mise en place issue 59 Catering Is It For You

ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

No. 59, March 2012

cateringIs It For You?

Catering: Is It For You?An inside look at what it takes to start a catering business

6 ICEIce sculpting as an art and a business

14

A Soulful VintnerThe legacy of Brother Timothy

31Catering to FamilyOne family’s successful catering business

12

6

4

To celebrate my son’s graduation from high school, I threw an outdoor party for 75

people. I looked into catering the entire affair only to realize that with a little of my

own sweat equity, I could make the higher-end food I wanted and stay within my

budget. The decision made, I plunged ahead to create the menu, shopping lists, and

all-important schedules.

In the weeks before the party, I could be found in stores indecisively ruminating

over the color and texture of paper plates and napkins or how much beer and soda

would be needed to quench the thirst of a throng. Things that normally would be a

snap now were confounding. The salmon was to be glazed, but with what? How far in

advance could I buy haricot vert and still be sure they’d be fresh? How long should I

grill the filet mignon before finishing it off in the oven? Every moment of my time was

accounted for and every decision obsessed over.

It didn’t help my state of mind that the day’s forecast was for a sultry 84 degrees and

I would be leaving food out for hours in the heat. So the night before the party, I took

trays and flat pans that weren’t already spoken for and filled them with water, carefully

put them in the extra freezer, and made “ice trays.”

Just hours before the party began, I went a little mad and decided I didn’t have enough

food! I ran to the local deli for loaves of Italian bread and a variety of Italian meats so

I could create sandwiches. Back at the “ranch,” the rented tent was up, the tables were

draped in my son’s school colors and skillfully decorated, the bocce and horseshoe

games were laid out strategically on the lawn, and the two 12-foot tables that would

eventually hold all the food were set end-to-end on the patio. My kitchen, however, was

a disaster area with every surface covered. You could barely move in there because of

all the paper bags filled with extra chips, plastic utensils, bread, veggies, and desserts.

I didn’t enjoy the party very much. I was too busy rushing around. Everyone else had

a blast. I can’t tell you how many people told me what a wonderful time they had and

how terrific the food was. Some even said, “You should go into the catering business.”

I smiled politely, telling them how pleased I was that they had enjoyed the food. But

inside I was screaming, “Never again!”

After my own foray, I realized that catering takes remarkable skill, talent, intelligence,

attention to detail, and organization. Bringing off an event that people will enjoy and

remember as flawless is the ultimate in hard work. The catering profession has my

utmost respect! This copy of mise en place gives us a window

into some of the challenges inherent in a start-up

catering business. For those considering the field,

you might find helpful hints inside.

Nancy Cocola, Editor

[email protected]

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 concern-ing the college as well as highlighting alumni leadership and contributions to the foodser-vice industry.

Creating a forum to help alumni network and build community.

©2012 The Culinary Institute of America All rights reserved.

Photography: Keith Ferris.

mise en place® No. 59, March 2012

Nancy W. Cocola, Editor

Leslie Jennings, Designer

Dr. Tim Ryan ’77 President

Dr. Victor Gielisse Vice President— Advancement and Business Development

Mark Ainsworth ’86

Brad Barnes ’87

Sue Cussen

Heather Kolakowski ’02

Chet Koulik

Dr. Chris Loss ’93

Francisco Migoya

Douglass Miller ’89

Anthony Nogales ’88

Jennifer Stack ’03

Editorial Board

James L. Clark

Mark Erickson ’77

Bruce Mattel ’80

Jennifer O’Neill

Brigid Ransome ’12

Contributing Writers

mise en place no.59, March 2012 5

susan wolfla ‘94 in the kitchen at mandalay Bay

Passion for FlavorMcCormick & Company, Inc.—a global

leader in flavor—established a scholarship

that benefits CIA students of Latino

descent who attend our Texas or California

campuses. Created to help those students

pursue their passion for flavor and

the culinary arts, the scholarship was

partially funded by community donations

during McCormick’s “Asando Saboroso”

(Grilling with Flavor) tour. Stopping at 30

key Hispanic markets, consumers could

make a $1 donation that went to the CIA

Scholarship Fund, and sample a grilled

taco prepared with signature McCormick

flavors. Tour spokesperson was our own

Johnny Hernandez ’89.

Four Ways You Make Us BetterCIA alumni are our greatest resource.

Every day you reflect the CIA’s

commitment to excellence and learning.

We need your help so we can continue to

draw the best and brightest students to a

CIA education. Here are four easy ways

you can help us do that.

1. Be a CIA Champion. If you know of

someone with great potential who would

benefit from a CIA education, please drop

us a line. We’ll put your letter on file, and

when their application arrives, they’ll

immediately become eligible for the CIA’s

$1,000 Alumni Referral Scholarship—

thanks to you.

2. Put Out the Welcome Mat. Host

prospective students, educators, and fellow

alumni by having a CIA Reception at

your establishment. You’ll be providing an

invaluable peek into the life of a successful

CIA graduate.

3. Lend a Hand at College Fairs. Help us

staff the CIA’s booth. Held at high schools

in your region (usually in the evening),

college fairs are a great way to help shape

the future of foodservice.

4. Serve as a Mentor. Take a CIA student

under your wing, from application to

graduation. It’s easy and rewarding. All

you need to do is stay in touch with the

student (by e-mail, phone, or notes) to

offer encouragement and advice, act as an

advocate, and in general, just be there for

the student.

Visit www.ciaalumninetwork.com and

click on “Volunteer Programs” or contact

Virginia Reilly at 845-451-1531 or

[email protected] to learn more.

First Woman Exec Chef on the StripWhen Susan Wolfla ’94 decided to spend her

CIA externship at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas,

NV, she thought it would be a lark to explore a

part of the foodservice industry she believed,

ultimately, would hold little interest for her. But

what she found there was, in her words, “amazing.”

Turned out that the banquet business was her

forte. Five years ago, she was hired on as a sous

chef at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Six months

ago, she was named the resort’s executive chef.

This promotion earned her the distinction of

being the first female executive chef at a hotel

on the Las Vegas Strip. Susan oversees a $60

million business that includes combined culinary

teams of more than 500 chefs and cooks. Besides

the banquet operations, she is also in charge of

seven restaurants, in-room dining, and employee

meals. Susan’s goal is to make Mandalay Bay the

preeminent resort serving restaurant-quality food

at catered events. Congratulations, Susan!

www.ciaalumninetwork.com6


A successful caterer must be able to marry the culinary talents

of a chef with the business savvy of a CEO. For anyone who

wants to be a caterer, a passion for cooking and entertaining is a

prerequisite. However, that alone is not a recipe for success.

Know Your StrengthsIf you think that catering might be a career option for you, check

your skills against the qualities that a successful caterer ought to

have. Some of these qualifications could be a natural part of your

personality or education; you might have to learn others. Or you

could hire a person or company to handle a part of the business

that is not your strong suit. Here are several examples:

• If your culinary creativity soars, but your spelling and

grammar are not the best, contract with a high school English

teacher or a professional food writer to proofread your letters,

contracts, and menus on a case-by-case basis.

• If you’re a talented chef with a sense of style but you don’t

have a clue about accounting practices, take a non-credit

adult education class at your local community college, hire an

accountant, or shadow a restaurant or catering manager to see

how the book work is done.

• If your food and business skills are terrific but your style

sense suffers, either concentrate on an area of catering that

doesn’t emphasize this as much or hire an assistant or catering

manager with a sense of style.

• If your food sense, style, and business skills are all great, but

you can’t fix anything, offer a retainer to a full-time or retired

handyman or refrigerator and appliance repair person to be on

call. For a major function, include the cost of this person’s services

as an insurance policy against culinary disaster.

Find Your NicheCatering is a popular and competitive field. Caterers who seek out

a specific group or niche market have the opportunity to become

the preferred caterers when that style of catering is needed. And

caterers who know how to customize their services to appeal to

a specific group or type of event usually continue to grow their

businesses.

In order for you to build up clientele and maintain an established

identity, people must associate your business with the type of

events you cater, so choose your events carefully. If you are

marketing yourself as upscale it is okay to cater a simple barbecue,

but establishing and maintaining an identity as a caterer is

important to your success.

Some caterers believe they need to accommodate a client’s every

request regardless of how it may affect their identity or reputation.

However, agreeing to serve the commonplace “pigs in a blanket,”

for example, may not fit into your niche. By turning that familiar

food into Merguez sausage wrapped in filo dough and served with

harissa sauce, you keep your identity intact.

By Bruce Mattel ’80 with Nancy Cocola

Excellent organizational skills

Time-management skills

The ability to multitask

Quick thinking and problem-solving skills

A friendly, hospitable personality

The ability to manage stress

An extensive knowledge of ingredients

A high level of written and verbal communication skills

Natural leadership and motivational skills

Excellent networking skills

Proficiency in basic accounting principles

Good negotiating skills

Knowledge of social and religious cultures and customs

Basic mechanical skills

Do You Have the Qualities of a

Successful Caterer?

catering: Is It For You?


On- or Off-Premise Catering?On-Premise Catering

Examples of on-premise catering operations include restaurants, hotel

banquet departments, cruise ships, country clubs, catering halls, and

even some religious venues. On-premise operations should be located

in desirable, safe locations and have ample parking.

The downside to starting an on-premise site is that the larger the

facility and the closer it is to a densely populate area, the more

expensive it will be to launch. However, to gain valuable experience

or a steady income as a salaried employee, on-premise catering

businesses are a great place to start.

Off-Premise Catering

The biggest benefit to an off-premise catering business is that it usually

requires significantly less capital to establish than on-premise. The

production facility does not need to be in a highly visible location.

Minimal parking is needed, as most consultations are held at the

chosen event site in order to assess the venue and plan ahead.

Many restaurant operators do off-premise catering. They already have

a production facility and can easily modify their operation for off-site

events. One thing to remember is that off-premise caterers must rent

equipment for the majority of their events. It is therefore important for

a caterer to establish good relationships with reputable party rental

companies to ensure the quality of any rented items.

