Kraft Foodservice awards $10,000 in scholarships in the Future Chefs of GREY POUPON Student Culinary Competition at The Culinary Institute of America

Kraft Foodservice awarded $10,000 in scholarship money to four students at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Hyde Park during the Future Chefs of GREY POUPON Student Culinary Competition held at the culinary school’s campus on April 4.  Thitid Tassanakajohn received the first-place prize of a $5,000 scholarship for his recipe, Blossom Tempura Club Sandwich with Classic Dijon Mustard Emulsion, Grilled Pork Belly and Sliced Ribeye Steak. As the first-place winner, in addition to his $5,000 scholarship, Thitid also has the chance to be featured in a Kraft Foodservice trade advertisement.

Students were asked to take the concept of a traditional club sandwich to a new level and develop exciting and unique recipes. Additionally, each recipe had to highlight GREY POUPON Classic Dijon or GREY POUPON Country Dijon Mustard as the featured ingredient.

 

Thitid’s Blossom Tempura Club Sandwich recipe impressed the judges with its creative use of GREY POUPON in a mustard emulsion that worked well with both the grilled pork belly and ribeye steak on the sandwich.  Born in Bangkok, Thailand, Thitid’s culinary creations and aspirations are heavily influenced by his heritage. Armed with an M.B.A in hospitality management, Thitid wants to introduce a new level of Thai food to the world and eventually open his own fine dining Thai restaurant after attending the culinary college.

Recipes developed by the other student finalists who were also awarded scholarship prizes were these:  Seared Prosciutto Sandwich with Mustard Infused L’Orly Onion Rings, the second-place recipe by José Frayre for which he was awarded $3,000; Lobster Schnitzel and Arugula Club on Hazelnut Bread with Mascarpone Mustard Sauce, Tomato Baked Fontina Dip and Dijon Potato Salad, for which Brooke Maynard was awarded third place and $1,000; and GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard Pretzel Club, which earned Eric Hollandsworth fourth place and $1,000.

The judges for the competition were chef Phil Crispo, assistant professor in culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park; chef Michael Siry, culinary director of branded restaurants NYC; and Chef Ken Samuels, executive chef at Avon Pavilion.  Students were judged on taste and use of GREY POUPON, along with creativity and appearance.

Visit kraftfoodservice.com.

Sullivan University honors Lemaire Restaurant chef Walter Bundy

Sullivan University’s National Center for Hospitality Studies (NCHS) honored Richmond, Va. chef Walter Bundy of the Jefferson Hotel’s Lemaire Restaurant with the prestigious Distinguished Visiting Chef award on Thursday, May 19. As recipient of the award, chef Bundy performed a series of cooking demonstrations and question and answer sessions offered exclusively to Sullivan University students.

L - R: Sullivan University NCHS acting director David Dodd, Lemaire executive chef Walter Bundy (middle) and NCHS culinary arts department chair Allen Akmon (photo credit: Estes Public Relations)

Bundy’s farm-to-table philosophy stems from his childhood experiences on the family farm where his appreciation for garden-fresh ingredients and wild game was cultivated. During college, Bundy helped open The Blue Point Restaurant – well known for its use of fresh local ingredients - on the Outer Banks of NC and later accepted a position at Mark Miller’s Coyote Café in Santa Fe, NM. After completing a degree in culinary arts at the New England Culinary Institute, Bundy worked with renowned chef Thomas Keller at the legendary French Laundry. Bundy has been featured at the James Beard House in New York, the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Gala dinner in Virginia Beach, and Food Network’s Food Nation with Bobby Flay.

In 2001, he joined the Jefferson Hotel as the executive chef of Lemaire. His farm-to-table menu continues to showcase his commitment to creating upscale Southern cuisine and features produce from local purveyors and the hotel’s urban garden. Bundy’s urban garden is in its third season of providing ingredients for daily specials to the restaurant, furthering his vision of creating a fresh, sustainable menu. Under his culinary guidance, Lemaire was named one of the country’s “Best New Restaurants” in 2009 by Esquire magazine.
 
Visit www.sullivan.edu.
 

New egg safety educational videos now online

American Egg Board has recently added to its website four video clips that demonstrate the four phases of the Egg Safety Cycle: Inspect, Clean, Test and Time. These video clips highlight important points in handling eggs in the foodservice kitchen and are ideal for staff training.

