CIA partners with institutions in Catalonia

The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has partnered with the Alícia Foundation and Prodeca, both based in Catalonia, Spain, to facilitate an exchange of culinary faculty, students and experts.

El Bulli chef Ferran Adrià (second from left), CIA president Tim Ryan (second from right) and Spanish chef José Andrés (far right), toasting with Catalonian officials

The agreement, signed March 25, will allow CIA faculty and students to study at the Alícia Foundation, a research center devoted to the technological innovation in cooking. Additionally, visiting CIA students and faculty will be able to experience first-hand the top kitchens, markets and producers of Catalan food and wine. The agreement also will fund a 2009-2010 program series of visiting guest chefs and other leaders in Catalan gastronomy at the New York and California campuses of the CIA. For more information, visit www.worldsofflavorspain.com.

(Photo courtesy of the CIA/Keith Ferris)

University of Gastronomic Sciences to hold information session

On April 22 Italy’s University of Gastronomic Sciences will hold an information session at Bethesda Green in Bethesda, Md., for prospective students interested in learning more about the school’s programs and application procedures. Staff and alumni will be available to explain the university's educational philosophy, present the undergraduate and graduate degrees and discuss internships and work opportunities. The session is open to all students, professionals and members of the public.

Co-founded in 2003 by the international nonprofit Slow Food Movement and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, the school's approach is to create a new understanding of gastronomy, linking eating and producing. For more information, visit www.unisg.com.

UC students take first in RCA Student Culinology Competition

A student team from the University of Cincinnati took first place in the Research Chefs Association's (RCA) third annual Student Culinology Competition, held March 7 during the RCA Annual Conference & Culinology Expo at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.

The UC students received a $5,000 cash award for their Texas Prairie Duo meal, which was made up of braised chuck flat beef strips in a sweet, tangy sauce accompanied by a medley of fire-roasted vegetables. The UC team was led by faculty adviser Christopher Keegan, CEC, senior research chef at Cargill Flavor Systems; and team leader Christian A. Serrato, CC. Team members included Robert Coltrane, CC, John Parsons, CC, and Andrew Scholle, CC.

A student team from Johnson & Wales University, in Providence, R.I., took second; and Louisiana State University placed third. For more information, visit www.culinology.com

Breaking news: FENI Summit 2010 in Chicago!

The 12th Annual FENI Summit will be held in Chicago Feb. 13 to 15, 2010. Make plans to attend and obtain more information by visiting www.fenisummit.com! FENI is produced by Chef Educator Today magazine and Talcott Publications, in cooperation with leading culinary institutions.

A primer on cutting onions

Onions are a mainstay in many recipes for the layers of flavor and texture they impart. Thus, the Greeley, Colo.-based National Onion Association has developed steps on how best to cut an onion and how to reduce tearing. The step-by-step sheet shows how to dice onions or how to cut onions wedges or rings. For more information or to receive a copy, visit www.onions-usa.org or send an e-mail to kreddin@onions-usa.org.

How much do you know about sustainability?

The National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF) has launched the Conserve Scholarship, which tests students pursuing careers in the foodservice industry on their knowledge of environmental sustainability.

Participating college students can register with the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation and take online multiple choice quizzes on sustainability drawn from information found on the NRA's Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability Web site. The quiz is open through April 26, and 10 $500 scholarships will be awarded to the students with the highest scores.

For more information, visit conserve.restaurant.org.

Foodservice industry sees a surge amid tough times

Amid continued layoffs and budget cuts, more and more people are seeking careers in the food industry, according to a Monday story on MSNBC's Web site. The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) saw 20,000 inquiries for enrollment last year, up more than 12 percent from the previous year.

Culinary Institute of America students
(photo courtesy of Anne Rettig/CIA)

Additionally, the restaurant industry alone is expected to add 1.8 million positions over the next 10 years, boosting the industry’s workforce by 14 percent to 14.8 million people in 2019. Still, the 2008 jobless rate among food preparation and related occupations was 9.5 percent (compared to last year's overall national unemployment rate of 5.8 percent), so additional competition in the industry may force aspiring cooks and chefs to seek jobs outside of restaurant kitchens.

Luckily, the opportunities abound, from personal chef positions in people’s homes, to cooking behind-the-scenes at supermarkets, which are offering more prepared food for time-crunched consumers, says Irena Chalmers in the article. Irena Chalmers says in the article. Chalmers, a CET and Chef Magazine columnist, is also the author of Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers. Non-cooking jobs include nutritional expert jobs and food safety jobs, Chalmers adds.

To read the story in its entirety, click here; to see the video, click here.