Mobile Catering

Mobile catering is the most flexible off-premise type of catering and

has gained enormous popularity of late. From the traditional trucks

that bring breakfast and lunch items to patrons at railroad stations,

construction sites, or office parks to RVs or tractor-trailers that focus

on a specific high-end cuisine, mobile catering is an excellent start

for someone interested in catering. Many modern “Food” trucks offer

specific types of popular international street food and may collaborate

at certain events such as tailgate parties or concerts. In this way, the

event coordinator can provide a variety of interesting casual fare to

the guests or attendees.

Transporting FoodThe greatest challenge to off-premise catering is successfully

transporting all food, equipment, and personnel to the event site.

In all cases, proper care and forethought are needed when packing

food products for transport. Physical strength, coordination, and

organization are necessary qualities for any off-premise catering crew.

Endurance is paramount as transportation adds many work hours to

any given day.

The Catering Vehicle

Consider purchasing a station wagon, sport utility vehicle, van, or,

optimally, a refrigerated truck. Any catering vehicle should have

an automatic transmission so anyone on your team can drive it.

Whatever you purchase, register it as a commercial vehicle so you

can legally display signs and access reserved parking areas. Fit your

transportation with bracing devices to hold containers, speed racks,

coolers, crates, and boxes to prevent them from shifting while driving.

And always keep the vehicle well maintained and clean—unsanitary

conditions can lead to Health Department violations.

Packaging for Transport

Pack food in rolling cabinets, thermo-insulated containers, and

coolers, which can also be used at the venue to keep food hot or cold.

Liquid foods should be packed in containers with tight-fitting lids.

Square containers will save space. Use sturdy sheet and hotel pans

to lay out portioned food; wrap them completely with plastic film

whenever possible. Similarly, open rolling racks of food should be

wrapped entirely in plastic film or covered with a thermo-insulated

canvas. Encourage all employees to lift catering products and

equipment safely and properly. To avoid injury, larger deliveries should

have truck will travel


Signage

Signs can serve as a primary marketing tool for on-premise caterers.

Before ordering a sign, be sure to check into what kind of signs are

permitted under local building code. An off-premise caterer might

invest in premium signage for its vehicles instead. Magnetic signs have

the advantage of being transferable to different vehicles.

Brochures, Business Cards, Forms, and Stationery

All of your print materials make a statement about the quality of

your business. Consistency is important. Use concise, easy-to-read

print on quality paper stock and be sure to include your logo, contact

information, and company catchphrase, if you have one, on all of

your promotional materials and correspondence. Unless you have a

computer with cutting-edge graphic design software and high-quality

printing capabilities, it’s better to have a professional printer handle

the creation of any business documents that contain graphics. Cost-

cutting techniques, such as the use of cheap paper or clip art, can

create a negative impression with potential clients.

Advertising Media

Choosing specific advertising media is difficult for a caterer, especially

when the business has recently opened. The most important thing to

remember is, no matter the type of media you choose, be sure the

advertising will be seen by the demographic you wish to attract.

Trade and Lifestyle Magazines

Newspapers and magazines provide a lot of viable advertising

opportunities for caterers. Some, such as Specialty Coffee Retailer,

Architectural Digest, and National Real Estate Investor, target a specific

profession. Others, like bridal or wedding magazines, foodservice

industry publications, and city guides designed for tourists, appeal

to people with specific interests. If you are interested in advertising

in any periodical, first ask about its circulation and the frequency

of publication. A one-time shot to a relatively small number of

subscribers may have little or no impact. Other important information

to know is the average per capita income of its subscribers, the

average amount subscribers spend on entertainment, the area of its

distribution, and where in the magazine your ad would do best. The

sales representative should be able to answer all of these questions.

Ask for discounts for a long-term contract or running your ad more

frequently. And inquire about a free test ad to see if the publication’s

readership responds. Some companies might “trade out,” or offer an

ad in exchange for catering services valued at the same amount.

Radio

Radio advertising is very effective for catering businesses. Ask the

radio sales representative questions about the station’s demographics—

such as the times and days of the largest listening audience; and the

age, per capita income, area of residence, and primary professions of

its listeners—and make sure they jibe with your own target market. The

never be made by one person. More safety-related information and

tips can be found online at www.osha.gov.

MenusPreparing food for catered events is very different from food

prepared à la minute in a restaurant. Some popular restaurant

menu items often requested for catering events will therefore

require modification. And even then, foods practical for a sit-

down banquet may not be realistic for buffet service, and vice

versa. Fresh asparagus can successfully be served hot at a sit-down

banquet by reheating it right before plating. However, asparagus

placed in a chafing dish on a buffet will overcook and deteriorate

rapidly. Although catering clients may have specific food requests,

their main priority is that the food is wonderful, and they will take

a credible event planner’s suggestions seriously. And, of course,

be aware that food served to its disadvantage can damage the

caterer’s reputation as well.

PricingYour current clients and the people they refer may share pricing

information. That is why consistent, fair pricing is necessary to

the growth of your business and your reputation. You will have an

advantage if your products are all a little different from those of the

competition. Differences can include variations on popular menu

items, unique methods of decorating, singular tabletop design,

attractive employee uniforms, and innovative services that the

competition does not offer. Attention to these elements will make

for a memorable event and make it more difficult to compare your

business with that of the competition.

Marketing PlanYour initial marketing plan should target the market outlined in

your business plan. It should include funding for digital photos,

business cards, brochures, stationery, vehicle signage, ads in local

media, a website, and a scheduled tasting for corporate marketing

and event-planning executives during your first months of business.

The two general markets that caterers target are public and private

corporations or companies, and individuals. A marketing budget

should be divided between these two areas—social and corporate—

because each needs to be marketed differently. But whatever

advertising mediums are used, it is a caterer’s specialized services

that will set the company apart from its competition. Conducting

simple research on a potential corporate client and designing a

creative and practical menu may create a competitive edge. The

research may be as simple as a conversation with a company’s

events person or as formal as a questionnaire you work up that

contains questions about eating habits and preferences.


radio station will usually help with the production of the ad or refer

you to a company that specializes in designing commercials made

for radio.

Radio ads should also be run repetitively. Unlike print ads, radio ads

are ephemeral. They are usually only effective when broadcast during

the same time period of the day—over and over again. Many radio

ads have a jingle, catchphrase, or accompanying music that becomes

familiar to the frequent listener. Caterers should consider these

options and consult with station personnel in order to make wise and

appropriate choices that best represent the business.

Websites

The Internet is probably the most commonly used business-marketing

tool. For a relatively low investment, a caterer can construct a

website and establish e-mail communication, allowing potential

clients to browse its offerings and contact an event planner to set

up a consultation. Careful planning must go into the design of the

site, however. Web design companies can provide the graphics and

programming needed and strategically “locate” the site so that

a simple keyword search prompts a search engine to list it at the

beginning of the search results. Update your website often—especially

your client list. Showcase seasonal and holiday menus. And always

provide an e-mail link to an event planner.

Show and Tell

There are many other ways, sometimes much less costly, to promote

a catering business. Some caterers will discount their services when

asked to cater events for non-profit or charitable organizations.

In exchange for the discount, the host organization promotes the

catering company by listing its name on all correspondence for the

event, including mailings, brochures, and menus. In addition, the

organization persuades the media covering the event to mention the

caterer by name. Depending on the type of organization, discounts

and donations may even be tax deductible.

You should be careful when choosing any type of event to which your

business will be linked in a public way. If you cater a political party’s

fund raiser, for example, you may be labeled as a supporter of that

party—even if you’re not.

Scheduled Tastings

Potential clients and event planners can be invited to open houses

or scheduled tastings to sample food, view banquet rooms, and get a

sense of how a caterer operates. Such tastings are yet another way to

market your product. Quality caterers include a sample table complete

with linens, floral pieces, and dinnerware in their displays. Most will

also have uniformed service personnel help staff the tasting and serve

samples of recommended menu items. At such events, always have

portfolios with photographs of past events your business has produced,

as well as business cards, brochures, and client lists for attendees to

take with them.

Bridal and Trade Shows

Bridal and trade shows are another great way to get your name out

there. Although it is rare for a caterer to book a wedding at a bridal

show, attendees are there to gather information and usually make

contact with a caterer at a later date.

Hotel and restaurant trade shows, retail food shows, and even street

fairs are also opportunities for caterers to display and market their

goods. Many chambers of commerce host expos designed to showcase

local businesses. These are excellent marketing venues as well as

opportunities to network with other local businesses, which commonly

recommend each other to their customers.

Piggybacking

Some caterers piggyback on another business’s marketing campaign.

For example, a realtor who specializes in upscale residential properties

may want to underscore the entertaining potential in a high-end

property. A caterer might offer elegant, butler-style hors d’oeuvre and

beverages at an open house in exchange for being allowed to hand

out his or her own promotional material. Quite often, it’s a win-win

situation.

EmployeesThe quality of a catering company’s staff can determine whether the

business will survive and grow or fail. Excellent food prepared by

competent cooks but served by poorly trained or inexperienced wait

staff can spoil an event. Similarly, poorly prepared food cannot be

overcome, even by the most competent servers. Finding and managing

staff can be the greatest challenge of running a catering business.

It may surprise you to learn that when you’re opening a new catering

business, you should err on the side of too many, not too few,

employees. The reason? You will save time and money by training

a group of new employees at once. It’s much more efficient to have

already trained staff poised to handle the growth of the business

instead of scrambling to find and train additional employees when

demand increases. It is important to remember to plan the funding for

all training when writing your business plan.

Staff Training

Your staff must first be oriented and then trained to the specific

requirements of your business. Your executive chef is in charge of

training kitchen staff; your maître d’hôtel should train your wait staff;

and your event planner/sales manager should train your sales and

event-planning staff.

The objective of formal training is to give employees information and


tools to be successful at assigned tasks before they are given the actual

responsibilities, in hopes of preventing costly mistakes. Such training

can be conducted outside the workplace in a classroom setting or “on

the job” by having an existing employee become the new employee’s

mentor.

All training programs should have a checklist of objectives or

competencies that must be met before an employee is ready to assume

his or her position. These objectives should directly correlate with the

employee’s job description.

The Employee Handbook

Many caterers have an employee handbook that details the job

descriptions for each position and the expectations the employer

has for all employees. In this handbook, the caterer can also detail

things like workplace behavior, dress code, and hygiene. An employee

handbook should also include worker safety and food safety guidelines

as well as an explanation of laws regarding all types of harassment in

the workplace.

