The Culinary Trust announces scholarship program

The Culinary Trust, philanthropic partner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, will accept scholarship applications for formal culinary education and independent study and research now through March 1. There are 24 scholarships available with a value of nearly $150,000 for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Scholarship selection is based on merit, foodservice work experience, culinary goals, skills and references. The scholarships are valid from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. For more information about different funding opportunities for beginning and enrolled culinary students, and for professionals seeking continuing education opportunities, visit www.theculinarytrust.org.

FENI Summit 2010: There's still time to register

It's not too late to register; we'll bill you later

Register now for the FENI Summit, and we'll mail you or your school an invoice after the event. You can register today (click here), or by contacting Naurice Olivera (nolivera@talcott.com; 312-849-2220, ext. 46). Master Classes are filling up, so don't delay!

Unable to attend the whole FENI Summit progam? You can sign up just for Master Classes! Contact Naurice for more information.

SATURDAY P.M. MASTER CLASSES

• Regional Italian Pasta Techniques FULL!
• Innovation: The Key to New Ideas in R&D and Beyond
• Out of the Box: Customizing Baking Mixes
• Caribbean Street Foods FULL!
• Teaching Plate Presentation FULL!
• The Art & Skill of Fondant
• Chocolate Tempering and Chocolate Decorations
• Sugar Pulling and Blowing FULL!

SUNDAY A.M. MASTER CLASSES

• Food Styling and Photography, part 1
• Latin Evolution
• Motivating Teams
• Dining Room Service Techniques
• Mad Scientist: Avant Garde Cuisine Unveiled FULL!
• Cuisines/Ingredients Across Cultures
• Advanced Vegetarian Techniques
• Special Occasion Cakes
• Chocolate Showpieces
• Gum Paste Flowers
• Artisan Breads FULL!

SUNDAY P.M. MASTER CLASSES

• Food Styling and Photography, part 2
• Integrating Local Foods into Culinary Curricula
• Celiac: The Art and Science of Gluten-Free
• Mad Scientist: Avant Garde Cuisine Unveiled (repeat)
• The Flavors of Africa
• Explore Whole-Grain Baking with a Certified Master Baker
• The Future of Fusion
• Petits Fours
• Chocolate Tempering and Chocolate Candies FULL!
• Wedding Cake Piping and Decorating
• Designing Showpieces

The FENI Summit is almost here!

The Foodservice Educators Network International (FENI) is pleased to present the 12th Annual FENI Summit (www.fenisummit.com), bringing together the culinary industry's most innovative chefs, award-winning culinary educators and dynamic personalities. With cutting-edge and on-trend lectures, demos and hands-on Master Classes, the event is tailored to fit the needs of culinary educators, executive chefs, caterers, personal/private chefs, pastry chefs, confectioners, corporate trainers, restaurant operators, F&B directors and general managers. The FENI Summit will take place Feb. 12 to 15 at the Hotel Allegro and top culinary schools in Chicago.

"The FENI Summit has been the premiere event for professional culinary development for the past 12 years," said Daniel von Rabenau, executive director of FENI. "This year, we are excited to host the summit in Chicago, a city on the culinary map not only for its exceptional restaurant scene but also for its talented community of culinary schools that are preparing the chefs of tomorrow."

Two pillars of the foodservice industry will address FENI attendees on today's hot culinary topics. Notable Chicago chef Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter's restaurant will present "A Lesson in Leadership" Sunday, Feb. 14, at 8 a.m. at the Hotel Allegro. Chef Christopher Koetke, culinary arts authority and dean of top-ranked Kendall College, will speak on the future of culinary education Monday, Feb. 15, at 7:45 a.m. at the Hotel Allegro.

The FENI Summit is thrilled to welcome back world-renowned master chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt--past culinary dean of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.--to teach two cutting-edge Master Classes. Critically acclaimed instructors from Kendall College, The French Pastry School, Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Chicago, Washburne Culinary Institute, Lexington College and Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago will teach on trendy topics from classic international cuisines to molecular gastronomy. New to the summit this year is expanded programming for baking and pastry professionals.

By attending this year's FENI Summit, culinary instructors and foodservice professionals will have the opportunity to: gain tips for training culinary students, kitchen brigade and/or front-of-house staff; expand culinary repertoire with new food and ingredient trends, as well as earn continuing education credits (CEUs); develop new communication skills to motivate students and/or staff; train with leading culinary instructors, experts and foodservice industry notables; and network with peers and share strategies for success.

For complete summit information, visit www.fenisummit.com.

HCCC offers subscription dining program

The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Foundation has created a subscription dining series to raise scholarship funds for qualified students. The series of eight four-course luncheons will be available this spring for a $995 membership fee. The menus--which will include soup, appetizer, entrée and dessert for four people--will be planned and prepared by the executive chef and a team of culinary professionals who teach at HCCC's Culinary Arts Institute. Funds collected will go toward financing the education of qualified students at HCCC.

For more information on the HCCC Foundation Subscription Dining Series, click here for a PDF.

Florida Tomatoes kicks off 21st annual student chef contest

The Florida Tomato Committee is seeking entries for the 21st annual Fresh Florida Tomato Contest. Full- or part-time students enrolled in a professional culinary program in the U.S or Canada are invited to create an original recipe for an appetizer, salad, salad dressing, main dish, side dish, sandwich, sauce or baked good in which fresh field-grown tomatoes are the main ingredient.

Recipes will be prejudged by individual schools and judged on a national level based on taste, visual appeal, originality, ease of preparation and prominence of tomatoes in the dish. The student winner will receive $2,000 and the winning supervising instructor will win $250. Entries must be submitted no later than April 23. The winners will be announced on June 25. For more information or to download the contest kit, visit www.floridatomatoes.org/foodservice.

CIA to host Bocuse d'Or USA finals

On Feb. 5 and 6 the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) will host the American finals of the Bocuse d'Or competition at its main campus in Hyde Park, N.Y. The winner will represent the United States at the 2011 Bocuse d'Or International Culinary Competition taking place Jan. 25 and 26 in Lyon, France.

Five CIA graduates are among the 12 finalists selected by the Bocuse d'Or USA Foundation to participate in the competition: Luke Bergman, The Modern, New York City; Michael Clauss, Daily Planet, Burlington, Vt.; Mark Liberman, Roxy's, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Christopher Parsons, Catch Restaurant, Winchester, Mass.; and Percy Whatley, The Ahwahnee, Yosemite, Calif.

Admission to watch the competition is free. Following the competition, visitors may attend an awards dinner, which will host top culinary guests. For ticket information and reservations, visit www.bocusedorusa.org/events.html.

RAM Education Foundation names Dionot board member

Patrice Dionot, co-owner and administrative director of L'Academie de Cuisine, was appointed member of the board of the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation (RAMEF) for a two-year term. Dionot will help RMAEF in its goal to improve the hospitality industry workforce through promotion of the ProStart culinary and restaurant management program.

Dionot, the wife of L'Academie de Cuisine founder Francois Dionot, has been with L'Academie since its beginning and oversees both the professional and recreational cooking schools. She previously was chair of the culinary trust for the International Association of Culinary Professionals and has served on the boards of The Marriott Hospitality Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., Les Dames d’Escoffier and the national board of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs.