New Leadership Announcements from Pearl and The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio as Site Continues to Grow as Culinary Destination

Grieshaber to join Pearl as Director of Culinary Operations; Kellaway joins The Culinary Institute of America as Managing Director

San Antonio, TX, February 18, 2010 – In a move that reflects its growing presence as a food destination, Pearl has named Shelley Grieshaber to the newly created position of director of culinary operations. Grieshaber was formerly the director of education at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), San Antonio, one of the anchors of the Pearl Brewery redevelopment project. Concurrently, the CIA has announced that David Kellaway, a Texas native and Certified Master Chef, will assume the role of managing director for the college's third campus.

Grieshaber begins her new role immediately but will also continue to work closely with the culinary college until Kellaway officially begins his new job on March 4.

A San Antonio native, Grieshaber was a 1994 honors graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and worked as a chef and restaurant owner in New York before returning to Texas to work for Central Market, managing its five cooking schools statewide. In 2005 she was recruited by Silver Ventures, owners of the Pearl Brewery, to open the Center for Foods of the Americas, a culinary school developed in collaboration with the CIA. The school became the third CIA campus in 2008.

"We are excited about what our partnership with the CIA has meant to the development of Pearl as a culinary gathering place, and we know that impact will grow as a result of the expansion of the school," said Pearl Managing Director Darryl Byrd. "And now, bringing someone of Shelley's caliber on board at Pearl to focus on all the culinary aspects speaks to Pearl's purpose, which is fundamentally about great food, along with other complementary elements. It also speaks to our commitment to culinary excellence and to creating extraordinary food experiences here."

Under Grieshaber's leadership, the CIA, San Antonio has grown its Culinary Arts Certificate Program and introduced professional development courses and conferences, as well as programs for non-professional cooking enthusiasts. A significant expansion of the school is underway, which—when completed this fall—will enlarge the current 5,000-square-foot facility to 30,000 square feet, allowing the CIA to double the size of its Culinary Arts Certificate Program while making room for new programs in the future.

The addition of Chef Kellaway to the CIA, San Antonio as managing director will bring his culinary expertise and innovative thinking to the San Antonio foodservice community. In addition to having taught at the CIA's flagship campus in Hyde Park, NY, he has spent the last 15 years as executive chef and director of culinary operations for some of Las Vegas's finest destinations.

"After revolutionizing dining at resorts ranging from the Mirage to the Mandalay Bay, David Kellaway will have a profound impact on the CIA's growing San Antonio campus and its contributions to the culinary scene," said Dr. Tim Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America. "We are delighted to see how the Pearl site has developed since the founding of our branch campus, and we know that Chef Kellaway will ensure that the CIA continues to support the growth of San Antonio as an exciting, national culinary destination."

Pearl is already known for its year-round weekly Pearl Farmers Market and for restaurants including 1996 CIA graduate and James Beard Award-nominated Chef Andrew Weissman's Italian osteria, il Sogno, and his Sandbar Fish House and Market, as well as Chef Brian Montgomery's Texas Farm-to-Table Café. Pearl also boasts a Latin American kitchen store owned by Melissa Guerra, a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author and PBS Television cooking show host. Under construction alongside Pearl's San Antonio River Walk frontage is a new restaurant, La Gloria, which will feature regional street foods of Mexico, from 1989 CIA graduate Johnny Hernandez.

"Shelley is stepping into the critical role of nurturing and developing these existing elements, so we are constantly elevating the food experience," Byrd said. "She will also be involved in the next phase of planning at Pearl, identifying opportunities and developing powerful relationships with food-related partners such as what we have already done with the CIA to add to what we have here," Byrd said. Grieshaber will work to bring new restaurants, bars and coffeehouses to the mix at Pearl, as well as other culinary partners and food-focused events. She also plans to explore a mobile food truck program and how that could contribute to the kind of authentic street food culture that has thrived in cities including Portland, San Francisco and Austin.

Photo caption: David Kellaway, Certified Master Chef, has been announced as the new Managing Director for the CIA, San Antonio. Kellaway will oversee the CIA's new 30,000 sq. ft. expansion to the existing campus, pictured above, which will open in October 2010.