How to Retain and Get the Most from Your Staff

The strength and growth of your business depends on keeping good

staff. Turnover costs your business money—not to mention the impact

on your own stress level. There are many ways you can retain staff.

• Provide monetary incentives, commissions, or bonuses for superior

performance, reliability, and seniority.

• Offer health insurance benefits.

• Create some flexible shifts during slower times of the year.

• Pay employees promptly and increase salaries periodically.

• Lead by example and join your staff in the trenches during

crunch times.

• Implement a strict anti-harassment policy.

• Develop multiple management styles: One approach may be good

for some and bad for others.

• Feed employees well. Before or after catering events, offer a good

family meal to show concern for your staff’s well-being.

• Treat all employees with respect.

Stay the Course the First YearAfter your business has opened, it is important to hew to the strategy

set forth in your business plan. When initial business is slow to come,

many operators change their identity with the intent of appealing to

a different market—by switching the menu from very fancy, upscale

items to more simpler ones, for example. Changing the business

identity prematurely is often a mistake. The public usually senses that

the business is in trouble, thus reducing its credibility. It is wiser to

start with some reserve capital to sustain the business during the first

year or so. The catering industry markets itself largely on referrals

and recommendations, so it may take the execution of multiple events

before word spreads to a large market. Rather than reverse course

midstream, consider using some of your reserve capital for more

targeted advertising.

The professional caterer requires courage and persistence. And while

presenting great food to your customers is key, being an excellent

chef isn’t enough. A caterer is a keen and savvy businessperson

who understands and values every single facet and function of the

company. Before venturing into this arena, it is important to either

take formal training or apprentice in an excellent catering operation.

It’s worth all the effort, though, because catering is a fulfilling

and joyful area of the foodservice industry. You are most often

working with people celebrating significant life events or business

accomplishments, and that can add up to a satisfying career.

This article was excerpted from CIA Associate Professor—Culinary Arts Bruce

Mattel’s book Catering: A Guide to Managing a Successful Business

Operation.


When Johnny Hernandez ’89 started his catering company, True

Flavors, he stood at the helm with family members right beside him to

help navigate the unsteady seas of a new operation. Now, years later,

Johnny stands on the bridge with his brother and sister as his legal

partners, heading up the very successful catering company in San

Antonio, TX. We sat down with Johnny to get his take on running a

family catering business.

when you first started true flavors, what positions did your brother and sister hold?

We would often joke around saying that my younger brother Mark was

my sous chef and my older sister Leticia was director of operations.

The reality was that they both worked part-time for the first couple of

years while they were still attending college. As for their real positions

with the company back then, we all wore multiple hats. One minute

we’d be on a sales call with a potential customer, then creating a

five-course dinner, and then scraping china to pass through a dish

machine—whatever it took to get the job done.

were you the definite “leader/owner” or was there shared leadership when you started out?

In the beginning I was the leader and made all the decisions. As the

company has grown, each department now makes its own day-to-day

decisions with the bigger, more important decisions made as a family.

do you have a formal document with family members about ownership/partnership at true flavors?

We’re set up as an LLC in which I’m the president, my brother is vice

president, and my sister is secretary. Each of us retains ownership and

we have board meetings like any other corporation.

what are the advantages of having such a formal document?

I think it’s good to have formalized that each of us has vested

ownership. It’s also important because no one knows the future; things

never go as smoothly as you may have planned. And then, you have

the in-laws that become family, so you need that formal document to

protect each family member’s ownership of the thing they’ve worked

so hard to build.

what are some of the advantages of working with family?

You don’t have to pay them on time or overtime! All joking aside,

one of the most significant advantages has to be that when the boss is

around, things always seem to operate more smoothly. We make it a

point to be at each catering event. And when you have a family that

works well together, you can cover lots of ground and cater multiple

events per day, per meal period.

what have been some of the rough spots of working so closely with your family?

Working with family is like a marriage—“Till death do us part.” You

have to work everything out no matter how difficult the task, despite

how upset you are. You have to make it work. My family is fortunate

that we actually get along very well. I don’t think there’s ever been a

time where we really had a falling-out for any reason.

We have the advantage of having all grown up in and around my

Mom and Dad’s restaurant and catering company together, so we all

understand the struggles, stress, and work ethic that is required to run

a successful food operation. Our parents mentored us all, so we share

an ultimate goal of being proud of what we create.

has bringing non-family members into the business been rocky or smooth?

We’ve gotten much better over the years at identifying skills and

talents, developing people, and ultimately hiring the right person. As

you build better leadership skills, you get smarter and learn from your

mistakes. Ultimately, that’s when things begin to go from rocky to

smooth.

in two sentences, what advice would you give to an alumnus who is considering starting a catering company with family?

You must have a well-thought-out organizational structure that

utilizes family members in positions where they are strongest and

most knowledgeable. Before you do anything, agree on what type of

caterer you want to be, decide who your target customer is, and write a

business plan that you can all agree on.

Catering to Family

left to right: denise (sister-in-law) carrying her son; andrew; leticia (sister); Johnny; teresa (mother); mark (Brother); and leticia’s son, Jonathan

Implementing a Cost-of-Ownership Purchasing StrategyOr, Cheap Equipment Can Be Really ExpensiveBy Mark Erickson ’77, CMC

Whether you’re talking about a combi steam oven, a water goblet, or

a two-ounce ladle, most pieces of foodservice equipment are available

in a wide range of price points, from dirt cheap to really expensive.

Obviously, your purchasing department is motivated to buy from the

lower end of that range, but how much do those cheap purchases really

cost you? Also, how is your equipment-purchasing program aligned

with your business capitalization strategy? And furthermore, how

might it impact valuation when it’s time to consider your exit strategy?

When you really think about it, effective equipment purchasing

becomes far more complex than a simple price comparison.

It’s About Value and ProtectionFirst, let’s consider “utility”-driven purchases.

Since the middle of the last century, it’s

become common practice for goods and

services to be marketed in the good, better,

best scheme, each with a corresponding price

point. Remember the old Sears Roebuck

catalogs where this concept was openly

highlighted? While at first it would seem to

make sense to simply buy the cheapest item,

there are obviously situations when cheaper

does not mean better; otherwise, why would

the other price points even exist?

The reason lies in a concept economists call “utility,” or, the “value”

the purchaser places on what a particular good or service does for

them. Seems simple, but it’s far trickier than what’s on the surface.

Take a six-quart saucepan, for instance. A simple view is that the pan

doesn’t add much value since all it does is conduct heat from the range

to whatever is in the pan. But, further study reveals another aspect

of utility—and that is the protection of other assets, such as food. You

don’t need to burn too much sauce to make up the difference in cost

between a cheap aluminum pan and a nice clad-bottom stainless

steel pan that heats more effectively and coddles a valuable (read:

expensive) demi-glace or beurre blanc. This consideration extends

to more than just saucepans, too. What about a convection oven that

doesn’t heat evenly and burns a couple of pans of bacon every day? Do

the math. And wouldn’t you know it, oftentimes cheap equipment lasts

a long time, costing even more for each day that it performs poorly.

Face it, buying cheap equipment can cost you a lot of money.

Cheap is Sometimes the Best ChoiceOkay, so now you’re thinking that I’m promoting the notion that

you should buy the most expensive level of equipment, no matter

what it is—right? Not true. Let’s look at another item, such as a

simple two-ounce ladle. Honestly, the only utility expected of a

two-ounce ladle is that it accurately measures out two ounces of

a liquid, and that’s about it. And if you’ve spent any time in the

kitchen, you’ll also know that the typical two-ounce ladle doesn’t

last very long because it is often accidentally lost to the trash can.

So you needn’t worry about buying one that’s engineered to last

for a lifetime of use; its life is pretty short. Buy them cheap and,

unfortunately, often.

Figuring in Capital Cost and ROIFor bigger projects, especially start-up operations, an additional

dimension comes into play, and that’s capital cost. Sure, it would

be great to have the newest top-of-the-line dishwasher and it would

be easy to justify the return on investment (ROI) over a long

haul, but what about the impact it has on your immediate capital

needs? Remember that as an entrepreneur, your goal is to own as

much of your venture as possible. Does

buying the very best equipment cause

you to share a larger percentage of the

business with other investors? Let’s be

honest with ourselves; in the restaurant

business, the concept of risk-adjusted

cost of equity cuts deep. Maybe a used

dishwasher will last for a couple of

years while your business gets some

traction, allowing you to access more

reasonable financing terms later on.

While you might be dealing with higher energy and consumable

costs in the short run, you are more likely to win the longer games

of management control and shareholder equity when it comes

time to exit. If you didn’t pick up on it, this is the old concept of

bootstrapping, an approach that’s more than simply being frugal;

it’s about being savvy and maintaining control of your dream.

We could go on with other examples, but hopefully you get the

idea. Equipment purchase decisions, large or small, should be

tailored to meet both short-term and long-term objectives using a

thoughtful and realistic calculation of ROI. But let’s also recognize

that owning the most efficient, highest-ROI-yielding equipment

doesn’t mean much if it ends up costing you your business.

Like the folks at Mercedes-Benz are fond of saying, it’s not the

purchase price that’s important, it’s the total cost of ownership.

Certified Master Chef Mark Erickson is provost at the CIA.

13


ice has been gracing banquet

tables since the middle ages.

then, as now, dining was

sustenance, entertainment,

and a chance to demonstrate

one’s wealth and status.

meals were served on long

“groaning boards” that

bowed under the weight

of food and decorative displays created by the chefs. the

designs were usually human or architectural in

form, calling on the chef’s artistic abilities. ice, with

its properties of strength and translucency, quickly

caught on as a decorative aspect at a meal.

By the 1800s, world-renowned french chef and

pâtissier to kings marie-antoine carême, who

was known for his obsession with architecture,

was creating magnificent display pieces out of

confectionery and ice. when russian service,

which plated banquet food in the kitchen rather

than at the table, came into vogue, the centers of

tables were suddenly bare. enter the carved-ice

centerpiece! But it was the chef auguste escoffier

who made great food accessible to everyone and

incorporated ice sculptures into the presentation

of food. his most famous example

of this was in honor of opera singer

nellie melba, whose performance

in the opera lohengrin inspired the

creation of the dessert Pêche melba.

ice cream with poached peaches

and spun sugar was presented in

individual ice swans. Naturellement!

swans figured heavily in the opera.