Consult this link on American Egg Board’s website: http://www.aeb.org/foodservice-professionals/egg-safety or call 847-296-7043.

Sullivan University student Kara Schnaus wins Creekstone Farms burger competition at Taste of Derby

On Thursday, May 5 at the second annual Taste of Derby, three Sullivan University students participated in a burger competition sponsored by Creekstone Farms. Chef judges Bobby Flay, Kent Rathbun and Jo-Jo Doyle awarded Kara Schnaus the $5,000 scholarship prize for her Kara’s B-5 Burger. The original recipe featured Creekstone Farms Black Angus ground chuck seasoned with garlic and jalapeño, spicy mayonnaise, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese served on an onion poppy seed bun.

Celebrity chef judge Bobby Flay and Sullivan University student Kara Schnaus

The three contestants were given a pantry of items and 30 minutes during the Taste of Derby celebration to create their signature burgers. The winning recipe is available upon request.  

Visit www.sullivan.edu.

Lexington College appoints Dean Mary K. Hunt as its new president

Dean Mary K. Hunt has been appointed the 6th president of Lexington College by its Board of Directors. For the past three years Dean Hunt has served as academic dean of the College and prior to that was a management faculty member. She will assume her role as president in the summer of 2011.

Dean Mary K. Hunt

After fourteen years, president Susan Mangels will leave the presidency of Lexington College at the end of this academic year. Mangels will continue to support Lexington by serving as a trustee of the College.

Dr. Jolene Birmingham, Lexington mathematics and statistics faculty member will be the next academic dean of Lexington College. To this position, Dr. Birmingham brings extensive academic credentials, a passion for education and a resolved commitment to the excellence of Lexington College.

L’Academie de Cuisine graduate wins Oustanding Pastry Chef of the Year

Angela Pinkerton, an alumna of L’Academie de Cuisine (LAC) professional pastry arts program won Oustanding Pastry Chef of the Year at the James Beard Awards ceremony in New York City. "This talented young woman brings her creativity and dedication to her craft every day,” said Chef Francois Dionot, founder and director of L’Academie de Cuisine. 

Pinkerton graduated from LAC’s professional pastry arts program in 2006. Before she ever knew she wanted to be a pastry chef, Pinkerton majored in biology at Kent State. She began her career in pastry while in college decorating cakes at a local bakery. After graduating, she decided to become a pastry chef and enrolled in LAC’s pastry arts program.

From L’Academie, Pinkerton completed her externship in the pastry kitchen of The Ritz-Carlton in Arlington, Virginia before making the move to New York City where she eventually became executive pastry chef at Eleven Madison Park. At this four-star restaurant Angela collaborates closely with chef Daniel Humm to create desserts that are at once sophisticated, seasonal and delicious, perfectly complementing the restaurant’s modern French cuisine.
 
Visit www.lacademie.com.

Graduates of 'L'Art du Gâteau' at The French Pastry School complete intensive training program

A ceremony at the Union League Club of Chicago on Thursday, April 21, 2011 honored the graduates of L'Art du Gâteau – The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program of The French Pastry School of Kennedy-King College. Attendees included faculty, staff, school sponsors, industry chefs, friends, family, and newly capped alumni celebrating the conclusion of their 16-week program.

The graduating class of the January 2011 session of L'Art du Gâteau, The Professional Cake Decorating and Baking Program

Keynote speaker at the ceremony was chef Courtney Clark, owner of Ann Arbor, Michigan's Cake Nouveau, and a graduate of the July 2002 class of L'Art de la Pâtisserie program. She has competed in ten Food Network Challenges and has won five of them. She advised the graduates to "be open to new challenges; you never know what opportunity is just around the corner. Get all the experience you can," Clark advised, "and in the end, develop your own style."
 
The ceremony was followed by a reception at the school, showcasing the graduates' final projects: a wedding cake and a Sweet Sixteen-themed cake. New sessions for L'Art du Gâteau program will begin on August 29, 2011. Also beginning this year is the brand new L'Art de la Boulangerie course on May 31, 2011, followed by the summer L'Art de la Pâtisserie session starting July 5, 2011. More information may be found at www.frenchpastryschool.com.