Chefs prepare for test of a lifetime

Twelve chefs from across the country will convene in the kitchens at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Hyde Park, N.Y., Oct. 23 to 30 for the American Culinary Federation's (ACF) eight-day Certified Master Chef (CMC) exam.

The last CMC exam was held four years ago. There are currently 60 CMCs and 12 Certified Master Pastry Chefs (CMPC) in the United States. In order for chefs to apply for the CMC exam, they must show documentation that they are a Certified Executive Chef or Certified Culinary Educator, provide two letters or recommendation from current CMCs and meet rigorous education and experience requirements. The practical exam is administered in eight segments: healthy cooking, buffet catering, classical cuisine, freestyle cooking, global cuisine, baking and pastry, continental and northern Europe cuisines and market basket. Each category is graded in two parts: kitchen skills and presentation, and tasting. The minimum passing score for the entire exam is 75 points out of 100.

The 2010 CMC candidates are:

• Brian Beland, CEC, executive chef, Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Daniel Dumont, CEC, vice president of culinary/corporate chef, Ocean Properties Ltd. Hotels and Resorts, Portsmouth., N.H.; ACF Piscataqua Chapter
• Randall Emert, CEC, CCA, executive chef, Great Oaks Country Club, Rochester, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Jason Hall, CEC, executive chef, Hammock Dunes Club, Palm Coast, Fla.; ACF St. Augustine Chapter
• Shawn Hanlin, CEC, executive director, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Coos Bay, Ore.; ACF Bay Area Chefs Association of Oregon
• Shawn Loving, CEC, CCA, department chair/instructor, Schoolcraft College Culinary Arts Department, Livonia, Mich.; ACF Michigan Chefs de Cuisine Association
• Robert Mancuso, CEC, executive chef, The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Mass.; ACF Epicurean Club of Boston
• Jonathan Moosmiller, CEC, executive chef, Genesee Valley Club, Rochester, N.Y.; ACF Professional Chef/Cooks Association of Rochester
• Alan Neace Sr., CEC, AAC, culinary instructor, Midwest Culinary Institute, Cincinnati
• Richard Rosendale, CEC, executive chef, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs; ACF National Chapter
• Brian Sode, CEC, AAC, executive chef, The Bear's Club, Jupiter, Fla.; ACF National Chapter
• John Thompson, CEC, executive chef, Minneapolis Club, Minneapolis; ACF Minneapolis Chefs Chapter
  

For more information about the 2010 CMC exam, visit www.acfchefs.org/cmcexam. ACF will announce which chefs earned the CMC designation on its website Oct. 30.

CIA to open Singapore campus

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), in collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Temasek Polytechnic, has announced that it will begin offering its bachelor's degree program in culinary arts management in Singapore in January 2011.

The new degree program is available exclusively to graduates of polytechnic institutions who have earned their diplomas in hospitality and tourism management, leisure and resort management, or culinary and catering management, as well as to other hospitality, tourism, and culinary diploma program graduates. Temasek Polytechnic worked with the CIA to design a new 30,000-square-foot educational facility that includes three professional teaching kitchens. The new campus building will be completed in October.


The CIA has selected chef Eve Felder (pictured, above, courtesy of The CIA/Keith Ferris) to be the managing director for The CIA, Singapore. Chef Felder is a CIA graduate who has served the college over the past 16 years in various teaching and administrative capacities, most recently as associate dean of culinary arts. Prior to returning to the faculty of her alma mater in 1994, Felder was the chef at Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley, Calif., where she worked closely with chef Alice Waters.

For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.sg.

Gersten named Kendall College president

Kendall College in Chicago has named Dr. Karen Gersten, interim president since March, as its president. Gersten, who has been with Kendall for three years, formerly was provost of the college.

Prior to joining Kendall, Gersten spent more than 20 years at Roosevelt University in Chicago, most recently as associate provost for academic programs and distance learning. Gersten earned her Ed.D. in education from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, and her Master of Education and bachelors from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Click here to read Gersten's article about assessment in culinary education from the summer issue of Chef Educator Today.

The Chef's Academy expands to Morrisville, N.C.

The Chef's Academy, the culinary division of Harrison College in Indianapolis, has announced its new campus location in Morrisville, N.C. The academy is scheduled to open in August 2011.

Jayson M. Boyers, who was recently named regional president (read about it here), along with a team culinary specialists and college administrators selected the Triangle location from more than 20 cities across the country. The Triangle campus will be the first Chef's Academy outside its original market in Indianapolis. The Chef's Academy is currently undergoing the process of accreditation through the state of North Carolina.

For more information, visit www.thechefsacademy.com.

James named conti professor at Penn State School of Hospitality

The Penn State School of Hospitality Management (SHM) has named Everette James, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, as the conti professor of hospitality management in Penn State's College of Health and Human Development, starting in the spring semester of 2011.

As a top health regulator, James leads the state agency that regulates all of the commonwealth's hospitals, nursing homes and managed care plans; operates sixty state health centers; and carries out numerous disease prevention and control programs. He has led statewide efforts to improve nutrition environments in school cafeterias and vending machines. He also created the Active Schools program, which works with schools to engage children in daily physical activity.

Conti professors supplement Penn State SHM faculty with industry knowledge and expertise, serve as advisors to the director of the school and interact with students in educational forums. They visit the school to present guest lectures in hospitality management. For more information, visit www.hhdev.psu.edu/shm.

NRA seeking speakers for '11 Show and IWSB

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is calling on restaurant and hospitality industry experts to submit speaker proposals for the 2011 NRA Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB). The events will feature more than 80 education sessions on industry hot topics aimed at helping foodservice professionals grow their businesses.

Those interested can send proposals under five categories: jobs and careers, profitability and entrepreneurship, food and healthy living, sustainability and social responsibility and technology. Proposals are due before Dec. 1 and may be submitted online at www.restaurant.org/show or at www.winespiritsbeer.org.

NRA Show 2011 will take place May 21 to 24 at Chicago's McCormick Place. IWSB will be held in conjunction with the NRA Show May 22 to 23.

WCR seeks Educator of the Year nominations

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs is now accepting nominations for the annual Educator of the Year Award. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 28.

The award honors a woman whose dedication to teaching is making a difference to the culinary community. A committee of culinary professionals will evaluate all entries and select WCR's 2010 Educator of the Year, based on the career and accomplishments of each nominee. Recipients will be honored during the 2010 National Conference Women Who Inspire Awards Gala on Nov. 7 in Pasadena, Calif.

Click here to make a nomination.