Ice Carving with Chef John Reilly ’88 Associate Professor—Culinary Arts

what got you started in ice carving?

When I was a student, there was an ice carving

club on campus. There had been an ice carving

class at one time that was removed from the

curriculum. On my externship at the Hyatt in

Minneapolis, I was able to create everything

from swans and baskets to tropical fish and

hearts at least once or twice a week.

have you been able to work as an ice carver?

For a time I had a business as an ice carver. I

was able to get my 300-pound, 22" x 10" x 44"

ice blocks from the local ice hut in Kingston. I

was also able to store my creations there. Since

all the local huts were gone, it was harder to

keep it up.

how has the art of ice carving changed over the years?

In a word, technology. Handsaws and chisels

have given way to chain saws and the Dremel®.

The carving has become more detailed and can

be accomplished in less time.

what are clients looking for in their ice carving today?

An ice carving at an event is considered an

indulgence and offers a little status. These days,

clients are often corporations. Company logos

are a huge seller. Colored ice that shows to best

advantage under black light is also popular.

Human figures are the most prized. At private

parties, designs for caviar bars and drink luges

are considered functional and are very popular.

what should alums do if they want to pursue a career in ice carving?

There is always going to be a place for ice

carving in the catering business. I’d suggest

they attach themselves to someone who does

carving so they can learn, and then offer

themselves as ancillary service providers to

caterers.

meanwhile, in the u.s., ice was mostly used in the presentation of ice

cream. in 1867, delmonico’s restaurant in new york city began serving

lemon, orange, champagne, kirsch, or prunelle sorbets in “ice glasses.”

of course, the art of creating centerpieces has never really fallen out of

favor and continues to this day.

the cia’s own beloved teacher and mentor, Joseph amendola, was

a master of the art of ice sculpture. he taught “generations” of cia

students how to carve ice. in 1994, he wrote Ice Carving Made Easy to

codify the art. he even came back to the cia every now and again to

work with students and share his ice carving knowledge. we recently

found an archive of pictures that show a little of the history of ice-

carving at the cia, and thought it would be fun to share it with you.

16

The Culinary Institute of America has announced the creation of

a new organization within the college—the Industry Leadership

and Advancement Division. Created to integrate the CIA’s

thought leadership and institutional support initiatives, the

division will be co-led by Victor Gielisse and Greg Drescher. The

group will be responsible for CIA industry leadership, corporate

relations, alumni relations, career services, strategic partnerships,

conferences, new media, and consulting services.

“At a time of major changes within our country and the food

world we serve, this new organization will bring attention to the

innovative programs and thought leadership the CIA provides,”

explains CIA President Tim Ryan. “The Industry Leadership

and Advancement Division will more fully demonstrate how CIA

teaching and research add tremendous value to our industry and

society.”

Victor Gielisse will serve as the vice president of advancement

& business development for the new division. He formerly

served as associate vice president for business development for

the CIA, where he directed the college’s relationship within the

foodservice industry for business development and consulting.

Earlier he served as dean of culinary and baking and pastry

studies for the CIA’s degree programs. Gielisse is one of 66

Certified Master Chefs in the United States, and holds a

bachelor of science degree, a Master of Business Administration,

and a Doctor of Business Administration from The School of

Administration and Management of California Coast University.

Greg Drescher will serve in the newly created role of vice

president of strategic initiatives & industry leadership. In

his previous role as executive director of strategic initiatives, he

was responsible for conceptualizing and developing the CIA’s

many thought leadership initiatives for the foodservice and

hospitality industries. Drescher was inducted into the James Beard

Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2005.

The following year, he was honored with Food Arts magazine’s

Silver Spoon Award. In 2007, he shared a James Beard Award

for his work in developing the CIA’s Savoring the Best of World

Flavors DVD and webcast series. Drescher has also served on

the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on Strategies to Reduce

Sodium Intake, which was mandated by the U.S. Congress to make

recommendations about reducing sodium in the American diet.

The CIA is pioneering new research, international programs,

and other leadership initiatives in the critical areas of health

and wellness, sustainability and food ethics, world cuisines and

cultures, and professional excellence and innovation. The Industry

Leadership and Advancement Division is responsible for directing

these programs and gaining the institutional support they require.

It will drive the expansion of thought leadership in these areas

through its annual conferences. These include the Latin Flavors,

American Kitchens and Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids conferences

at the CIA’s San Antonio campus, as well as the renowned annual

Worlds of Flavor® International Conference and Festival.

Advancing Change!

victor gielisse (left) and greg drescher (right)


Following the Presidential TrailAs CIA president, Tim Ryan ’77 looks for fresh educational

opportunities for students, faculty, and industry professionals every

chance he gets. These last few months, he’s turned his dinner at

elBulli into an educational experience for students; fostered a

partnership with the Basque Culinary Center that will offer new

challenges to our faculty; and worked within the political system

to gain favor for a sustainable farming project.

Basque-CIA PartnershipPatxi López, the president

of the Basque Regional

Government, was on

campus last October

to sign a partnership

agreement between the

CIA and the Basque

Culinary Center (BCC)

in San Sebastian, Spain. It is designed to foster educational and

cultural exchanges and advance a greater understanding of

foods, wines, and the culinary heritage of the Basque region. The

CIA and BCC will collaborate on designing a faculty exchange

program and explore the possibility of jointly publishing an

international gastronomic sciences journal. The new partners

will also consider expanding the CIA’s ProChef® program to

the Basque Culinary Center as a location for European culinary

professionals to acquire advanced certification.

Senator Supports CIA’s Proposed Farming ProgramAnton Plaza was filled with staff, faculty, and the media when

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer joined President Ryan, Hudson

Valley Economic Development Corporation President Mike Oates,

and other economic development officials from throughout the

Hudson Valley to announce his push to help the CIA obtain U.S.

Department of Agriculture funding to create a new Sustainable

Farming Program. Through the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture

Research and Education program and the Beginning Farmer

Development program, the CIA would be able to mobilize its

Sustainable Farming Program help Hudson Valley farmers. The

program would support the growing of products that are currently

in demand at local stores and restaurants in the Hudson Valley and

help to introduce new products and new markets. “The Culinary

Institute of America believes that there is an inextricable link

between chefs and farmers, and we support sustainable practices

through education and research across our curriculum,” said Dr.

Ryan. “We are very grateful for Senator Schumer’s recognition of

these initiatives, and the opportunity to expand them with grant

funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”

President and Students Burn the Midnight OilPresident Ryan and Modernist Cuisine author Nathan Myhrvold

were lucky enough to share one of the last meals served at Ferran

Adrià’s famed restaurant elBulli before it closed. Upon his return,

President Ryan gave a slide presentation before a packed house

of students that covered the 50-course meal at elBulli; highlights

of a meal at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain; and a tour

and meal at Barcelona’s famed Bouqeria Market. Beginning at

9:15 p.m., the evening didn’t end until the early morning hours

of the next day. President Ryan put it best when he said, “Only at

the CIA would a bunch of 20-somethings hang around that long

to hear about a meal that included prawn brains, germinated pine

nuts, and hare’s blood cocktail. The students enjoyed it and it was

a lot of fun for me.”

President ryan and Basque region President Patxi lóPez

senator schumer and President ryan on anton Plaza

18

At the 2011 Latin Flavors, American Kitchens Conference,

hosted by the CIA at its San Antonio, TX campus, more than

170 foodservice industry leaders were joined by a prominent

collection of Latin cuisine experts from across the Americas.

Such visiting chefs as Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill in Chicago,

Roberto Santibanez of Fonda in Brooklyn, and Humberto

Dominguez of Restaurant Kakao in Guatemala joined the

CIA’s Latin cuisines faculty to educate and demonstrate.

Hot trends in Latin cuisines highlighted during this year’s

conference included the indigenous flavors of Argentina, Brazil,

Ecuador, and Guatemala, and the growing interest in hand-

held foods like tortas, postres, tacos, tostadas, and burritos. In

addition, significant time was spent exploring the use of smoke

and the grilling traditions in Latin American countries, as

well as new concepts for featuring Latin flavors in cocktails and

bar foods.

The conference helps chefs and restaurateurs better understand

how to create foods that feature authentic Latin flavors and

cooking methods in various foodservice environments. Some

of the volume operators who attended were On The Border

Restaurants, Applebee’s, Carlson Restaurant Group, Yum!

Brands, Dunkin’ Brands, Delaware North Companies, and

Sodexo.

New business applications for products and menus that reflect

the adventurous and changing palate of the American public

were explored. With more sophisticated consumers in a

perpetual quest for new and authentic flavors, this conference

was a wonderful opportunity for companies to gather and learn

more about how they can respond to customer demand.

To learn more about the CIA’s Latin Flavors, American

Kitchens conference, visit www.ciaprochef.com. Interested

in broadening your knowledge of Latin cuisines? Why not

consider the CIA’s new Latin Cuisines Certificate Program. For

more information, visit www.ciachef.edu/lccp. (See p. 19)

Thought Leadership: Latin Style

rick Bayless talks latin cuisine

chef Juan ramón cárdenos demos at outdoor grill

chef euda morales demos authentic guatemalan cuisine

New!

19

Fueled by consumer demand and demographic shifts, Latin cuisine

is one of the hottest segments of the foodservice industry. For the first

time, restaurant patrons are demanding both authentic and creative

interpretations of all the traditional foods of Latin America. This

demand requires that chefs be more knowledgeable than ever about

these unique, regionally diverse cuisines.

The CIA’s Latin Cuisines Certificate Program (LCCP) goes far beyond

what is taught at an introductory level in most culinary arts curricula.

It is designed specifically for those chefs who possess an approved

associate or bachelor’s degree, or certificate in culinary arts and have

a serious interest in deepening their knowledge of Latin cuisines and

acquiring a specialization that can help advance their careers.

Students will be immersed in the unique ingredients, culinary

techniques, and cultural traditions that span this rich part of the

world. Over the two-semester, 30-week period, exploration of flavor

development and culinary expression will be guided in small class

settings by the CIA’s experienced and knowledgeable Latin cuisines

professors. Additional insights from visiting Latin cuisines experts will

round out the experience. The course of study includes the foods of

Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and more.