Photo credit: Sprinkle & Company

Contacts:
Mary Uhlig
Dublin & Associates
210-227-0221 x223
muhlig@dublinandassociates.com

Stephan Hengst
The Culinary Institute of America
845-905-4288
s_hengst@culinary.edu

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Class of 2010 to be Inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

St. Helena, CA, February 17, 2010 – The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) will honor the 2010 Vintners Hall of Fame inductees on March 13, 2010 with a daylong Celebration of California Wine & Food, culminating in the Vintners Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The ceremony will be preceded by a 6 p.m. reception featuring wines representing the 2007, 2008 and 2009 inductees. The 2010 class to be inducted includes longtime Napa Valley grower Andy Beckstoffer; Al Brounstein, founder of Diamond Creek Vineyard; Randall Grahm, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard; veteran winemaker Zelma Long; and Leon Adams, a founder of the Wine Institute.

The evening celebration continues with a walk-around dinner in the school's Teaching Kitchen with celebrity chefs and wine makers including Michael Chiarello, Todd Humphries, Christopher Kostow, Anne Gingrass-Paik, and Sarah Scott. Guests will dance the night away to the sounds of Jeffrey Campbell & Megan Slankard while enjoying desserts created by renowned pastry chefs, including Emily Luchetti of Farallon in San Francisco.

Guests joining this year's Celebration will have the opportunity to attend a morning Wine & Food Salon at the CIA at Greystone followed by a wine-country lunch, tour and tasting at a prestigious Napa Valley winery. There are a limited number of seats available for Creating Flavor: The Art of Food & Wine Pairing featuring wine expert and Chair of the CIA's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies, Karen MacNeil, and CIA Chef Bill Briwa. Wine writer and chair of the VHF Electoral College, Blake Gray, will join David Breitstein for the morning's other Wine & Food Salon, Big, Bold, and Beautiful: Tasting Historic Magnums from the California Collection of David and Judy Breitstein.

Proceeds from the Vintners Celebration of California Wine & Food will provide scholarships for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the CIA at Greystone.

The cost of the evening reception, induction ceremony and walk-around dinner is $250 ($150 tax-deductible). Each $250 ticket includes the opportunity to purchase a Wine & Food Salon seat and a tour, tasting and lunch at a Napa Valley winery for an additional $150 ($75 tax-deductible).

For more information on the 2010 Vintners Hall of Fame Induction celebration, please contact Reuben Katz, 707-967-2305 or r_katz@culinary.edu.

The Vintners Hall of Fame at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (subject to change). For more information on the Vintners Hall of Fame and to view the list of 2007, 2008 & 2009 inductees with their photos and biographies, please visit www.ciavintnershalloffame.com.

Photo captions:
Vintners Hall of Fame plaque for Robert Mondavi.

A History of California Wine: The David and Judy Breitstein Collection in the CIA's Vintners Hall of Fame.

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA.

Photo credits:
CIA/David Wakely

CIA/David Wakely

CIA/Terrence McCarthy

Contact:
Cate Conniff
Marketing Manager
707-967-2303
c_connif@culinary.edu

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A Decade of Delicious Desserts at the CIA's Apple Pie Bakery Café

Leading the Casual Dining Trend for Ten Years

Hyde Park, NY, February 10, 2010 – Ten years ago The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) recognized the trend of café cuisine by opening the college's popular Apple Pie Bakery Café on its Hyde Park, NY campus.

"We saw that restaurant consumers wanted more quality and value when considering their dining options," says Mark Erickson, Vice President – Dean of Culinary Education at the CIA. "The café cuisine concept appeals to busy lifestyles by allowing guests to enjoy high quality food in a casual setting."

The Apple Pie Bakery Café is also a classroom for CIA students majoring in baking and pastry arts. As a capstone course for an associate degree, the bakery café gives students both front- and back-of-the-house experience producing and selling products in a real retail setting.

"When we created the café cuisine menu for the Apple Pie Bakery Café, we wanted to insure that students had an opportunity to apply the first two years of their CIA education in a practical manner," says Thomas Vaccaro, CIA senior director for baking and pastry education.

Over the years the CIA's Apple Pie Bakery Café has earned many accolades, including the coveted Ivy Award from Restaurants & Institutions magazine; the American Culinary Federation's Achievement of Excellence Award; and Best Desserts and Best Lunch Spot in Hudson Valley magazine's Best Of The Hudson Valley awards.

Students in the bakery study under Chef Francisco Migoya, who came to the CIA from the famous French Laundry, where he was executive pastry chef. Migoya is the author of the newly published The Modern Café (John Wiley & Sons, 2010). Released to coincide with the café's anniversary, the book is filled with recipes and photographs of many Apple Pie Bakery Café popular items. It is the only book to address every aspect of managing a casual, upscale café.

