CIA podcast features leader in fine Italian cuisine

Scott Conant, a top name among chefs of Italian cuisine in New York City, talks about his career in the newest "Insight from the Inside" podcast from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). "Insight from the Inside" is a series of chats with CIA graduates who have exciting jobs in the food world.

During the 11-minute podcast, the 1992 CIA graduate shares highlights of his professional life, from the mentors who guided his career to earning a James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant in America with L'Impero in 2003. Chef Conant is now the owner of Scarpetta in New York City and Miami Beach, Fla., and the author of two cookbooks, New Italian Cooking and Bold Italian.

What stands out in Conant's memory about his days at the CIA was the professional approach among his classmates and realizing he wasn't the only 18-year-old passionate about food. "There was such a passion that every student had. I always had it, but here it was par for the course," Conant recalled. "Every discussion was about food. Everything was about how to get yourself better; focusing on technique; how to be a professional chef."

Conant recorded the podcast while on campus to judge student presentations from the Marketing and Promoting Food course in the CIA's bachelor's degree program.

To hear the interview with Conant or receive future podcasts, visit www.ciachef.edu/podcasts.

Chalmers' Food Jobs named world's best at Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

At the 2009 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers, by Irena Chalmers, was named the Best Book in the World for Food Professionals out of competing books from 17 countries.

In her book, Chalmers, a friend of FENI and a Chef Educator Today and Chef Magazine columnist, Culinary Institute of America instructor and foodservice industry expert, profiles a range of food sector jobs available aside from that of restaurant chef including food photographer, bed and breakfast owner, specialty food retailer, nutritionist, kitchen designer and food writer, to name a few.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were held July 1 at La Comédie-Française in Paris, next to Louvre. The United States, United Kingdom, Spain and France took home the highest number of awards this year. For more information, visit www.cookbookfair.com.

A day in the life of a Le Cordon Bleu student

(l to r) Erwin Chuk with Le Cordon Bleu chef-instructor Russell Ferguson at Technique, the school's teaching restaurant (photo by Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)

An article in the July 8 edition of The Boston Globe profiles Erwin Chuk, a student-chef enrolled in Boston's Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts program.

Chuk, 37, left his job as a Web designer to pursue his dream of one day owning his own café. In preparation for his future career, Chuk hones his skills in Le Cordon Bleu Boston's one-year-old teaching restaurant--the aptly named Technique--and at Clio restaurant, where he has recently begun an externship.

To read the full article, click here.

Francois Dionot awarded title of Conseil d'Honneur by La Chaine des Rotisseurs

La Chaine des Rotisseurs of Greater Washington, D.C., hosted the organization's Mid-Atlantic Assemblage on May 30, 2009. The festivities began with the multi-Bailliage Grand Induction and black-tie dinner at the elegant Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. An induction ceremony was hosted by Bailli provincial Georges Muller, who presented the title of Conseil d' Honneur to vice conseiller culinaire Francois Dionot for his many years of outstanding contribution to the Chaine.

Chef Dionot is the founder and director of L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Md., and Bethesda, Md. He has taught a generation of chefs throughout the United States. His wife Patrice, son Christophe and his daughter Clarice were all there to see him receive the award.

The Conseil d’Honneur is a program of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs des Etats-Unis designed to recognize those former national and regional officers who have made significant contributions to the society and served with distinction, despite no longer holding active offices. The Conseil d’Honneur was created on June 7, 2003 during the National Council Meeting of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs des Etats-Unis in Philadelphia.

January 2009 graduates of The French Pastry School

Graduates of L’Art de la Pâtisserie, the 24-week Professional Pastry and Baking program at The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago celebrated with their chef-instructors, friends, family and fellow pastry trainees on June 19th at The Union League Club of Chicago. Students, faculty and staff of The French Pastry School were honored to have guest speakers, Camilla Nielsen, former president of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, and Dr. Wayne Watson, chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago speak at the ceremony. Following the ceremony, students, staff and guests proceeded to The French Pastry School, where all partook in the pastry creations representing a culmination of the students’ six months of intensive training.

“We’re always impressed by what our students can accomplish in just six months,” said The French Pastry School co-owner/co-founder and chef Jacquy Pfeiffer in a recent press release, “and it’s really gratifying to see how surprised they are themselves at what they’re able to do every day.”

Many of the recent graduates, most of whom are new to the pastry industry, will stay in Chicago to work in high-end restaurants and pastry kitchens, while others will travel across the United States. Some establishments employing The French Pastry School’s new alumni include: the leading hotels of the world, such as the The Ritz-Carlton, The Peninsula and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; the best restaurants like Charlie Trotter's, and The French Laundry; and high-end bakeries such as Payard in New York, and Jean Philippe Pâtisserie in Las Vegas.

July issue of Culinary Nutrition News now available

Do you know the difference between insoluble and soluble fiber? Are you getting the recommended amount of daily fiber, or teaching students to cook high-fiber dishes? The American Culinary Federation (ACF) Chef & Child Foundation and Clemson University address these and other topics in the July Culinary Nutrition News article "Fiber-Rich Foods" (available to download here.)

This month’s article is in an easy-to-read format complete with a list of high-fiber foods, resources and tips on ways to increase fiber in dishes.

Written by experts, the monthly Culinary Nutrition News articles help bridge the nutrition gap for chefs and chef-educators by providing up-to-date research information. Articles are free and posted on ACF’s Web site the first Monday of each month.

Art Institute of Tampa creates Cirque du Soleil cake

The Culinary Institute of The Art Institute of Tampa joined Cirque du Soleil's celebration of its 5,000th performance of Saltimbanco, according to an article in the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Chef Ricardo Castro, culinary department director, and chef Les Eckert, a faculty member in the department, supervised the creation of the Saltimbanco cake, which was made by students Sandra Caraballo, Nicole Wong, Mario Torres, Maria Liliana Vanegas and Giovanna Smith.

Students from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Tampa wheel out the cake.
(photo credit: Kathleen Cabble/Tampa Bay Business Journal)