achatz ’94, Chef of the Year Ferran Adrià, and Hall
of Fame inductee John Profaci, Sr. took the stage to accept their
Augie awards.
Ruth Reichl, renowned food critic and editor-in-chief of Gourmet
magazine, spoke about the first time she ate at Grant Achatz’s
restaurant Alinea. “I was skeptical at first, but midway through
the meal I found myself laughing with delight,” she recounted.
“Not only is Grant’s food sensual and intellectual, it pushes the
boundaries of the culinary experience—redefining our notion of
what a restaurant can be.” In his gracious acceptance speech,
Grant acknowledged the CIA for teaching him the fundamentals
and skills critical to every chef, Ruth Reichl for using her
powerful culinary voice in support of purity and passion in
food, and Ferran Adrià for opening people’s minds to modern
gastronomy and making this an exciting time to be a chef.
José Andrés, celebrated chef and owner of award-winning
restaurants in Washington, DC, had the honor of introducing
his good friend and mentor Ferran Adrià. “What makes
Ferran great is that he is never afraid to fail and has
more enthusiasm than anyone I know,” he explained.
“The true heart of this man is that day in and day
out he is sharing his knowledge with everyone and
helping them ask the most important question—
Why?” With Associate Professor in Culinary Arts
Joseba Encabo providing translation, Ferran Adrià
accepted his award with acknowledgements to his
brother Albert, who oversees the sweets at elBulli,
Glorious Galacharlie Palmer (Second from riGht) and Wife liSa (center) With friendS
JoSé andréS, JoSeba encabo, ferran adrià, and tim ryan
thomaS zachariaS, JoSé andréS, amanda eSSner, Grant achatz, and laura hooten
ruth reichl, Grant achatz, and tim ryan
mise en place no.48, May 2009 25
and Oriol Castro, chef de cuisine at elBulli. When remembering the
time he’d spent, the day before, speaking and giving a demo to CIA
students, he emotionally revealed, “One of the most wonderful days
of my life was yesterday at the CIA. I have never before experienced
2,400 students all of whose eyes were filled with a passion for what
they do.”
President Tim Ryan had the final honor of the evening as he introduced
the Hall of Fame inductee, John Profaci, Sr. Offering a brief
history on the olive oil industry in the U.S., President
Ryan described how all the groundwork John Profaci
and his company, Colavita USA, had laid down
in the ’70s bore fruit when opportunity finally
knocked in the mid-’80s. Referring to Mr. Profaci
as a “legendary gentleman,” he explained how
the CIA has been the beneficiary of the Profacis’
largesse in the form of the Colavita Center
for Italian Food and Wine on the Hyde
Park campus.
When Mr. Profaci took the stage, everyone rose as one to applaud
a man who helped change the way Americans eat and whose word
is his bond. Indeed, his initial agreement with Enrico Colavita
to bring extra virgin olive oil to the U.S. market was sealed with
just a simple handshake. Mr. Profaci recounted how, in the early
days, supermarkets refused to put his olive oil on the shelves,
believing it too hard to sell to the American consumer. Mr. Profaci
explained, “It was restaurant chefs who were responsible for my
initial success. They saw the beauty in the product and bought it.”
So it was fitting that his award came from the CIA, a school that
educates some of the world’s best chefs.
Everyone in attendance felt the honorees’ gratitude and emotion
as they accepted their Augies. And the opportunity to meet and
recognize three of the culinary world’s transformational figures
was a memory not soon to be forgotten.
Glorious GalaciPriani 42nd Street
cameron and molly mitchell (left) With connie and John Profaci
ferran adrià, Grant achatz , and John Profaci
John Profaci
www.ciaalumninetwork.com26
Culinary education at every level is at the center of the CIA’s
mission. To that end, the college has formed an exciting
partnership with SkillsUSA. Together they’ve established the
SkillsUSA WorldTeam National Culinary Training Center at
the CIA in Hyde Park, NY. The college is providing technical
expertise and educational resources to prepare the national
culinary champion to represent the United States at the September
2009 WorldSkills Competition in Calgary, Canada. CIA faculty
member Bruce Mattel ’80 has designed a training curriculum
for the finalist, who began training in January 2009 for the
competition in Calgary.
