Sullivan University Wins Two Gold Medals at Music City Challenge Fall Culinary Competition

Two students at Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) won gold medals at the 2011 Music City Challenge, the American Culinary Federation-sponsored competition that took place September 27 and 28 in Nashville. 

Kelsee Newman and Kenna Nelson represented Sullivan University’s Baking and Pastry Arts program, presenting a display in petit fours and an Alice in Wonderland sculpture produced from fat. The students were evaluated by certified ACF judges Paul C. Jensen, II, CEC, CCA, AAC, Wolfgang Bierer, CMPC, CEC, CCE, AAC, and Roland E. Schaeffer, CEC, AAC, HOF.

“A gold medal is thrilling in its own right, but it's the caliber of judging behind it that makes it noteworthy,” said Nelson. “We are honored that the talented, experienced and award-winning team of judges were impressed by us! But we couldn't have done it without the chefs at Sullivan who invested in us during our preparation.”

(l. to r.) Nelson, Spendlove, Newman

“Participating in a competition like this involves so much stress and work, and time spent before and after class ... but it's all worth it to hear these amazing chefs who are judging your work say that it's worthy of a gold medal,” said Newman.

“The judges spoke very highly about Sullivan University and the education that our students are receiving,” said Baking and Pastry Arts chair Derek Spendlove, CEPC, AAC. “This is an exciting honor.”

The Culinary Institute of America to Launch Latin Cuisines Certificate Program at San Antonio Campus

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is pleased to announce the creation of a new culinary-certificate program focusing on Latin Cuisines. The two-semester (30-week) program will welcome its first class of students on January 24, 2012, at the college's campus in San Antonio, Texas. The advanced program is for CIA graduates and other industry professionals with culinary-arts degrees or certificates.

 Chef Sergio Remolina works with student Evan Martinez on the metate in the kitchen. As part of the CIA's new Latin Cuisines Certificate Program, students will have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of culinary techniques from Latin America and Mexico. Photo credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

The program provides a specialization in Latin American cuisines for those who already have a solid foundation in culinary arts from a previous associate degree, bachelor's degree or certificate in culinary arts. While the hands-on culinary classes will be unparalleled, the program is more than a “concentration” of classes on various Latin cuisines.

Students will learn from an expert team of faculty members that includes Elizabeth Johnson-Kosick and Iliana de le Vega, the CIA’s two full-time Latin-cuisines researchers based at the San Antonio campus. Kosick and de la Vega have spent years documenting and researching many of the traditional ingredients and techniques of Mexican and Latin American cooking through their extensive travels. The chefs will feature their knowledge in their course work, while the college also brings a wide array of special guest chefs to campus to teach, as well.

“Through this program, the CIA San Antonio will be a ‘Carnegie Hall’ of Latin cuisines,” says Dr. Tim Ryan, CMC, president of The Culinary Institute of America. “Visiting guest chefs will have a conservatory-style relationship with small groups of students, and teach them about the cuisines of countries such as Peru, Brazil and Mexico.”

In conjunction with the college’s expanded educational offerings, the CIA San Antonio will open a new pan-Latin full-service restaurant in early 2012 on the campus. Overlooking the San Antonio Riverwalk, the restaurant will serve as a classroom for CIA students, as well as a showcase for visiting Latin American chefs and a rare opportunity to experience the work of these chefs in the United States.

The Latin Cuisines Certificate Program joins the CIA’s Associate Degree in Culinary Arts Program already offered at the CIA San Antonio. Significant scholarships are available for both programs for students who qualify. To learn more, visit www.ciachef.edu/lccp.

Navajo Nation’s Only Culinary-Arts Program Takes First Step toward National Accreditation

As Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, N.M., has been taking leaps and bounds toward national acclamation, the NTC culinary-arts program has taken its first steps toward national accreditation.  

For three days, Navajo Tech welcomed chefs Robert Hudson, CEC, CCE; Keith Mandabach, CEC, AAC, Ed.D.; and Mark Cochran, CEC, CCA, CFBE, of the American Culinary Federation’s accrediting commission to review a self-study on the school’s culinary-arts program and to see if the school meets ACF’s standards for accreditation.  