Come in and help celebrate the Apple Pie Bakery Café's anniversary and enjoy delicious creations made by Chef Migoya and his students. For instance, the Apple Pie Bakery Café 10th Anniversary Cake is filled with a chocolate-hazelnut spread and house made preserved orange mousse. It serves six people for $29.95. Buy the cake in the bakery or pre-order 72 hours in advance by calling 845-905-4500.

The café is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and offers hot breakfast items; a savory lunch menu of sandwiches, soups, and salads; and specialty cakes, desserts, and breads for dining in or takeout.

Photo Caption: The CIA's Apple Pie Bakery Café located on the college's Hyde Park, NY campus opened 10 years ago this month.

Photo credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Virginia Muré
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America's St. Andrew's Café Becomes Two-Star Certified Green Restaurant

Hyde Park, NY, February 8, 2010 – The Green Restaurant Association in late December announced that St. Andrew's Café on The Culinary Institute of America's (CIA) Hyde Park Campus has become a Two-Star Certified Green Restaurant®. The restaurant earned the certification through efforts to be environmentally conscious in all areas of operations, including food sourcing and purchasing, energy usage, waste disposal, and water usage.

"The CIA is an advocate of implementing green policies throughout the entire college," says Lou Jones, CIA associate dean for culinary fundamentals and assessment. "We are pleased to be recognized for our efforts to date and promise to continue to work to be good stewards of our environment."

The college has been a longtime leader in green initiatives. Students in the CIA's 41 kitchens and bakeshops have been composting food waste and recycling for more than two decades. Through the college's farm liaison, the CIA spends more than $500,000 a year on produce, dairy, meat, and eggs from two dozen local farms. And, the new residence halls have been recognized by New York State for their energy reduction measures, including use of geothermal heat pumps.

St. Andrew's Café is in the midst of a year-long process of transitioning into a sustainable restaurant. As part of this process, the dining room will also receive an eco-conscious makeover. Currently in the design phase, the new front-of-the-house for St. Andrew's will feature low VOC paints and furniture created from recycled or sustainable natural resources, as well as a number of modifications throughout the dining room to improve energy usage. The dining room is expected to be unveiled in August 2010.

St. Andrew's, which is also a classroom for students pursuing bachelor's and associate degrees in culinary arts, focuses on the principles and preparation of wholesome, nutritionally balanced meals using traditional foods and ingredients sourced locally. While serving the public, students in the class learn the importance of supporting local and regional farms and food producers in relation to food production sustainability.

Founded in 1990, the Green Restaurant Association develops guidelines and certification standards in support of its mission—to create an environmentally sustainable restaurant industry. For more information on the Green Restaurant Association, visit www.DineGreen.com.

Photo captions:
Giovanni Agnitti, Corey Bourassa, & Corey Siegal making pickled vegetables.

Valerie Villegas making mushroom and goat cheese ravioli from local ingredients.

Photo credits: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Virginia Muré
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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Sixth Annual Worlds of Healthy Flavors Leadership Retreat at the CIA at Greystone

Leading Nutrition Scientists, World Culinary Experts, and Corporate Chefs Gathered to Consider Next Generation of Healthy Menu R&D Strategies

St. Helena, CA, February 4, 2010 – Several dozen of the country's leading nutrition researchers, top culinary talent, and high-level decision-makers in the high-volume foodservice sector gathered at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone from January 20–23, 2010 for Worlds of Healthy Flavors, an annual event co-presented by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). The by-invitation-only leadership gathering—the premier annual event of its kind in the United States—each January brings together a prestigious group of America's most influential nutrition scientists from Harvard, Johns Hopkins University, Penn State, Kaiser Permanente, and other top nutrition research institutions; cuisine experts representing Mediterranean, Latin, Asian and other world culinary traditions; and more than 45 top corporate chefs and menu decision-makers representing leading chain restaurants, campus dining, supermarket foodservice, and the military.

With Americans facing an epidemic of obesity, diet-linked adverse health conditions, and chronic diseases, and consumers spending nearly 50 percent of their food dollars outside the home, the CIA-HSPH Worlds of Healthy Flavors leadership program positions participating corporate chefs to positively impact how tens of millions of Americans eat every week.

"The American restaurant industry is actively seeking to expand healthy menu choices for its customers, while still delivering a memorable dining experience," commented Greg Drescher, executive director of strategic initiatives for The Culinary Institute of America. "This CIA-Harvard program has consistently helped volume foodservice leaders stay ahead of developments in nutrition research and leverage menu strategies that avoid the pitfalls of poorly conceived 'healthy' food choices."

