French Pastry School Makes History at Graduation Ceremony

The graduation celebration in late December 2010 honored not one, but two full-time programs’ graduates of The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College at City Colleges of Chicago. More than 400 attendees including friends, family, faculty, staff and newly minted alumni celebrated the conclusion of the programs at the Union League Club of Chicago. Seventy-two students in L’Art de la Pâtisserie – The Professional Pastry and Baking Program, and 36 in L’Art du Gâteau – The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program completed their six- and four-month terms, respectively. This graduation also applauded the inaugural class of L’Art du Gâteau.

Many of the recent graduates will relocate across the country, from New York to Las Vegas to California, while others will stay in Chicago to work in pastry kitchens in highly regarded establishments like Blackbird/avec restaurants under Pastry Chef Patrick Fahy, fellow alumnus. Some will go to new pastry hubs such as Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Cake Nouveau, owned by another fellow alumna, Courtney Clark. Several graduates, who have completed one certificate program, will enroll in the other and continue their education working toward a second certificate. 

 

Guest speaker at the ceremony, Chef Gina Hartwig, co-owner of Lovely: a Bake Shop and Bakin’ & Eggs, and also a graduate of the July 2006 class of L’Art de la Pâtisserie, addressed the students and attendees. From the perspective of a successful career changer, she told the story of building her businesses following her experience as a student and intern at The French Pastry School. Hartwig advised the graduates, many of whom also have dreams of one day creating their own businesses, to “overcome the unknown. If you wait until you think you know everything, you’ll never move forward. … Harness all that you have learned,” she said, “and take risks.”

 

The ceremony was followed by a grand buffet at the school, showcasing the graduates’ newly acquired skills. New sessions for both programs began on January 3, 2011.

Chicago's Susan Goss Celebrity Guest Chef at Lexington College 'Taste of Lexington' Event

Lexington College will host its Taste of Lexington event March 24, 2011 from 5 – 7pm at Chicago's West Loop campus. The evening’s event raises scholarship funds for the next generation of women leaders in the hospitality industry.

This year’s theme, "Passport to Hospitality" focuses on varied aspects of Lexington’s rich academic program and expertise in the art of hospitality. The College welcomes guests that include community leaders, hospitality industry professionals, educators, prospective students, and executives of hospitality related businesses in the Chicagoland area.

The event provides an opportunity to meet students, faculty and staff, tour the campus, and enjoy appetizers, and food and internship demonstrations by students. Learn about degree specializations in hospitality management and the personalized education that makes Lexington a singular institution.

Susan Goss, chef, Chicagoland restaurateur, and cookbook author will make a special guest appearance and sign her recent cookbook, entitled West Town Tavern: Contemporary Comfort Food.

For sponsorship opportunities, to register for the event, or for more information, please contact Megan Goggin at 312.226.6294 x228 or pr@lexingtoncollege.edu.

ACF Invites Students to Apply for 2011 Student Culinarian Invitational

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) has announced a new opportunity for all ACF student culinarian members. Students 18 years and older who are U.S. citizens are invited to apply for the Student Culinarian Invitational, a culinary event designed to foster mentorship and nurture culinary excellence, taking place during the 2011 ACF National Convention at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas, July 22-26, 2011.

Five teams, four two-person teams and their mentors representing each of the four ACF regions and one at large team, will be selected to prepare an appetizer and entrée or entrée and dessert that best represents their region at a special reception/dinner July 23, 2011. Winning teams will receive full registration and accommodations at the 2011 ACF National Convention. Students will also enjoy a private reception with ACF leaders and special guests. Winners who meet the age requirements mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) will also travel, with complimentary airfare, hotel and registration, to the 2012 WACS International Congress in Seoul, South Korea. 

Deadline to apply is May 13, 2011. Winners will be announced May 31, 2011. For complete guidelines and to download the application, visit www.acfchefs.org/StudentCulinarianInvitational.

TRA Education Foundation Sponsors High Stakes, High School Culinary Competition

On January 29 the Houston Regional Texas ProStart Invitational competition will take place at Westside High School. Twelve teams from the Houston area will demonstrate their mastery of the culinary arts as they compete for a chance to represent the state of Texas at the National ProStart Invitational. The Texas ProStart Invitational is hosted by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The Houston regional competition is supported by the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, a Texas Restaurant Association chapter.

  

Only students enrolled in high school culinary arts program utilizing the Texas ProStart program and curriculum are eligible to compete in the Invitational. This competition challenges students to demonstrate the essential skills for culinary success in the foodservice industry – from basics like chicken fabrication and knife skills to creating a three course menu, pricing the menu items, and preparing the dishes for judges in only 60 minutes.

 Judges evaluate creativity, plate presentation, taste, teamwork and professionalism. The teams are also graded on how closely they followed all safety and sanitation rules. The top three teams from the Houston regional competition will travel to Austin to compete in the state finals in March.