The program’s expert faculty members include chef-instructors and

Latin cuisines researchers Iliana de le Vega and Elizabeth Johnson-

Kossick. During their extensive travels, they have documented and

researched many of the traditional, and sometimes endangered,

ingredients and techniques of Mexican and Latin American cuisine.

“I’ve dreamt for years that we would be able to understand the

cuisines of Latin America the same way we understand the cuisines of

Europe—that someone would distill the cuisines for us so that we can

communicate them to others,” says Chef Rick Bayless, chairman of

the CIA’s Latin Cuisines Advisory Council. “The CIA’s Latin Cuisines

Certificate Program will do that. And it is going to launch us into the

future in terms of Latin cuisine here in the U.S. and beyond.”

In conjunction with the college’s expanded educational offering, the

CIA San Antonio will open a new pan-Latin, full-service restaurant in

early 2012 on the campus. Overlooking the San Antonio River Walk,

the restaurant will serve as a classroom for CIA students, as well as a

showcase for visiting Latin American chefs. By sharing their in-depth

knowledge of regional Latin cuisines, they will enrich the educational

experience for our students. And patrons of the restaurant will enjoy a

rare opportunity to experience the outstanding work of these chefs in

the United States.

The 30-week program will welcome its first class of students in

March 2012 at the college’s campus in San Antonio, TX. For more

information, call 1-800-CULINARY (285-4627) or 210-554-6400, or

visit www.ciachef.edu/texas.


Rain and wind could not dampen the spirits of more than 175

alumni and friends who gathered for Alumni Homecoming 2011

on October 14–15. From as far away as Seattle and Alaska, and

representing the classes spanning the 1950s to the 2000s, alumni

enjoyed great food, dancing, karaoke, learning experiences, and

culinary demos.

Television personality and celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito ’86 gave

an engaging presentation focused on taking traditional comfort

food and re-envisioning it in a healthy, yet delicious way. Before

everyone’s eyes, a fried chicken recipe was transformed from a

680-calorie indulgence into a 291-calorie healthy meal by using

a combination microwave/flash frying technique. Dessert was an

inventive panna cotta prepared with Greek yogurt instead of the

heavy cream traditionally used to make the Italian specialty. These

recipes can be found in Rocco’s new cookbook Now Eat This! Diet,

which he signed for alumni following his presentation.

Imaginations were further sparked during two other terrific

professional demonstrations. Derek Corsino ’07 presented a lively

and impressive demo on cake construction. He and his expert

cake creations have been featured twice this year on Food Network

Challenge. Dennis Chan ’00 delighted fellow graduates with tastes

of his signature “hip Asian comfort food,” which is featured in his

cookbook by the same name. Alumni marveled at the innovation

and fresh flavors that typify Dennis’s dishes.

By Jennifer O’Neill

Food, Fun, and Fitness


New this year, and a big hit with many alumni, students, and

staff, was the “Run for Your Knives” 5K Walk/Run. Co-chaired

by Alumni Council member Robert Kabakoff ’86 and his

employee and fellow alumnus Travis Strickland ’08, the walk/

run drew more than 30 eager fitness enthusiasts who got up at

the crack of dawn to participate in the event. Alumnus Ken

Arnone ’92 ended up the winner in the men’s category, and

alumna Melissa Libman ’08 won the women’s category. We’re

already planning to make next year’s race even better.

President Tim Ryan ’77 treated the alumni group to an informative

and high-tech campus update, complete with a “virtual tour” of the

campus master plan. He outlined the college’s vision for much-needed

dormitories, state-of-the-art kitchens and education center, new retail

stores, an expanded bookstore, and many other exciting changes for

the Hyde Park campus. These brick-and-mortar improvements will

make it possible for the CIA to remain cutting edge in the areas of

culinary education, research, and thought leadership. The college

is working to raise $101 million through the college’s Building on

Excellence Capital Campaign. In his talk, President Ryan emphasized

the importance of alumni giving back to their alma mater. He noted

that the best schools with the most prominent reputations, like

Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, boast a high rate of

alumni giving, which makes the schools more attractive to funders.

Dr. Ryan asked the alumni to consider a gift of any size to help advance

the CIA’s significant goals.

To top off two memorable and fun-filled days, a “Down-Homecoming”

barbecue luncheon was enjoyed under a large outdoor tent.

Join us for Homecoming 2012 next fall—we’d love to welcome you

back to campus!

future cia students

and they’re off!

roBert kaBakoff ‘88

2nd Place winner cheryl ann niedzwiecki ’86 louis

vassalotti ‘73


Women Steels Show Their MettleThe CIA women’s volleyball team completed a dream season by

sweeping its opponents in both the semifinals and finals at the Hudson

Valley Women’s Athletic Conference (HVWAC) championship on

October 30, 2011. This accomplishment is even more stunning when

you realize that it was the first year volleyball was a varsity sport at

the CIA.

The Steels beat the College of New Rochelle to win the semifinals

and then went on to beat St. Joseph’s College to win the title. Steels

sophomore Jeanne Casagrande was named the conference tournament

MVP. Three players were named to the 2011 All-Conference Team—

Casagrande, freshman Corrine Williams, and junior Camelia Fuertes.

And the icing on the proverbial cake was the naming of Steels

volleyball coach Jaime Floryan as HVWAC Coach of the Year.

“Go Steels!”

Vintners Hall of Fame CelebratedThe Barrel Room was the site for the 6th annual Vintners Hall of

Fame ceremony on February 20, 2012 at the CIA at Greystone. The

new crop of inductees included: Peter Mondavi, Sr., Charles Krug

Winery; Professor Albert Winkler, UC Davis; Joe Heitz, Heitz Cellars

Napa Valley; Myron Nightingale, former winemaker at Beringer;

John Parducci, Mendocino County wine pioneer; Richard Sanford,

legendary South Coast vintner; and Dr. Eugene Hilgard, one of the

fathers of modern soil science. “These inductees are the leaders who

helped California become the center of the American wine industry

while producing some of the best wines in the world,” said President

Tim Ryan. The induction ceremony was followed by a Celebrity Chef

Walk-Around Dinner. Proceeds from the event

support the Vintners Hall of Fame and the CIA

Scholarship Fund.

Wall Street Journal Honors EllsThe Wall Street Journal ’s WSJ Magazine recognized

Steve Ells ’90, founder and CEO of Chipotle

Mexican Grill, as the 2011 top innovator in the

food industry. The event was held at the Museum

of Modern Art in New York City on October

2011. According to WSJ Magazine, “Chipotle

founder Steve Ells’ quiet insistence on well-raised

meat and local and organic produce at his multi-

billion-dollar chain is changing the way America

eats, one burrito at a time.” Steve recently hired James Beard Award

winner Nate Appleman ’99 as culinary manager. Nate played a big

part in launching Steve’s first ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen

in Washington, DC. The menu of build-your-own bowls and banh

mi sandwiches are served up with Ells’ usual attention to flavor and

efficiency.

How Do You Spell Success? BPS!As part of their Foodservice Management course, BPS seniors design

and execute events that are marketed to the public. These capstone

projects occur right before graduation and have traditionally included

a community service component. The graduating class of November

11, 2011 created five well-received events: A Masked Night in Venice,

Food From Around the World, A Salute to Our Troops, A Fall

Harvest, and A Dinner to Die For. Total ticket sales were $65,766.

After expenses, the class was able to donate $24,602 to a variety of

local Dutchess County charities. Yup, BPS spells SUCCESS!

KUDOS

revelers at a masked night in venice

aBove: JosePh utera’s

Best of show sugar disPlay

right: arisa suzuki’s

winning wedding cake

aBove: todd knaster’s Best of show chocolate disPlay

Below: gorgeous chocolates

23

CIA Wins Big First-place blue ribbons bedecked the table of the CIA’s

Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired presentation at the Société

Culinaire Philanthropique’s 143rd Salon of Culinary Art

at the International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show last

November in New York City. Interpreting the essence

of Wright’s renowned Prairie School architecture, CIA

faculty and students created a tablescape that captured the

imagination. The team members also demonstrated their

skill at working together to create an integrated showpiece

with unique individual elements, all impeccably produced.

All cash awards received by the winners were donated to the

CIA Scholarship Fund. Our list of first-prize winners is long,

and very much worth noting here!

Sugar display: Joseph Utera, CEPC

First Prize and Best of Show

Chocolate display: Todd Knaster, CMB


Wedding Cake display: Arisa Suzuki (student)


Bread display: Hans Welker, CMB


Special Occasion Cake: Justen Nickell ’09—First Prize

Meat Presentation/Platter: Howie Velie, CHE—First Prize

Meat Presentation/Platter: Sergio Remolina, CHE—First Prize

Prize of Honor: Todd Knaster, CMB


Book ShelfCook Like a Rock Star 125 Recipes, Lessons, and Culinary SecretsBy Anne Burrell ’96

This book is written to satisfy the appetites of all cooks—from beginners to

experts. Anne’s signature style comes through loud and clear in her debut

cookbook. The 125 rustic yet elegant recipes are all based on accessible

ingredients and are peppered with encouraging notes and handy tricks to help

the user meld efficiency and fun with culinary success. From truffled deviled

eggs to sweet and spicy sausage ragù to killer mac and cheese with bacon, Anne

shares the culinary secrets that led her to hosting her own Food Network hit

show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.

Cookies at HomeBy Todd Knaster

With beautiful, full-color photography throughout, Cookies at Home with The

Culinary Institute of America offers 100 delicious cookie recipes, from classic to

contemporary and sweet to savory, that are sure to please the cookie lover in

your life. Under the expert guidance of CIA Associate Professor in Baking and

Pastry Arts Todd Knaster, specific cookie-making techniques for drop, bar,

rolled, molded, and piped cookies are revealed and made easy to master. There

is even a chapter on décor and packaging. From easy chocolate chip cookies to

luscious lemon meringues and French macaroons, this book will take cookies to

new and delicious heights.

Guide to PurchasingBy Brad Matthews and Thomas Schneller

The Guide to Purchasing offers buyers a road map for identifying, evaluating,

and choosing vendors; managing inventory; purchasing meat, poultry, and

fish; writing product specifications; and staying on top of ever-changing food

industry trends. Written in an engaging style by CIA Director of Purchasing

and Storeroom Operations Brad Matthews and CIA Associate Professor

in Culinary Arts Thomas Schneller, the Guide to Purchasing is an essential

reference tool and guide for those in the field.