The review included an examination of the college’s curriculum and staff, as well as a detailed inspection of the program’s educational facilities to determine if they are in line with industry standards.  

NTC culinary-arts student Melvina Jones poses next to her creations at the SkillsUSA National Conference in Kansas City, Mo.

After the three days of the initial evaluation, the commission provided an exit report that noted several of the school’s strengths, but also provided the Navajo Nation’s only culinary-arts program with a short list of compliance issues.

“For an initial process, it’s been very good,” said Hudson, who traveled to Navajo Tech from Colorado Springs to perform the evaluation. “I can see this program going further.”

Navajo Tech now has until mid-December to take the corrective measures to comply with the ACF commission’s requirements, in which it will have to address issues that involve student-to-faculty ratio, advisory-board expansion and creating a unified teacher manual that contains class outlines, notes and syllabi.

After Navajo Tech complies with each requirement, it must submit a report that addresses each correction, which will then be reviewed by the ACF’s national board in January. If the board approves of the report, Navajo Tech will receive either a three- or five-year accreditation so it can certify its students under the country’s most renowned culinary organization. If accredited, Navajo Tech would be the first Native American college to receive ACF certification.

Once the program receives its accreditation, NTC culinary-arts director Robert Witte, CEC, expects big things for one of the college’s most popular programs.

“Overall, this is going to improve the program by 300%,” said Witte. “We’re now going to be the model for all future Native American colleges who want to become accredited through the ACF.”

Mandabach was impressed with the direction the program is heading. “You guys have a really good program,” he said. “Your students have the desire, and if you have that, you’re 50% of the way there.”

The ACF is the culinary leader in offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation designed to enhance professional growth for all current and future chefs and pastry chefs. In addition, the ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States. For more information, please visit www.acfchefs.org.

Kendall College's Hedeker Joins Chicago Lights Urban Farm’s Board

Kendall College is pleased to announce that Heidi Hedeker, MA/MSW, CEPC, a baking & pastry instructor and assistant professor in the School of Culinary Arts, has joined the advisory board of Chicago Lights Urban Farm in Chicago. Hedeker, who has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago, has worked with Urban Farm since 2009 to develop and deliver educational programming for families in the Cabrini-Green neighborhood as well as students enrolled in nearby schools.

Hedeker

 

Chicago Lights Urban Farm empowers youth and residents in the neighborhood to have access to affordable, organic produce and nutrition education as well as increased economic opportunities through workforce training and microenterprise development. The farm helps families learn about healthy cooking, and provides programming for children and youth to learn about urban agriculture.

“Urban Farm represents a vibrant community effort that gives children and their families a true appreciation of where foods come from, as well as the positive effects of seasonal, fresh, naturally produced foods on growing bodies—and the environment,” Hedeker says. "This project has really validated the role of small metropolitan farms, and I am glad to be able to teach children how to value themselves and gain independence as they work to transform a city lot into their own corner grocery store."

Hedeker’s contribution to Urban Farm and its educational programs includes assistance from students enrolled in Kendall’s School of Culinary Arts’ Nutrition Club, who do nutritional analysis of the recipes. Hedeker teaches participants at the Farm about the use and benefits of organic, locally grown produce in cooking. Through her relationship with Urban Farm, she has also “adopted” Edward Jenner Elementary Academy of the Arts and ChicagoQuest, a new Chicago International Charter School, as part of the Chefs Move to Schools initiative and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!, a program focused on solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. Hedeker works with the schools’ teachers, parents, nutritionists and administrators to help educate children and show that nutrition can be fun.

“Chef Hedeker’s commitment to serving the community sets a powerful example for our students,” says Renee Zonka, RD, CEC, CHE, dean of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts. “Her engagement with Urban Farm furthers Kendall’s commitment to teaching responsible sustainability and sound nutrition principles. Her real-life application of melding both concepts assists Kendall College in generating socially and environmentally responsible professionals while contributing to the vibrancy of the community.”

For more information on Chicago Lights Urban Farm, its programs and volunteer opportunities, visit www.chicagolights.org. For more information on the Chefs Move to School initiative, visit www.letsmove.gov/chefs-move-schools.