“These competitions are a wonderful way to showcase the extraordinary talent of our Texas culinary arts students,” said Cathy Cace, Johnny Cace’s Seafood & Steak House, Longview, and chair of the TRA Education Foundation. “The students and teachers work extremely hard to prepare for this competition and we are impressed each year by their commitment. It is a great experience for everyone involved.”

Schools participating in the January 29th regional competition include Alief Hastings High School, Carl Wunsche Senior High School, Cy-Fair Culinary Academy, Foster High School, James Earl Rudder High School, Jeff Davis High School, Lamar Consolidated High School, Lamar High School, Miller Career & Technology Center, Taylor Career & Technology Center and Westside High School.

The Texas ProStart Invitational competition is sponsored by: Auto-Chlor, Texas Beef Council, Texas Gas Service and US Foodservice. The Houston Regional Competition is sponsored by: US Foodservice of Houston, Martin Gourmet, Chili's, Hospitality Pro Search, Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Dr Pepper Snapple, A'La Carte Food Service Consulting Group, Sysco Corporation, Hangman Corporation, InsurTexas, Campioni, Texas Food Group, and McCormick.

For more information, visit www.ghra.com.

CIA Launches Course to Improve Food Quality in Healthcare Facilities

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has launched a first-of-its-kind course to raise the quality of food served at hospitals and other health care facilities nationwide. Foodservice Management in Health Care (MGMT 411) is an elective business management course for second-semester CIA seniors. It is believed no other college course of this nature is being offered at this time.

With the aging American population, people are spending more time in hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Foodservice plays an important role in both the health and quality of life of patients and residents. At the same time, managing budgets is also important. The new CIA course introduces students to the challenges of running a health care foodservice operation and prepares them for management positions in that field.

 CIA graduate Anthony Fischetti '78 (in baseball cap), executive chef at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, shows the kitchen of the Poughkeepsie, NY hospital to CIA students and instructor Lynne Eddy.

Foodservice Management in Health Care provides an overview of this type of culinary career, and covers topics ranging from kitchen operations, nutrition principles, and menu planning to procurement and purchasing, patient confidentiality, and even the effect of new health care reform laws. These subjects will be taught through in-class lectures; guest speakers, such as CEOs and foodservice directors of regional health care facilities; and visits to hospitals, including New York City's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

For one of the first class sessions, students visited Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY and received an orientation to the hospital's extensive foodservice operation. For the capstone project of this course, students will integrate what they learn with their previous three-plus years of CIA studies in both food and management to develop recommendations for improving health care foodservice. They will present their recommendations to the executive leadership of three Hudson Valley hospitals in March.

For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.

CIA launches "Grapes Make the Plate: Fresh Ideas for Modern Menus" online learning module

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has introduced "Grapes Make the Plate: Fresh Ideas for Modern Menus," a free online resource on the college's www.ciaprochef.com website illustrating the flavorful, healthful, and wide-ranging ways in which fresh California table grapes can create eye-candy color appeal and menu inspiration for chefs and the home cook alike.

Black Grape Sorbet with Goat Cheese Mousse and Honey Tuile

"Grapes Make the Plate: Fresh Ideas for Modern Menus" explores using California grapes in everything from soups and salads to main courses and desserts. Through online videos, chef-tested recipes, and information on the nutritional value of fresh grapes, the online learning module presents scores of new ideas exploring the grape's culinary potential, including underutilized techniques such as juicing, roasting, carbonizing, and frying grapes that create compelling textures and nuanced flavors.

The module is presented by Grapes from California and can be found at www.ciaprochef.com/grapes.

NRAEF launches fundraising for ProStart program

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) has launched a fundraising initiative for its ProStart program – a two-year, culinary arts and restaurant management education program for high school students – with the goal of raising $3 million in 2011. Donations will provide the essential funds needed to strengthen this unparalleled, industry-driven program, and establish a solid foundation upon which to grow the program significantly in the next five years from its current base of 90,000 students.

Fundraising efforts, under the leadership of Carlton Curtis, Vice Chair of the NRAEF Board of Trustees and an executive at The Coca-Cola Company, have made significant progress, with more than $1 million in donations secured to-date. Supporters across the industry, from operators and manufacturers to distributors and service providers, have made their commitments to ProStart for 2011.

“I encourage the industry to join us in supporting the ProStart program. It is a proven, high-impact program that has changed the lives of countless students and the industry at large,” said Doug Brooks, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, Brinker International, Inc. “No other program so effectively brings the restaurant industry and the classroom together to provide students and teachers with access to relevant, real-world educational opportunities.”

If you are interested in supporting the program, please contact the NRAEF at 800-765-2122 or visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.