State of the art.Through eight editions and with more than a million copies sold, The Professional Chef is a classic and essential kitchen reference for both professionals and serious home cooks. On sale now, this completely revised and updated spectacular new edition includes nearly 900 recipes, more than 800 photos, plus new sections on seasonality and sustainability, barbecuing, sous-vide cooking, and plated desserts, to name a few.

For the fi rst time ever, The Professional Chef is also available for the iPad as a revolutionary digital cookbook that sets the standard for high-end consumer, professional and educational culinary products.

Some of the features for the digital edition include:

• 110 technique videos• Recipe slideshows• Product ID guided tours• Self assessment tools• Note sharing

Wiley and the Wiley logo are registered trademarks of John Wiley & sons, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.



By Brigid Ransome ’12

A Toast to Michael WeissWine Teacher Extraordinaire

For the CIA’s Charmer Sunbelt Group

Endowed Chair in Wines and Spirits

Professor Michael Weiss, his profession is

all about people, though not necessarily

customers. As a professor at the college,

his people are students. And serving up a

meaningful education is his life’s work.

q: this is your 20th year as an educator. how have students changed over time?

A: I’ve found that the students of the current

generation are more inquisitive in terms of

fusion and combining taste elements from

different cultures. When I first started, it

was all about classical French cuisine and

technique. The students of today are keenly

aware of variety and the choices they have

in food.

q: have you changed the approach you take to teaching over the years? how?

A: In my class there is always a vast amount of information to

communicate, and although the core curriculum hasn’t changed,

there is now a greater emphasis on taste interaction. And when it

comes to my actual teaching style, I’ve realized that sometimes my

direct approach could be misconstrued as aggressive. I’ve found a

way to be more effective in a more engaging fashion.

q: wine is a broad, sometimes overwhelming topic for even the most educated culinarian—is there any aspect of the topic that you find particularly challenging?

A; I believe that if you are well-educated about wine, you won’t

feel overwhelmed. You’ll have knowledge and experience to

support you when you come upon something new.

q: you use lots of anecdotes to lead your students through the complex topic of wine. what role do they play in the educational process?

A: Anecdotes add a theatrical element to the information, whilst

integrating pertinent test material. My personal stories also color

the material by giving it humanity and inspiring students to travel

and embrace a sense of adventure. I believe

that every student should travel and go beyond

his or her comfort zone, culture, and country.

q: what is the greatest challenge you face as an educator when teaching what is arguably the hardest course on campus?

A: It definitely is accommodating all the

different learning styles within a large group

of students. I have to derive a method of

teaching that achieves the highest results.

The challenge there is that what’s positive

for one student isn’t positive for another.

Some students are visual learners and others

auditory. The challenge is to always maintain

a level of consistency and professionalism

in the classroom, while being humane and

engaging.

q: what is the most rewarding aspect of teaching the wines class?

A: The most rewarding part of teaching this class will always be,

well, teaching the class. It is seeing that “light-bulb” moment when

a student gets it and can apply that understanding in an exam. I

love seeing how beneficial the wine/food pairing “Tower of Power”

I use in class is long after students have left the CIA, and how the

class has helped each student on his/her individual path.

q: if you weren’t a wine and food educator, what other career would you choose?

A: I would be a chef. Though I really get to live that profession

every night when I cook dinner for my wife Jenny. But frankly,

after more than 25 years of teaching and 28,000 students, I am

a much better educator and I have no regrets about my career

choice.

Those of us who’ve taken Professor Weiss’s Wine Studies class are

thankful that he chose to teach about wine instead of cook. It’s

clear when he speaks about his life’s work that he made the perfect

choice. “There really is nothing more gratifying.”

Brigid Ransome is a brand-new alumna of the college, having just received

her AOS degree in March 2012.


If you remember the song “The Candy Man” from the movie

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you know that Wonka

asks, “Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream?” Well, that is

exactly what three executives from Godiva Chocolatiers, Inc. are

doing for CIA students—helping tomorrow’s dreams come true.

Godiva President and CEO Jim Goldman, Senior Vice President

of Global Research & Development Wayne Puglia, and Executive

Chef Chocolatier Thierry Muret are the driving force behind the

Godiva Chocolatier Scholarship.

The expendable scholarship is for the college’s AOS and BPS

baking and pastry arts students who are passionate about

chocolate making. “We want to foster pastry chefs’ learning and

appetite for chocolate throughout their schooling and their careers.

Through the Godiva Chocolatier Scholarship, we hope to provide

opportunities for students to follow their dreams of working in the

pastry, baking, and chocolate industry,” says Goldman.

In addition to their philanthropic contribution to the CIA’s

scholarship program, Goldman, Puglia,

and Muret have committed themselves to

the hands-on education of our students.

Beginning in spring 2012, the Godiva

Chocolate R&D Externship will be

available for baking and pastry students.

Under the tutelage of world-renowned

chef chocolatier Thierry Muret, students

will work in the company’s Pennsylvania

facility and be involved in all aspects of

product development. Muret says, “We

believe giving students an opportunity to

work with our chef chocolatiers through this

unique externship program will provide an

unprecedented learning experience for the

students as well as our chefs.”

The union between the CIA baking and

pastry program and Godiva—whose brand

has been synonymous with excellence

in fine chocolate for nearly 90 years—is a

natural affiliation. Puglia explains. “We

want the students to know that as a company we believe in what

they are doing and are excited to support the next generation of

chocolatiers and pastry chefs who inspire our brand every day.”

In September 2011, Casey Shea ’11 was awarded the first Godiva

Chocolatier Scholarship. In a process that evaluated both financial

need and creativity when using Godiva products in an original

recipe, both Casey and her dark-chocolate-dipped Cappuccino

Bonbons were winners. See page 29 for Casey’s story.

With the shared value of excellence as a solid foundation, Godiva

and the CIA have created a series of opportunities for CIA students.

Whether acting as a proud sponsor of the recent Flavor! Napa

Valley Food & Wine Festival—the proceeds of which go to the CIA

Student Scholarship Fund—or as benefactor of the largest baking

and pastry scholarship now available to CIA students, Godiva is

certainly making students’ dreams for tomorrow come true.

James Clark is a CIA advancement officer.

By James L. Clark

The Candy Man Can

left to right: chef chocolatier thierry muret, duff goldman ‘98, and casey shea ‘11


Why Give?Rudi Flik

Founder and CEO, FLIK International, Retired

What makes giving meaningful?We start with the premise that giving opens doors and

minds, feels good emotionally, and serves a noble purpose.

Every time we give back, we fulfill our innate sense of

responsibility to others. By supporting our industry, we

are helping those who share our lifelong passion for it.

And finally, when we see the positive results of the CIA’s

continuing education for faculty and scholarships for

deserving students, we know we are investing in the future

of our industry.

What Motivates You to Give?In the case of the CIA, we recognize a perfect fit to integrate

our passion for school-to-career education—exemplified

by the National Restaurant Association Educational

Foundation’s (NRAEF) ProStart® program—with the myriad

opportunities afforded by this leading culinary college. Our

faculty travel grant ensures the opportunity for educators to

fulfill a desire to keep exploring culinary, travel, and social

opportunities that better serve students and the CIA.

How Do You Give?We give via the three T’s—Time, Talent, and Treasury. At

the CIA, we have done this through various scholarships

and externships with FLIK International, the company my

wife Julie and I founded in 1971. Julie has also exercised the

three T’s as director on many boards over her professional

career—the American Dietetic Association, the Society for

Foodservice Management (past president), the NRA, the

NRAEF (past chair), the Department of Labor’s Advisory

Committee for Apprenticeship, and the School of Hotel

Administration/CIA Alliance Industry Advisory Board.

We enjoy witnessing the immense difference giving makes

to educators and students, and the way the resulting

professional and personal growth of those affected will

impact society in general.


Casey Ann Shea ’11 AOS in Baking and Pastry ArtsRecipient: Katharine Angell Scholastic Achievement Award

Godiva Chocolatier Scholarship, S. Pellegrino® Sparkling Natural Mineral Water Scholarship

The BeginningBaking was something that I enjoyed from an early age. It was an

activity to which I gravitated, and it provided me with a lot of comfort.

One day, I was lamenting to my best friend that I didn’t know what I

wanted to do with my life. She asked, if I could do anything I wanted,

what would it be? I said that I’d spend my entire day baking. After

that, everything just clicked.

After high school, I applied to the CIA and started working. My

first job in a professional bakery was an unpaid internship at a small

mother/daughter bakeshop in Thousand Oaks, CA. I learned the

importance of working fast and clean. With only three of us working,

one handled customers while the other two were in the kitchen baking

and decorating. That operation produced over 20 dozen cupcakes

daily for the store and also handled specialty cake orders. I truly

enjoyed the creative freedom I found in decorating cupcakes and

developing new cake flavors.

College HighlightsI have tried to take advantage of the many opportunities available on

campus. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been able to participate in

so many different ways. Chef Kate Cavotti has helped me improve my

cake decorating skills by inviting me to work on Coca-Cola’s 125th

anniversary cake with her. Chef Peter Greweling has taught me so

much and helped me understand chocolate in a much more extensive

way. He has also allowed me to work in his bakeshop on new recipes

and testing different techniques. I’ve also had a great deal of fun

participating in the Sargento Panini Cook-off and the Baking and

Pastry Society’s Sugar Showpiece Competition.

Outside of ClassI’ve been working to support myself during college. I have part-

time jobs in the Student Recreation Center and in the Continuing

Education Department as a chef assistant. While there, I particularly

Giving’s Impact

enjoyed assisting in the Chocolates at Home, Cake Decorating, Pastry

Techniques, and Baking Techniques classes. One day, I hope to open

my own chocolate shop.

The ImpactBeing the first Godiva Chocolatier Scholarship recipient was

overwhelming, and I had no idea that it was only the beginning.