“SkillsUSA is proud to partner with The Culinary Institute
of America,” said Peter Carey, coordinator of SkillsUSA’s
WorldTeam. “By joining forces with one of America’s premier
culinary educational institutions, SkillsUSA students will have a
leg up in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on the
world stage at the WorldSkills competitions.”
Craig Growney, a current CIA B.P.S. student, and two other past
SkillsUSA national gold medalists competed against each other
for the chance to go to WorldSkills. Judging took place at the
Hyde Park campus in front of CIA chef judges. Under a tight time
constraint, they each had to debone a chicken, ice a complete
cake, and small-dice three pounds of carrots. In addition, Chef
Mattel interviewed each competitor. When all was said and done,
Craig earned the privilege of representing the U.S. in the 2009
WorldSkills Competition for Culinary Arts.
As it turns out, Craig is no stranger to competition. As a member
of SkillsUSA during all four years of high school, he competed
and twice earned first place in his home state of New Jersey.
Those wins propelled him to a larger competition stage at the
nationals.
And now, for three hours every Wednesday morning, you can
find Chef Mattel and Craig working together as Craig practices
the skills needed to meet the culinary challenges he will face in
Calgary next September. At that four-day competition, there will
be 22 hours of actual prep and cooking time. Craig will have to
flawlessly prepare canapés, duck and lamb entrées, a fish course,
a hot dessert, a plate of mini desserts, and a mystery basket from
which he will have to produce a
three-course meal.
Despite the fact that he has to fit
the rigorous training schedule that
Chef Mattel has created into his
daily course schedule, Craig still
has time to be a group leader for his
class. When asked how he manages
to do everything, he says, “Chef
Mattel is a fabulous teacher; I love
a challenge and, I guess, I thrive on
the competition.” Right now, with
Chef Mattel’s help, Craig is focused
on learning to create superior mini-
desserts—medal-winning desserts—
this time in front of the world!
SkillsUSA & CIACreate National Culinary Training Center
mise en place no.48, May 2009 27
Lectures and Classes For You…Why not consider combining a visit to check out all the exciting
changes happening at your alma mater with a bit of education and
fun? All alumni are welcome to attend the Dooley Lecture Series
at the Hyde Park campus. Check out these exciting and relevant
speakers!
Paul Roberts
Monday, June 15, 2009
Ecolab Theatre, 2:30–4 p.m.
A long-time observer of energy issues and politics, Paul Roberts
writes primarily about “the complex interplay of economics,
technology, and the natural world.” His most recent book, The
End of Food (2008), was described by Michael Pollan, author of
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, as “the best analysis of the global food
economy you are likely to find.” Roberts appears regularly on
BBC, PBS, CNN, NPR, and other media. You won’t want to miss
this timely and fascinating discussion.
Charles Simic
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Ecolab Theatre, 2:30–4 p.m.
Come hear Charles Simic, the nation’s 15th Poet Laureate, read
from his exceptional body of work. In addition to being the
poetry co-editor of the
Paris Review, Simic is an
essayist and translator
as well as a professor
emeritus of creative
writing at the University
of New Hampshire. He
has been honored with
the Wallace Stevens
Award, a Pulitzer Prize,
two PEN Awards, and a
MacArthur Fellowship.
He is the author of
19 books of poetry,
including his most recent,
That Little Something
(2008).
…and the Food Enthusiasts in Your LifeThe CIA has changed your life. Now it’s time to let your favorite food
enthusiasts know how it can change theirs. As the world’s premier
culinary college, the CIA offers unparalleled experiences for food
lovers. From cookbook-inspired Saturday classes and multi-day Boot
Camps in Hyde Park to food and wine adventures at Greystone to
Latin cooking classes in San Antonio, the CIA has something for
everyone. Share the news about what your alma mater has cooking!