The top nutrition issues covered at the 2010 event included:

• caloric intake and the need to offer consumers a greater variety of lower calorie, smaller portion options;
• carbohydrate quality and the need to move Americans from highly refined sources of carbohydrate (e.g., white bread) to less processed forms of carbohydrate (e.g., whole grain bread);
• sugar-sweetened beverages and the need to reduce intake of highly sweetened beverages in favor of beverages that contain one gram or fewer of sugar per ounce;
• fat quality and the need to move away from low-fat products and ensure that fats and oils used in American foodservice operations are predominantly from unsaturated sources; and
• sodium and the need to decrease sodium consumption in this country.

Given the upcoming release of two National Academies Institute of Medicine reports tied to hypertension control and national strategies for decreasing sodium use, both corporate chefs and foodservice industry suppliers in attendance reported that sodium reduction has become a high priority in their organizations, and that in many cases they are making excellent progress in overcoming various taste and technical hurdles in achieving these reductions.

At the end of the retreat, Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health provided a series of recommendations for foodservice operators, including:

1. Eliminate all sources of artificial trans fat.
2. Incorporate more sources of marine-based omega-3 fatty acids from fish. (While there is benefit from plant-based omega-3 fatty acids from flax, walnuts, canola oil, and other sources, the data supporting the benefits of marine sources of omega-3s is much stronger.)
3. Reduce calories by reducing the amount of refined starch or sugar as opposed to reducing sources of healthy fats and oils. The percentage of calories from fat is not important, but the source of fat is very important. Focus on using liquid plant oils as opposed to hard fats.
4. Create more options for healthful desserts by using whole grains, nuts, fruit (whole, cut or dried), chocolate (preferably dark chocolate), plant oils, and alcohol (where appropriate). Fat-free desserts like sorbet are among the worst options due to their metabolic consequences.

To learn more about Worlds of Healthy Flavors, visit www.ciaprochef.com/wohf.

For interviews with nutrition experts, CIA culinary talent and leadership, and foodservice operators associated with Worlds of Healthy Flavors to learn how they are incorporating nutritional strategies into their businesses—as well as recipes from Worlds of Healthy Flavors—please contact Cate Conniff at 707-967-2303 or c_connif@culinary.edu.

Photo captions:
Guest Chef James Sanchez.

CIA's Executive Director for Strategic Initiatives Greg Drescher.

Dr. Walter Willet of Harvard School of Public Health.

Photo credit: CIA/Kristen Lokey

Contact:
Cate Conniff
Marketing Manager
707-967-2303
c_connif@culinary.edu

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CIA Apple Pie Bakery Café Offers Special Valentine's Day Treats

Freshly Prepared Chocolates and Confections Available for Purchase

Hyde Park, NY, February 3, 2010 – Valentine's Day in the Hudson Valley will be even sweeter when it features freshly made chocolates and confections from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). In addition to its usual selection of pastries, individual desserts, and breads, the college's Apple Pie Bakery Café is presenting a special line of sweets for the holiday.

"What better way to say 'I love you' than to give someone a unique box of chocolates or truffles prepared by CIA students," says Denise Mazzie, assistant professor in café operations in the Apple Pie Bakery Café.

A nine-piece chocolate box containing one of each of the following flavors—raspberries and cream, mint julep, passion fruit toffee, coconut lime, salted caramel, hazelnut latte, honey almond marzipan, elderflower, and port wine—is available for $19.95.

A box of 10 truffles—two each of crispy hazelnut gianduja, salted caramel, yuzu-vanilla, Poire Willnam, and classic ganache flavors—is also ready for you to give to someone special. Or select a box of four bright red chocolate lips filled with Champagne ganache. Each box is priced at $9.95.

For something fun and out of the ordinary, consider gifting "Be Still My Beating Heart," a 2 1/2-inch chocolate heart bonbon filled with caramelized bacon and maple sugar ganache for $8.95.

Satisfy everyone's sweet tooth with the CIA Apple Pie Bakery Café's Strawberry Cotton Candy, chocolate heart lollipops with popping candy, and a box of four bright red chocolate lips filled with Champagne ganache.

All items are available after February 1, 2010. To receive your treats in time for Valentine's Day, you must place your order by Tuesday, February 9, 2010, either in person at the café or by calling 845-905-4500. Orders may be picked up until Friday, February 12, 2010 at the Apple Pie Bakery Café.

In addition to the holiday specials, the Apple Pie Bakery Café has introduced a new line of frozen desserts—including coconut sorbet and real mint chocolate chip ice cream—made without flavoring or food coloring.