Turns out, I was the guest of honor at a press party in New York City

celebrating the scholarship. While there, I had the opportunity to meet

and network with so many amazing people, including alumnus Duff

Goldman ’98. Since creating the recipe for Cappuccino Bonbons as

part of my scholarship application, I’ve been inspired to keep creating

different recipes and flavor combinations. I hope that my relationship

with Godiva will continue and that they will help me nurture my love

of, and knowledge about, chocolate. I feel so blessed to have been

given this opportunity because it helps me continue my education.


Food can be used for good in so many ways. And our alumni know,

probably better than most, that food can nourish, heal, send a

message, spearhead a cause, and do a world of good, both at home

and abroad.

A Special Dinner for Special ForcesFood is so important at the

holidays that, for the very first

time, the U.S. Army Special

Forces Command allowed a group

of civilian chefs to cook “at the

tip of the spear”—in the hostile

territory of forward-operating

bases in Afghanistan. The meals

they prepared were for some of

the most highly trained troops, the

Green Berets. Alumni Andrew

Hunter ’88, and John DeFlieze

’98, along with three other chefs,

made the two-week sojourn to Afghanistan. Amazingly, eight of those

days were spent in transit! But while there, they cooked up a storm.

Andrew and John happened upon a traditional Afghan mud and

brick oven and decided they just had to use it. They made 250 BBQ

chicken pizzas by “stealing” yeast packets from boxes of cake mix and

bartering cilantro from a local Afghan restaurateur. Their real focus,

however, was preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Despite

being on the front lines of the war, Andrew and John felt completely

safe surrounded by America’s most elite fighting force—and their own

two-pound helmets and 35-pound flak jackets, of course!

Operation HOTProviding true hospitality in a war zone is no easy feat. Putting on

a full-scale, seven-hour show for 4,000 troops at Bagram Airfield in

Afghanistan was a logistical nightmare. The food and entertainment

event included America’s U2 tribute band, a hypnotist, a comedian,

veterans of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters Rick Moonen ’78 and Rick

Tramonto, friend of the CIA Chef John Folse, and alumnus Charles

Carroll ’86. Executive Chef Carroll and his colleagues at the River

Oaks Country Club in Houston, TX put together Operation HOT.

After a year of preparations, last June a military C-130 aircraft took

off with 33 people, 27 pallets of equipment, two tons of gifts, and

two pallets of spicy and delicious Cajun Creole food, all headed for

Afghanistan. The troops were so grateful to have a little taste of home

that they ripped their company badges off their uniforms and handed

them to the team members as a sign of gratitude and affection.

Well-Read, Well-Fed, Well-Cared ForThe Swing Session Celebrity Golf Classic at Liberty National Golf

Club in New Jersey offered participants a day of golf and deliciousness

to raise funds for the Mario Batali Foundation (MBF). The club’s

executive chef, Shaun Lewis ’91, led the culinary side of the very

successful event, which drew such big names as U2’s The Edge, New

York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Food Network’s Guy Fieri.

MBF promotes quality educational opportunities for kids, supports

nutrition education programs, and funds pediatric disease research to

improve the quality of children’s lives.

Food for Good

andrew hunter ‘88 ready to cook

shaun lewis ‘91 and the edgethe oPeration hot team ready for action

31

A Soulful Vintner

In 1935, when Brother Timothy was asked by his

Christian Brothers’ order to take over its wine-

making operation in Mont La Salle, he left his East

Coast roots behind and transplanted them deep in the

soil of California’s Napa Valley. Since he was previously

a science teacher for the order, it wasn’t much of a leap

of faith to imagine him becoming the wine chemist for

the order’s wine operations. Known for its sacramental

wine, the order made the decision to branch out into

commercial production of table wine and brandy after

the repeal of Prohibition.

A fast learner, cellar master Brother Timothy soon

established Christian Brothers as one of the leading

brands in the state’s growing wine industry. Known for

his kindness, sense of humor, quick wit, and warm grin,

Brother Timothy soon became the face of the company’s

ad campaigns in the ’60s and ’70s. Those campaigns were

built around images of him deep in the wine cellars as he

tested the vintages straight from the casks while wearing

his religious raiment. It must have worked, because

Christian Brothers’ wines were extremely popular.

An avid collector of corkscrews, Brother Timothy said

his interest in them was, at first, strictly “scientific.” He

explained his curiosity this way: “My initial motivation

was to study them and find out more about the function

of corkscrews. Which were the ones that performed

properly? Which were the bad ones? So I was concerned

about the efficiency or function of corkscrews—at first.”

Over the years, the collection, which ranged from the

ridiculous to the sublime, grew to include upwards of

1,000 different corkscrews from around the world and

were grouped by theme. There were farm animal, multi-

purpose, pocketsize, tusk-handled, little people, and

modern corkscrew collections. Today, they are displayed

at the CIA at Greystone, where visitors can marvel at their

variety and pay homage to the man whose deep interest

and commitment to all things wine made the collection

possible.

Speaking of commitment, in 2007 Brother Timothy

was honored for that dedication, and for his obvious

contribution to the wine industry in the Napa Valley, by

being inducted posthumously into the inaugural class

of the CIA’s Vintners Hall of Fame at Greystone. The

plaque in his honor reads, in part, “Brother Timothy was

instrumental in reviving the wine industry in Napa Valley

after Prohibition and in advocating technological advances

that brought California winemaking into the modern era.”

Lucky for us, we still get to enjoy his amazing collection of

corkscrews when we travel west.


’56 James Hannem has been

chef at Queen Ann Catering

for the past 13 years. Prior to that, he

spent 15 years in college foodservice and

25 years at the Heritage House Restau-

rant in Madison, WI.

’70 Salvatore N. Maglio recent-

ly retired. David S. Seiter

retired in 2005 after 28 years as food

service director at the Charles Egelor

Correctional Facility for the Michigan De-

partment of Corrections. He is married

and has six children, 12 grandchildren,

and seven great-grandchildren.

’71 Kenneth Benson is chef-in-

structor at Austin Community

College, East View Campus in Austin, TX.

He is the proud, first-time grandfather of

Emmanuel, born in November 2010.

’74 Michael Bologna was

invited by the James Beard

Foundation in New York City to prepare a

banquet-style dinner for 80 distinguished

guests at the Beard House in December

2011. He reprised that same meal for the

hometown crowd in January 2012 at his

restaurant Vingenzos in Woodstock, GA.

Thomas F. Flaherty is department head

at H.C. Wilcox Technical High School in

Meriden, CT. Frederick M. Mildner is

executive chef, campus dining for Sodexo

Dining Services. Richard S. Ruben

retired from the foodservice industry

after working for 35 years. He is enjoying

time with his wife, rehabbing his house in

Florida, and showing his 1972 Plymouth

’Cuda at local car shows and gatherings.

’75 Howard Schecter is evening

chef for I.M.G. Academies

in Bradenton, FL. His executive chef is

fellow grad Jeremy Thayer ’96.

’77 Jonathan P. Everin is chef at

Mt. Kisco Seafood in Mount

Kisco, NY. Michael J. Garahan is culi-

nary arts instructor at Joliet Job Corps in

Joliet, IL. Kenneth C. Juran is executive

chef for Hyatt Hotels in Orlando, FL.

’78 Charles Berardi is regional

executive chef for Wegmans

Food Markets in Downingtown, PA.

Philip Laura is bakery team leader for

Whole Foods Market in Chapel Hill, NC.

He recently finished a year of contract

baking in Antarctica’s McMurdo Station

for Raytheon Polar Services and the

National Science Foundation. Rocco L.

Mita is director at The Francis E. Parker

Memorial Home in Piscataway, NJ.

’79 Gordon E. Christie and

Thomas Evaldi are presi-

dent and executive chef, respectively, at

Grand Affairs in Virginia Beach, VA.

Gary S. Walter is retired.

’80 Nathan Selden is quality

assurance manager for Got It

Right Foods in Bethlehem, PA.

’81 Tammy Dearstyne owns

Dearstyne’s Bistro and

Catering in Waxhaw, NC. Herman T.

Gruninger is executive chef for Bas-

night’s Lone Cedar Cafe in Nags Head,

NC. He recently came in second at the

Great American Seafood Cook-off in New

Orleans, LA.

’82 Judy Doherty is publisher

for Food & Health Communi-

cations, Inc. in Louisville, CO. Anthony

D’Onofrio completed his MBA in

sustainable business from Bainbridge

Graduate Institute in Bainbridge, WA.

He is now teaching sustainable food and

agriculture for the Bainbridge Institute

and is the sustainable director for Town

& Country Markets. Gary Prell is vice

president of culinary development for

Centerplate in Morgan Hill, CA.

’83 John G. Clarke is executive

chef at Middle Bay Country

Club in Oceanside, NY. Eric M. Kaplan

is chef/owner of Ruthie’s Bar-B-Q & Pizza

in Montclair, NJ.

’84 Alan Skversky is corporate

chef for Boudin Bakery in San

Francisco, CA. On his travels to London,

he found himself in some very “familiar”

students and chef Bill reynolds in alumni hall Behind a disPlay of PumPkins hollowed out to form serving dishes, Plates of food, a sculPted turkey, and two ice cornucoPias, 1974


surroundings (above). David A. Wagner

owns the David Wagner Agency, an All-

state Insurance company, in Michigan.

’85 Barry Schneider is ex-

ecutive chef for Premier Food

Services, Inc. at the Del Mar Racetrack &

Fairgrounds in Del Mar, CA.

’86 Benjie Apodaca is instruc-

tor at the Taos High School

culinary arts program in Taos, NM.

’87 Marvin M. Maile is the

owner of Maile Inc. in Las

Vegas, NV. Denise Marcozzi, her hus-

band, and their brood of eight children

all work at their family deli, bakery, and

catering business, The Wayside Market in

Media, PA. We just know she is prepping

them for culinary careers.

’88 Julie A. Clarkson is senior

applications technologist

in the savory applications division for

Sensient® Flavors in Indianapolis, IN.

Paul Furiosi, Jr. is chef/owner of By-Th’-

Bucket in Santa Clara, CA, which is the

oldest restaurant in the area, in business

for 50 years. Bobby Grabowski-Grey

is funeral attendant at the Solosy Funeral

Home in Lincoln Park, MI. Christopher

Koshak is chef/owner of CocoaShak, a

chocolate, candy, and confections shop in

Cheshire, CT. Robert Weland is execu-

tive chef at Cork Wine Bar in Washington,

DC.