Hyde Park, NY:• Saturdays at the CIA (May–June)
• Gourmet Meals in Minutes
Boot Camp (May 18–22)
• Techniques of Healthy Cooking
Boot Camp (May 26–29)
• Asian Cuisine Boot Camp ( June 8–12)
• Mediterranean Boot Camp ( June 15–19)
• Culinary Boot Camp—Advanced Training ( June 22–26)
• Italian Cuisine Boot Camp
( June 29–July 2)
• BBQ Boot Camp ( July 1–2)
St. Helena, CA:• Saturdays at the CIA—Napa Valley
(May–July)
• Foods and Flavors from the California
Harvest (May 28)
• Live-Fire Cooking ( June 25–26)
• A Taste of Northern California ( July 21–22)
• Cooking for the Next Half of Your Life ( July 23–24)
San Antonio, TX:• A Taste of Mexico:
Puebla and Oaxaca (May 27–29)
For more details about all of our food enthusiast offerings,
visit www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts or call 1-800-888-7850.
www.ciaalumninetwork.com28
Book Shelf
Career Diary of a Pastry ChefBy Yuko Kitazawa ’02
Follow the professional life of
pastry chef Yuko Kitazawa as
she whips up eclectic desserts
at a 100-seat, fine-dining
restaurant in Los Angeles,
CA. This 30-day diary offers
a window into the daily
tasks facing today’s high-end
pastry chefs. Going beyond the challenges of
production, Yuko talks about striving to find a balance in her
life when her demanding work schedule consumes so much time.
Each entry in her diary starts with predictions of her anticipated
culinary tasks for the day and ends with her analysis of what she
could have done differently. Yuko, who also has a B.A. in Philosophy
from the University of California, Berkeley, offers insight into
relevant issues facing members of the foodservice industry. This
book is an eye-opener for anyone who might be considering pursuing
a career in baking and pastry arts.
The Flavors of AsiaBy Mai Pham in collaboration
with the CIA
Beautifully photographed
and meticulously assembled,
The Flavors of Asia draws
its inspiration from the
CIA’s Worlds of Flavor®
International Conference
and Festival. In this book, award-winning
restaurateur, chef, and author Mai Pham culls 125 recipes from
40 leading chefs, making it the go-to reference for those who
want to create menus using the exciting and complex flavors of
China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
By transforming the Worlds of Flavor Conference and Festival
into a cookbook, The Culinary Institute of America brings the
conference’s superb culinary talent right into your kitchen.
Gastropolis: Food & New York CityEdited by Jonathan Deutsch
’97 and Annie S. Hauck-
Lawson
This book is an irresistible
look at New York City’s
rich food heritage. In a
compilation of engaging
essays, Gastropolis
explores the personal and
historical relationship between New Yorkers
and food. Beginning with a look at the foodways of the Lenape
Indians, the book goes on to explore the function of place and
memory in Asian cuisine, the rise of Jewish food icons, the
evolution of food enterprises in Harlem, the relationship between
restaurant dining and identity, and the role of peddlers and
markets in guiding the ingredients of our meals. The authors
share spice-scented recollections of Brooklyn, Queens, and the
Bronx, and present colorful vignettes of the avant-garde chefs,
entrepreneurs, and patrons who continue to influence the way
New Yorkers eat.
Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft, 2nd EditionBy The Culinary Institute of
America
First published in 2004, Baking
and Pastry quickly became
an essential resource for
anyone who wanted to create
professional-caliber baked
goods and desserts. This
second edition offers detailed, step-by-step
instructions for 625 outstanding recipes, and includes 461 color
photographs and illustrations—more than 60 percent of which are
brand-new!
Topics that are explored include yeast breads, pastry doughs, quick
breads, cookies, custards, soufflés, icings, and glazes, as well as frozen
desserts, pies, cakes, breakfast pastries, savory items, and chocolates
and confections. In addition, you’ll find expanded coverage of vegan
and kosher baking and important tips on creating such specialty items
as petit fours, mini desserts, plated desserts, and wedding cakes.
29
ProChef® Success: In His Own WordsBy Karl Thomas, P.C. III/C.E.C.
Many people embark on their lifelong career with a very special
feeling, one that is not always easy to explain. I am one of those
people. From the beginning I have felt a profound love and passion for
the craft of cooking.