The café is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The casual café, which doubles as a classroom for students pursuing CIA degrees in baking and pastry arts, also offers hot breakfast items; a savory lunch menu of sandwiches, soups, and salads; and specialty cakes, desserts, and breads for dining in or takeout.

Photo caption: Assorted box of chocolates.

Photo credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Virginia Muré
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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"Other" CIA Comes to Phoenix to Recruit: The Culinary Institute of America Seeks Career Changers Eager to Become Chefs – Not Spies

February 20 Event Offers $5,845 Grants for Students Who Enroll this Spring

Hyde Park, NY, February 2, 2010 – It's no secret that with 13 million people working in foodservice, the industry is one of the largest private-sector employers in the United States, and—according to the National Restaurant Association—is expected to add another 1.8 million jobs over the next decade. Anyone considering a career change to become a chef, baker, or other foodservice industry leader should attend The Culinary Institute of America's upcoming Admissions reception in Phoenix.

Despite the current economy, foodservice continues to be a major growth industry, and interest in culinary careers is rising among both career changers and "traditional" college students. About 12% of the CIA student body has changed careers. Food Jobs, a 2009 World Cookbook Award-winning book by CIA instructor Irena Chalmers, describes 150 career options in various segments of the foodservice industry. Graduates of the CIA hold prestigious positions in a variety of careers. In addition to being top chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers, CIA alumni are leaders in catering, research and development, education, food styling, food journalism, and many other food-related fields.

Ms. Chalmers will be a featured presenter at the reception at the Arizona Biltmore, 2400 East Missouri Ave., on Saturday, February 20 at 10 a.m. Aspiring culinarians will also have the opportunity to learn about the college's range of degree programs, educational benefits, and additional scholarship opportunities. The reception is hosted by CIA alumnus Todd Sicolo '88, executive chef at the Arizona Biltmore.

Students who begin their CIA studies toward either a bachelor's or associate degree in culinary arts or baking and pastry arts during the spring 2010 entry dates will receive a grant covering one-quarter of freshman-year tuition—a $5,845 value!

To learn more about the reception or to find out about available entry dates, please contact The Culinary Institute of America at 1-800-CULINARY (285-4627) or visit www.ciachef.edu/admissions.

Photo captions:
Food Jobs, by CIA faculty member Irena Chalmers, delves into the many career options available within the food industry.

Faculty member Irena Chalmers of The Culinary Institute of America, author of Food Jobs. The CIA will be in Phoenix, AZ on February 20 to share with career changers their many options for a new career in the food world.

Photo credits: Irena Chalmers/Food Jobs

Contacts:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu

Virginia Muré
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America's Video Series Wins a Tasty TV Award

Judges Select CIA Video as the Best Food Program – Web Category

Hyde Park, NY, February 1, 2010 – The Culinary Institute of America's (CIA) monthly recipe video series, CIA Culinary Intelligence, has won a 2010 Tasty Award in the "Best Food Program – Web" category. The nominated episode features CIA Chef Scott Swartz providing a step-by-step demo on the preparation of Eggs Benedict.

The CIA received the award at a Red Carpet Awards Show in San Francisco, CA on January 14. The college's CIA Culinary Intelligence series is produced by Communications Manager Virgina Muré, a longtime employee of the college who now oversees a majority of the college's video production for platforms like Facebook and YouTube. In 2009, Muré played an instrumental role in the creation of the New York Emmy Award-winning series Around the World in 80 Dishes, which was created in collaboration with Epicurious.com, and is currently working with America Online to produce a new series of instructional videos featuring CIA chefs and faculty.

The Tasty Awards were created by TasteTV, which was originally launched online in 2004 as the Indie Food Channel. The awards spotlight the year's best achievements in food, wine, and style programming. Whether they are broadcast on the Web or on television, appear on a mobile device or on a cinema screen, or feature a celebrity chef or a home chef, each has a chance to win this coveted honor.

Finalists were selected by the Tastemaker Awards Panel, an association of food editors, editors, writers and bloggers, chefs, television producers and stations, online video platforms, mobile device providers, and others. There is also a set of Viewer's Choice Awards, selected online by the general public.

Winners of the Tasty Awards received their honors on January 14, 2010 at a gala celebration in San Francisco, which was streamed live online over Justin.tv, and will be broadcast on national television in February 2010.

For more information, visit TastyAwards.com.

Photo caption: Virginia Muré and Chef Scott Schwartz.

Photo credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Virginia Muré
Communications Manager
845-451-1555
v_mure@culinary.edu

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