Tilapia Shows Largest Consumption Gain in NFI Top 10 Seafood List

Americans ate 20% more tilapia in 2010 than they did in 2009, propelling it from the No. 5 spot to the No. 4 spot with the single largest gain in consumption on the National Fisheries Institute’s (NFI) latest Top Ten Seafood List.

Other impressive gains saw pangasius jump 14% to claim the No. 8 slot, up one from last year. And while cod remained at No. 7, it gained 11% over 2009.

The Top 10 White Fish Consumed in 2010 (pounds per capita)
1. Shrimp, 4.0
2. Canned Tuna, 2.7
3. Salmon, 1.999
4. Tilapia, 1.450
5. Alaska Pollock, 1.192
6. Catfish, 0.800
7. Crab, 0.573
8. Cod, 0.463
9. Pangasius, 0.405
10. Clams, 0.341

“If you look at the numbers from 2008, 2009 and now 2010, keeping in mind population growth, we’re hopeful that we’re beginning to see seafood consumption steadying, a trend that makes it poised for gains,” says NFI president John Connelly.

This year’s list contains some anomalies, including a National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) recalculation of 2009’s total pounds per capita that changed to 16 lbs from 15.8 lbs. There was also a slight reduction in clam consumption on the 2009 list.

The 2010 Alaska Pollock numbers appear to show a drop of 18% when compared to the 2009 list, but about half of that decline is actually due to a new export category that identified previously uncounted exports. The balance was due to a reduction in imports and a sharp increase in surimi exports. Also, pollock-fillet exports increased, reflecting the continued strong demand for pollock fillets in Europe, as it remains the most popular seafood item in Germany.

L’Academie de Cuisine Announces Professional Pastry Arts Program, Evening Session

L’Academie de Cuisine, Gaithersburg, Md., will offer an Evening Professional Pastry Arts Program beginning March 26, 2012. “Due to the success of the Evening Culinary Program and the wide demand for trained pastry arts graduates, L’Academie has launched an evening professional pastry-arts program that is based on LAC’s daytime program, a Washington, D.C., training ground for some of the area’s most highly acclaimed pastry chefs,” stated Chef Francois Dionot, founder and director of LAC. 

The Evening Pastry Arts Program is specifically intended for individuals who are passionate about making a career change and becoming a pastry chef, but must continue to work during the day. Classes will run three evenings during the week from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., for a total of 20 hours per week. The program includes lecture, demonstration and hands-on teaching techniques.

Classes are divided into three phases: Phase I (18 weeks) provides students with pastry fundamentals, building the theoretical foundation and technical skills necessary to become a successful pastry chef. Phase II (18 weeks) provides advanced kitchen training to enhance the students' overall understanding of the professional kitchen and encourage the development of a realistic attitude toward work in the pastry industry. Phases I and II run for nine months total with a one-week break in-between. For Phase III, students work a paid externship in a fine-dining restaurant, catering company, hotel or bakery. For more information, visit www.lacademie.com.

ACFEF Grants Accreditation to 53 Culinary Programs in United States, Philippines and Peru

Fifty-three culinary programs in 23 educational institutions across the United States and in the Philippines and Peru received programmatic accreditation by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) Accrediting Commission in July. 

Initial ACFEF programmatic accreditation was granted to 15 culinary programs and 38 accreditations for culinary programs were renewed. Upon renewal, 18 of the programs were recognized by the ACFEF Accrediting Commission as exemplary, symbolizing the highest in educational standards. The award is presented to programs that have proven consistent compliance with all ACFEFAC accreditation requirements in the last two site visit reports, along with excellent management of the program. 

“The Accrediting Commission evaluates faculty, curriculum, facilities, student services and administrative capability to ensure that the programs promote successful student outcomes,” says Rob Hudson, CEC, CCE, AAC, ACFEF Accrediting Commission chair. “We are proud to recognize these programs as ACFEF accredited.”  

To view the complete list of newly accredited and accreditation-renewal programs, visit http://www.acfchefs.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/About/Media/Releases/2011/pr110822f.htm.