It was always a dream of mine, when I started cooking many years
ago, to attend The Culinary Institute of America. However, growing
up and living in Jamaica made that dream a challenge to realize—
though it never died. After working for some time in the hospitality
industry, I found I needed more, not only from a fundamentals
standpoint but also on a professional level.
I checked both the international and local culinary education
landscapes, but was having trouble finding a programme to fit into my
active career objectives and financial parameters. I discovered that the
HEART Trust, Jamaica’s Human Employment and Resource Training
agency, had forged a partnership with the CIA and the professional
chef certification programme, ProChef.
This was a dream come true. The ProChef
programme gave me the opportunity to test my
skills at an international level and taught me the
real meaning of being a professional chef.
When I enrolled in my first ProChef course
(Level I), I had little professional training, but a
lot of industry experience. I soon found out that
to be trained by the Master Chefs at the CIA is
the ultimate experience that any chef can wish
for. To follow the road that so many great chefs had traveled before
me was just mind-boggling. Each additional level of the ProChef
As a painter uses the colors of the rainbow, a chef uses different flavour profiles to create awesome masterpieces.
Certification programme showed me new and creative ways in which
to test and improve my skills. Each teacher, culinarian, and judge who
worked with me offered something important to
my learning experience. They all had different
views and approaches, but still had the common
knowledge of traditional techniques and cuisines.
It is through this process that I discovered that
cooking is not just about preparing food, but is an
art. As a painter uses the colors of the rainbow,
a chef uses different flavour profiles to create
awesome masterpieces.
In my job at the University of Technology,
Jamaica, I function in the capacity of chef technologist. I am entrusted
with the responsibility of lecturing in the School of Hospitality &
Tourism Management as well as guiding
the culinary operation at Lillian’s, the
school’s training restaurant. I have
always enjoyed inspiring young people
to do the best they can at all times, and
I am a firm believer in lifelong learning.
I hope to continue to inspire people by
demonstrating that through hard work
they can achieve anything.
My experience participating in the
ProChef Certification programme
offered me a wealth of opportunities.
The knowledge that I gained will assist
in opening many doors both now and
in the future. I love what I do, and love
making other people happy by doing it.
karl thomaS Prochef level iii
www.ciaalumninetwork.com30
Clyde Young Established the Thomsen J. Young Endowed Scholarship Fund for Greystone A.O.S. candidates
What Motivates You to Give?“Last summer, after a long and difficult illness, my husband of
22 years, Thomsen, passed away. I wanted to do something to
highlight and remember his life.
My husband was a practicing bankruptcy attorney for 30 years,
but he was also known as a foodie and oenophile. We were
perfectly matched, as I am a Francophile coming from a tradition
of European fine dining. In 1986, with my French family in
attendance, we married in Paris. We returned in 1996 so Thomsen
could attend Le Cordon Bleu® cooking school. When we traveled,
he meticulously pre-planned our restaurant stops. I wanted him
to be remembered for his love of food, travel, and living well.
The CIA was the perfect partner to help achieve my goal. They
understand that food is more than sustenance; it feeds the soul as
well—allowing people to connect and build life experiences. My
husband’s mantra was, ‘Everybody’s gotta eat!’”
What Makes Giving Meaningful?“It was important to me that Thomsen’s name go on in a
meaningful way. This scholarship will help students pursue life
goals that will enable them to find their place in the world. I want
to encourage them to be successful in a recognized profession.
Our students will be prepared to make positive contributions to
the foodservice industry, thanks to their CIA training.
By endowing this scholarship in my husband’s name, and another
I’ve created to educate American-born women over the age of 35
who wish to attend nursing school, I hope Thomsen and I will
give others a chance to pursue professions otherwise inaccessible
to them.”
How Do You Give?“First, I met with Greystone’s Managing Director Charles
Henning and the CIA’s Executive Director of Development Jim
Heisey. They both understood what I wanted—to give students the
opportunity to do what they enjoy and enhance their self-esteem
thomSen younG in hiS home kitchen
and dignity. I set up an endowment that allows the fund to exist in
perpetuity. Our friends contributed toward the $50,000 required
for an endowed scholarship and I made up the difference. Jim
Heisey worked diligently with me and my financial advisors to
ensure that the endowment was created with my best interests
in mind. And now, I will be able to visit ‘my’ students at the
Greystone campus in California.”
Why Give?
mise en place no.48, May 2009 31
Laura Curtis ’09A.O.S. Culinary Arts
Recipient of the Alumni Endowed Scholarship
College Highlights:While I’m thrilled to discuss, work with, and learn about food
every day, the highlight of my time at the CIA has been the people
I’ve met here.
Savannah Jordan from Denver, CO and I met on our very first
day and we became best friends. We are both staying on after
graduation for the Meat and Fish “Manager in Training” program.
We plan to open a restaurant-farm together, have a double
wedding, and play godmother to each other’s children!
Chefs Johann Sebald and Corky Clark ’71, my meat and fish
instructors, shaped my decision to stay an extra year at the CIA.
I have accompanied Chef Sebald to witness hog and chicken
slaughters to learn where food begins—on the farm. I regularly
stop in to Chef Clark’s kitchen for conversation, a quick fish cut,
and life lessons. Chef Dan Turgeon ’85, my Skills I instructor,
encouraged passion, a sense of urgency, and a thoughtfulness
in cooking. Chefs Eve Felder ’88, Anita Eisenhauer, and Theo
Roe ’91 have encouraged excellence, respect, and integrity in my
cooking and my attitude and approach to food.
The core group of people I’ve met at the CIA will continue to
shape and inspire my career as a chef and remind me why I love
food in the first place.
Outside Interests/HobbiesThe CIA encompasses almost everything I love to do. I cook,
write, visit farms and food producers, and organize or attend
demos and food events. Other than that, I love running, traveling,
working The New York Times crossword puzzle, and eating good
food with great friends.
Hopes for the Future:I want to be a chef-scholar. I thought going to culinary school
meant setting academic ambitions aside, and I was willing to make
the sacrifice. However, the more I study food, the more links I find
to culture, environment, and politics. I hope to be part of those
laura curtiS ‘09
connections while working as a chef, whether through service,
lobbying, writing, or a combination.
The ImpactI didn’t have a financial plan for coming to culinary school. I made
a pretty hasty decision—a leap of faith—believing that finances
and future concerns would work themselves out. My decision
was borderline stupid, but amazingly, everything has worked out!
Thanks to the Alumni Scholarship, I am graduating the CIA with
minimal debt, and I can focus on my career rather than on loan
repayments. The scholarship is also confirmation that I am on the
right path, finally doing what I love. I wake up every day eager to
get into the kitchen.
Giving’s Impact
www.ciaalumninetwork.com32
The Time to Connect is NOWAll of us are facing the pressures of a struggling economy. All
of us have concerns about jobs, family, and our future. So this is
the perfect time to take advantage of the resources available to
you through the CIA. Not only do we offer you lifetime career
services, but our professional development courses can help
you acquire new proficiencies that will add to your culinary
repertoire and keep your skills sought after by employers.
The CIA’s online alumni network and the pages of mise en place
are great ways for you to stay in touch with colleagues and
friends. We encourage you to use the insert in this magazine
to send in news of any changes in your work and family
life as well as any professional accomplishments. Or, visit
www.ciaalumninetwork.com and click on Class Notes. We are
an outstanding network of professionals who can help each other
face today’s challenges as we look toward a brighter future.
Patty Hamilton
Steve Swofford ’97
Jennifer O’Neill
Alumni Relations Staff
’81 Gary Maurer is director of
food and nutrition at Wood
Services in Langhorne, PA. Ruth Stroup
is an insurance agent with Farmers
Insurance Group in Oakland, CA serving
the foodservice industry from wholesale
distribution to restaurants to retail outlets.
’83 Keith DeMars (B.P.S. ’98)
is director of nutrition and
dining for Bon Secours St. Mary Hospital
in Richmond, VA. Brian Matt is general
manager and COO of the Edgewood
Country Club in Charleston, WV.
’86 Daniel Joyce is a general
manager for Utah Food Ser-
vices in Salt Lake City, UT.