’90 Barbara Callanan is presi-

dent of JCB Consulting Ser-

vices in Garden City, NY. The company

provides gluten-free dietary solutions to

the hospitality, health care, and education

sectors, and strives to “make gluten-free,

worry-free.”

’91 Barbara I. Campbell is an

academic researcher for the

University of North Carolina (UNC) in

Chapel Hill, where she got her bachelor

of science in nursing. She is currently in

the PhD program at UNC and hopes one

day to integrate her interests in food, fit-

ness, and nursing to enhance endurance

performance for athletes.

’92 Stephen Bulgarelli is senior

director, innovation global for

Brinker International in Texas. David A.

Gallion is culinary/nutrition manager at

Healtheast St. John’s Hospital in Maple-

wood, MN. Prior to that he spent 13 years

with Aramark, 22 years with Hamline

University, and two years with United

Health Group. He is married, has three

children, and spends free time volunteer-

ing to feed those in need at St. Andrew’s

Church and Second Harvest.

’93 Joseph Abuso is owner of

Genuine Hospitality Consult-

ing and is pleased to announce the grand

opening of Java Pura at Rice University’s

BRC Building. Joe’s company oversaw the

menu development, recipes, staff training,

and vendor selection. Christopher S.

Polidoro is a private chef in Sag Harbor,

NY.

’94 Emily Diffrient is a private

chef at Cypress Mill Ranch

in Austin, TX. Nathan M. Langevin is

kitchen manager for the Andover Public

School District in Andover, MA. Robert

Shaffer is chef/co-owner of the Shaffer

Restaurant Group in Dublin, GA. He is

married to fellow CIA alum Jennifer

Belfi-Shaffer ’94. Susan L. Wolfla is

executive chef at Mandalay Bay in Las

Vegas, NV. She is the first female execu-

tive chef at a major hotel on the Vegas

strip.

’96 Brian D. Etheredge is chef/

owner of Capische? restaurant

in Wailea, Maui, HI. In 2011 alone,

Capische? earned Wine Spectator maga-

zine’s Award of Excellence, Maui No Ka

’Oi magazine’s Restaurant of the Year, and

Zagat Survey’s designation as the #1 Italian

Restaurant in Hawaii. In 2008, Brian was

voted people’s choice Chef of the Year

in Maui No Ka ’Oi magazine. Opentable.

com rated Capische? in the Top 50 Most

Romantic Restaurants in the U.S. Jeremy

Thayer is executive chef/food and bever-

age director for I.M.G. Academies in Bra-

denton, FL. Christopher K. Whitaker

is chef/owner of Frenchman Bay Caterers,

LLC in Ellsworth, ME. He, his wife, and

their two children spend the summer

months in Maine and the off-season in

her hometown of Salta, Argentina.

’97 Paul J. Menard is pastry chef

at Mirror Lake Inn in Lake

Placid, NY.

’98 Daniel Tartaglia is execu-

tive chef for Wegmans Food

Markets in Northborough, MA. Amanda

Baker Usen is the author of the recently

published culinary romance Scrumptious.

She is also chef-instructor for culinary

and hospitality management at Erie Com-

munity College in Buffalo, NY.

’99 Shana Allmacher is a

receptionist at Eberstein &

Witherite LLP in Dallas, TX.

’00 Tara (Bennett) Anderson

is research/executive chef for

PepsiCo in Dallas, TX. She welcomed her

daughter Vivian in January 2011. Star

(Ciocci) Ermilio is nutrition program

director for St. Anthony School in Butler,

NJ, where she helped create a nutritional

menu program for students in grades

K–8. Star also teaches daily nutritional

class to the children and they love it!

Michael D. Myers is general manager/

executive chef at Eurest Dining Services

in Plano, TX. Daniel Peralta is an

attorney/advisor, field operation for the

Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau,

U.S. Department of Treasury in San Fran-

cisco, CA. Jennifer (Lorson) Ramos is

currently studying for her master’s degree

in liberal arts through Empire State Col-

lege, with a self-designed concentration in

food studies. She is the author of La Vida

Comida, a Latin American/Peruvian food

and culture blog, which was featured on

the Albany NBC news segment, Today’s

Women. She and her family are moving to

Lima, Peru, where she will continue her

Latin American food studies by taking a

certificate course in traditional Peruvian

cuisine.

’01 Jeffrey Barish is studying for

a PhD in food science from

the University of Massachusetts–Amherst.

He was awarded the Hultin Graduate

Research award in 2010. Jeff was also a

finalist in the Institute of Food Technolo-

gist product development competition in

2011. Michael J. Carrino is chef/owner

of Tête de Cochon in Ridgewood, NJ. He

has a new baby boy, Gabriel.

Almost 40% of CIA students

are referred by our alumni!

Any prospective student you

refer is eligible to receive

a $1,000 Alumni Referral

Scholarship as well as other

scholarship opportunities. You

can change a life. It’s easy.

Just visit www.

ciaalumninetwork.com/refer

You Make A

Difference!

alan skversky ‘84

34

Robert E. Chaffer ’51

Burgess M. Brightman ’57

Harold F. Leeds, Jr. ’71

John M. Moritz ’76

James L. Mayer ’77

Paul Page ’77

Ruthanne Kavanaugh ’80

Anthony J. Pennisi ’80

Kenneth J. Kiester ’81

James William Lewis ’81

Denise M. Coughlin ’85

Robert M. Melton ’85

Eric Joseph Snyder ’88

Ira B. Poritzky ’92

Michael B. Bishop ’95

John Charles McClure ’00

Eli Wilson Wilbert ’06

Damien Williams ’12

In Memoriam

’02 William E. Kreiner is

general manager/executive

chef, campus food service group for Rich

Products Corporation in Buffalo, NY.

Clifford Mullins is executive chef at the

Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in

Renfro Valley, KY. Arnel Salvatierra

is wine director at Terra and Bar Terra in

St. Helena, CA. Paul C. Wooten is lead

culinary instructor at Culinard of Virginia

College in Mobile AL.

’03 Brian L. Schuyler is restau-

rant chef at Top of the Point

Restaurant in West Palm Beach, FL. He

is married and has two children, Leila

and Scott.

’04 Molly Buckie-Pinder is

director of catering and

executive dining for Restaurant Associates

at HBO. Her daughter, Lily Madison, was

born in June 2011 and is already helping

her mom make dinner at night! Lily’s

great uncle Donald Keith ’65 is also an

alumnus. Joseph William Johnson was

the first winner of Bravo TV Network’s

Rocco’s Dinner Party. He is sous chef for

Restaurant Associates at Morgan Stanley

in New York City.

’05 Jorge Guzman is executive

chef at Solera Restaurant

in Minneapolis, MN. He married in

September 2011. Lindsay E. Kincaide is

manager, meetings and special events for

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes

in Orlando FL.

’06 William B. Nurse is execu-

tive chef at the Metropolis

Cafe in Boston, MA.

’07 Danielle Hertzler is hos-

pitality director for Morrison

Management Specialists in Saline, MI.

She is busy planning her August 2012

wedding. Joseph E. Moore is chef/

owner of The Lunch Box in Las Vegas,

NV. His wildly successful shop, which

was recently featured in Desert Companion

magazine, is across the street from the

University of Nevada, Las Vegas—loca-

tion, location, location!

’08 Elizabeth A. Berger is

culinary lead and butcher at

Fairway Packing Company in Detroit,

MI. She works closely with chefs in the

Detroit area providing them with quality

meats from local producers. She also

teaches cooking classes at Sur La Table

and does private catering. Thomas M.

Carfrey is kitchen manager for Great

American Restaurants, Inc. in Falls

Church, VA. He married baking and

pastry alum Brittany Brooks ’09 in

May 2010. Karen Pata is tasting room

sales attendant at Rusack Vineyards in

Solvang, CA. Prior to that, she was garde

manger line cook at Restaurant Schonau

in Zurich, Switzerland; and pastry line

cook at Bradley Ogden’s Root 246 also

in Solavang. Erin (Hamlett) Ramsey

married Royce Kipp Ramsey ’09 in

June 2010.

’09 Nicholas Desiato is execu-

tive chef at Mamma D’s in

Pipersville, PA.

’10 Lowell Lea is chef/owner of

LLenterprises, which provides

catering and personal chef services in

Georgia. Kenneth Raponi is sous chef

at Tabu Grill in Laguna Beach, CA. Ken

spent his CIA externship there.

PreParing a Banquet, 2009

lily Buckie-PinderJosePh toasting his win on roCCo’s dINNEr party


Alumni Brigade of Supporters

michael rizzo ‘78

carol hazlewood ‘04

denise detwiler Baxter ‘92

kevin carroll ‘79

suzanne caP ‘73

kate merker ‘04

kevin anderson ‘77

greg mezey ‘06

Brandi cooks ‘03

Judi Burten ‘76

michelle cash ‘96

Jeremy fry ‘03

michael getzey ‘73

dave Barrett ‘03

As a not-for-profit college, the CIA takes your donation and pours it

right back into the educational experience of our students. That means

you are providing vital resources for scholarships, facilities, academic

programming, and faculty development. Your contribution helps

the CIA remain the world’s premier culinary college.

Join the CIA Alumni Brigade!Call 845-451-1602 or visit www.ciagiving.org to make your contribution today.

who have generously given back to the CIA, year after year.

We are deeply grateful to our loyal

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

Alumni Relations Admissions Advancement CIA Websites Career Services Conrad N. Hilton Library Professional Development General Information 845-451-1401 1-800-285-4627 845-905-4275 ciachef.edu 845-451-1275 845-451-1270 1-800-888-7850 845-452-9600 ciaalumninetwork.com ciagiving.org ciaprochef.com

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR

The Culinary Institute of America 2012 Leadership Awards

honoring Pioneers of American Cuisine

Thursday, March 29, 2012 6 p.m. Reception

7 p.m. Dinner at

The New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square

Register today at www.ciaalumninetwork.com/gala

or contact Lisa Vanata at 845-905-4270 or [email protected].

Dean Fearing ’78

Larry Forgione ’74

Paul Prudhomme

Wolfgang Puck

Honorees

Jasper White ’76

mise en place issue 59 Catering Is It For You

Documents

Transcript of mise en place issue 59 Catering Is It For You