’87 Thomas James is chef/owner
of Elite Catering in Ruidoso,
NM. He will be teaching a fundamentals
course when the Culinary Division/Hos-
pitality Department at ENMU Ruidoso
opens in Spring 2009. Joe Stern is a
facilities maintenance manager for Apple
’78 James Kucharik is a pro-
grammer/analyst for Victaulic
Company in Easton, PA. He has a new
grandson, Aeson Scott Bowers, born May
2008.
’79 Jeffrey Howard is food and
beverage director at Randall
Oaks Golf Club and Banquets in West
Dundee, IL. He is looking to contact
classmates from his year. Robert
Rizzuto is director of dining services at
the New York Institute of Technology’s
de Seversky Center in Old Westbury,
NY, where he is celebrating 25 years of
service. The Center is one of the few
existing Gold Coast-era mansions and is
one of the New York metropolitan area’s
premier conference and dining facilities.
Rizzuto and his staff are honorees of the
James Beard Society.
’80 Garry Fishman is a chef/
owner in Stafford, VA. John
Piccolino is executive chef at Smith &
Wollensky in Las Vegas, NV.
Come Back... We’d Love to See You
ALL alumni are invited to
join friends, classmates, and
colleagues at
REUNION 2009 Friday and Saturday,
October 2-3We’ll also be honoring the
anniversary classes of:
1949, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969,
1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994,
1999, 2004
For more details or to register,
call the Alumni Relations Office
at 845-451-1401
or visit ciaalumninetwork.com
and click on “Events.”cia 1972
mise en place no.48, May 2009 33
Hail to the ChefWhen Design Cuisine of Arlington, VA found out
it would be preparing the President’s inaugural
luncheon at the Capitol’s Statuary Hall, it fell to
Head Chef Shannon Shaffer ’92 to execute
the meal to perfection. And while it certainly is a
high point in any culinary career to create the first
meal eaten by the leader of the free world right
after taking the oath of office, Shannon had been
prepping for that moment for a long time.
He wasn’t exactly sure that the kitchen was for him.
But when he got to the CIA, he was so taken with
all the available resources, so engaged in his classes,
and so hungry for the attention and encouragement
of the chefs, he knew he’d found his life’s work.
And, for a boy from small-town Maryland, his
externship, split between the Biltmore Hotel in Los
Angeles, CA, and 701 Restaurant in Washington,
DC, broadened not only his culinary experience
but his life experience as well.
An opportunity to work at Michel Richard’s Citronelle after graduation led him to Washington, DC, where
he and his wife have since decided to stay and raise their two children. He spent a number of years moving
between restaurants and catering companies, trying to find the fit that worked for him. In the end, catering
won his heart. “The schedule in catering is more flexible and more varied. I get bored doing the same thing
night after night. Catering is different every day.”
And what could be more different than preparing a menu of dishes popular during Abraham Lincoln’s era
for a luncheon honoring the inauguration of Barack Obama? To enhance the event, the general manager of
Design Cuisine’s rental division, Joe Valente ’86, provided custom linens and replicas of the plates used
at Lincoln’s first inauguration. The Presidential Inaugural Committee, led by Senator Dianne Feinstein of
California, was impressed with the menu’s concept and proposed decorative touches. The 230 guests in
the Capitol Rotunda had the pleasure of dining on seafood stew, a brace of American birds that included
duck breast with cherry chutney and herb-roasted pheasant with wild rice stuffing, molasses whipped sweet
potatoes, winter vegetables, and cinnamon apple sponge cake.
As one might imagine, safety is paramount when preparing a meal for the President. Everyone involved
with the inaugural luncheon was fingerprinted and subject to a background check. And, because in a
democracy there is no such thing as a “royal food taster,” the FDA sent the next best thing! For the five days
prior to the inaugural, the FDA carefully scrutinized all food handling at Design Cuisine. On the big day,
the food was afforded its own police escort all the way to the Capitol.
With the excitement of the inauguration fading and life getting back to the every day, Shannon has returned
to creating wonderful food for the various catered events he and his 72 staff members enjoy so much. And,
he can take the time to guide the externs he hires from the CIA. He enjoys helping our students figure out
whether being a chef is their life’s work, too.
Shops in Cupertino, CA. He is also on
the Board of Directors of The Sports
Car Racing Association of the Monterey
Peninsula.
’88 Thomas Hartigan is direc-
tor of hedge fund sales for
Deutsche Bank in New York, NY.
’90 John Newman is chef/owner
at Newmans at 988 in Can-
non Beach, OR, which was named Res-
taurant of the Year for Clatsop County.
He recently earned his C.E.C. certifica-
tion. Jeff Rettig is executive chef at Left
Bank Investments in Teton Village, WY.
’93 Jeffrey Mitchell is executive
chef for food services at Mur-
ray State University. He is president of
the new ACF chapter–Western Kentucky
Chefs and Cooks. Jamie Purviance
announced the publication of his fifth
cookbook, Weber’s Way to Grill.
’94 Paul LaRocca is executive
chef for Sodexo at Jackson-
ville State University in Jacksonville, AL.
Gilbert Leder is married with two kids
and works in foodservice sales for Gen-
eral Mills/Pillsbury in Minneapolis, MN.
’96 Anthony DeVanzo opened
Velo Bistro/Wine Bar in 2008
in Nyack, NY. To add to the joy, he was
recently married. John-Michael Hamlet
just celebrated his first year anniversary as
owner of John-Michael at Purdy’s Home-
stead in North Salem, NY.
’97 Brian Dougherty is the new
executive chef at the Nassau
Club of Princeton in Princeton, NJ.
’98 Sylvia Kerry is executive
chef at Caffeine Bistro &
Wine Bar in Ormond Beach, FL.
’99 Allison Benyo Alliegro is
owner/pastry chef of Icing
on the Cake, Inc. in East Northport, NY.
She got married in August 2007. Mark
Shoup is executive chef at Sundance
Resort in Sundance, UT.
343434
Garth Caldwell ’63
Jon F. Woundy ’65
Anthony Joseph Colella ’73
Arthur B. Labarre ’75
Arthur C. Rex ’79
Ronald H. Jones ’85
Jeffrey William Lewis ’96
Rechildo “Rick” Cruz ’97
Marla Scissors ’97
Sherman D. Washington ’97
Jay Sinowitz ’01
Julia Morgan Hodgkins ’03
Anthony Greco III ’04
Wayne Edward Bucek ’06
In Memoriam’00 Francesco Palmieri has
opened his own restaurant,
The Orange Squirrel in Bloomfield, NJ,
after working for eight years at places like
Windows on the World, Coco Pazzo, and
Town. His sous chef Andrew Watter-
son ’00, joined forces with Francesco
after working at Alize and Rosemary’s in
Las Vegas, NV. Robert Wierbowski is
executive chef for Wegmans Food Mar-
kets, Inc. in Mechanicsburg, PA.
’01 Lee Chizmar is executive
chef/owner of Bolete Restau-
rant in Bethlehem, PA. The restaurant is
such a hit that even during its “soft” open-
ing it was named to the 2008 Hot List
by Condé Nast Traveler. The restaurant’s
smoked trout was praised in a recent
issue of Gourmet. Sue Zemanick became
executive chef at Gautreau’s in New Or-
leans, LA, shortly before Hurricane Ka-
trina hit. She returned to take part in the
rebuilding of that great city and continues
to whip up some of the best seafood and
Creole food in the Big Easy.
’02 Cesare Avallone moved to
Ohio in December of 2004.
He married his wife Andrea in October
2006. Together they opened Zinc Bras-
serie in May 2007. In December of that
same year, they had twins Morgan and
Connor. Life has been busy. Ore Dagan
is project manager at Ironman, Inc., a
structural steel fabrication company in
Los Angeles. He hopes to get in touch
with any CIA alumni living in Los An-
geles. Ron Hayes is career development
manager at the CIA. He and wife Mad-
elaine welcomed their first child, William
Joseph, in January 2009. Jeffrey Merrin
is sous chef at the Banff Centre in Banff,
Canada. In February 2009 he won the
Canadian Copper Skillet Award.
’03 Ginger Elizabeth Hahn is
the owner of Ginger Elizabeth
Chocolates in Sacramento, CA. Ramon
Moss is sous chef at Naples Grande Golf
Club in Naples, FL.
’04 Molly Buckie is catering
director for Restaurant As-
sociates at McKinsey & Co. She reports
that in February she won the grand prize
in the Avocado Commission Recipe
Contest. Her prize included a fantastic
four-day trip for two to San Francisco,
CA. Lucas Carter is working as sous
chef on secondi statione at Dell’ Ameilia’s,
a former Michelin-star seafood restaurant
in Venice. Kristin Hart is a food writer.
She graduated summa cum laude from
the University of Texas at Arlington
with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Bradley Jenkins is sous chef at Dog-
wood in Atlanta, GA.
’05 Amanda Liples is chef/
owner of Atlantic Fish and
Fabulous Foods in Clarks Summit, PA.
She recently received the 40 Under Forty
award by The Times Leader honoring 40
Pennsylvania professionals under the age
of 40 who are outstanding in the business
field and in their community.
’06 Jonathan Kerr is sauté chef
at Mise En Place in Tampa,
FL. Neel Sahni is culinary manager at
Bellisio Foods in Lakeville, MN. Abigail
Ward is assistant director of The Cheese
School of San Francisco and co-owner
of SF Delicious, a catering company in
San Francisco, CA. Visit her at
www.sfdelicious.com.
’07 Amanda Johnson is pastry
chef at Five and Ten in Athens,
GA. Kathryn Koster is restaurant chef
at the Adams Mark Hotel in Buffalo, NY.
’08 Timothy Pearson is sous
chef at O’Brien’s Grille in
Gretna, LA.
Problems Paying Your Perkins Loan? If you have a Federal Perkins
Loan and are having trouble
making payments, we may be
able to help. Call our Perkins
Loan specialist to find out what
options are available to you
that might include deferment,
forbearance, special payments,
cancellation, or rehabilitation
of the loan before it goes to
collection. Collection agencies
can charge up to 30% on top
of your outstanding balance
in collection fees. Continued
delinquency will have a serious
impact on your credit rating
and your ability to obtain future
loans. Already in collections?
See what we can do to help.
Contact Janet McKenney,
accounts receivable specialist,
at 845-451-1695 or at
[email protected] 2009
Your creativity and dedication to excellence MAKE US PROUD and MAKE US bEttER
to providing superior externship opportunities that offer real-world experiences for our students.
YOUR COMMITMENT...
There are so many ways you can help ensure that the next generation of foodservice leaders
share your passion, your knowledge, and your ingenuity. To learn more about volunteer
opportunities, visit www.ciaalumninetwork.com and click on “volunteer programs.”
For information about giving to the CIA, visit www.ciagiving.org.
to helping each individual student and his or her family understand the true benefits of a CIA education.
YOUR DEVOTION...to share your expertise and deepen the educational experience for our students.
YOUR WILLINGNESS...
Ant
hony
Sic
igna
no ’8
8
Elis
abet
h Pr
ueitt
and
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had
Rob
erts
on ’9
3D
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L. M
iller
’79
to creating opportunities that bring alumni together to support the CIA and its mission.
YOUR DEDICATION...
John
ny H
erna
ndez
’89
The Culinary Institute of America Alumni Relations 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538-1499
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about www.ciaalumninetwork.com
How do I find my 10-digit Constituent ID Number so I can log in?
How do I submit and update Class Notes?
How do I get a copy of my CIA transcript?
Take a look at the number on your Alumni ID Card. If it’s a four-digit number, put six zeros in front of it when you go to log in. If it’s a five-digit number, put five zeros in front of it when you log in. In both cases the number should add up to 10 digits.
Can’t find your Alumni ID number? Send an e-mail with your name and graduation year to [email protected] and we’ll make sure we send it out to you immediately.
There are two ways to let us know how you are doing. You can mail in the class notes update form found in the center of every mise en place magazine OR you can visit www.ciaalumninetwork.com and click on the “Class Notes” tab.
Visit www.ciaalumninetwork.com and click on “Alumni Services.” You’ll see easy-to-follow instructions for downloading a CIA transcript request form. Requests must be made by regular mail as your actual signature is required for an official transcript to
be released.