Master Sommelier Robert Bath Appointed Faculty Member for New Program at The Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus in the Napa Valley

Wine Industry Veteran Will Prepare Students to Attain Accelerated Wine and Beverage Certificate

Hyde Park, NY, April 26, 2010 – The Accelerated Wine and Beverage Certificate Program (AWBP) has appointed wine industry veteran Robert Bath, M.S., to teach classes. Bath has spent more than 30 years in the wine and food industry, managing high-profile, wine-oriented restaurants, working with high-profile California wineries, and teaching thousands around the world about wine. A third-generation Californian, Bath passed the Master Sommelier exam in 1993 and is one of 105 Master Sommeliers in the United States and 170 in the world.

"The Accelerated Wine and Beverage Certificate Program signals a significant new step in front-of-the-house education by the CIA, and Bob's credentials and extensive experience in the industry will play a key role in the launch of this program and its credibility in the marketplace" said Paul Dray, associate director of the CIA's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies.

Bath's career includes managing Wine Spectator Grand Award restaurants The Sardine Factory in Monterey, CA. and Starker's Restaurant in Kansas City, MO. He has worked with a formidable list of California wineries, including Shafer Vineyards, Duckhorn Vineyards, Dalla Valle Vineyards, Viader Winery, Hartwell Vineyards, Iron Horse Vineyards, Trefethen Winery, Morgan Winery, and Charles Krug Winery. In 2000, Bath established The RLB Wine Group and has developed wine education programs for high-profile companies like Marriott Hotels, Crystal Cruise Lines, Taj Hotels, and Kendall Jackson Estates. In 2004, Bath and his wife Julie established Robert Bath Imports and import a select portfolio of artisan New Zealand wines into the United States.

Robert Bath joined The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone as an adjunct professor in 2003 to teach advanced wine programs. He writes for Santé magazine and the Sommelier Journal and is a frequent speaker at wine festivals around the world.

The accredited 30-week AWBP at Greystone launches in September 2010. It will impart knowledge and skills in sensory evaluation, flavor dynamics, cellar management, and mixology. Food and beverage pairing, service, and hospitality are major components of the curriculum. Classes will be held at the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies.

For more information about the AWBP, visit www.ciaprochef.com/winecertificate or call 1-800-CULINARY.

Photo Captions:

Wine industry veteran Robert Bath, M.S., has been named to the faculty of the CIA's new Accelerated Wine and Beverage Certificate Program (AWBP). Photo Credit: Robert Bath/CIA

AWBP classes will commence this coming September at the CIA's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at Greystone, the college's Napa Valley campus. Photo Credit: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Jay Blotcher
Media Relations
845-905-4419
j_blotch@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio Graduates 20 with Certificates in Culinary Arts

James Sanchez '94 Delivers Commencement Address

San Antonio, TX, April 22, 2010 – San Antonio chef James Sanchez, a 1994 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) campus in Hyde Park, NY, delivered the commencement address as 20 students earned certificates in culinary arts from the college's San Antonio campus on Friday, April 16.

Sanchez, a San Antonio native, is executive chef at Ácenar on the River Walk. He has run the kitchen there since the restaurant opened five years ago. He also serves on the CIA's Latin Advisory Committee.

The Culinary Arts Certificate Program at the CIA, San Antonio offers a 30-week curriculum in which students learn practical cooking skills under the guidence of expert faculty in courses such as Gastronomy and Product Knowledge, Culinary Skills Developoment, Baking and Pastry Skill Development, Breakfast & Lunch Cookery, Cuisines of Europe and the Mediterranean, Cuisines of the Americas, Food Safety, and Garde Manger.

Graduates of the certificate program are eligible to transfer their seven months of study in San Antonio towards completion of their associate or bachelor's degree from the CIA's Hyde Park campus.

The next class of 20 students begins its studies on May 11, 2010.

Photo Caption: Certified Master Chef David Kellaway, managing director of The Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio, congratulates Selina Arredondo during ceremonies on April 16, 2010. Ms. Arredondo was one of 20 graduates of the Culinary Arts Certificate Program at the college's San Antonio campus.

Photo credit: Michael White/CIA

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

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CIA Alumni Return to Deliver Commencement Addresses

Tim Curci '87 Addresses Baccalaureate Graduates; John T. Murray, Sr. '80 Speaks to Associate Degree Grads

Hyde Park, NY, April 21, 2010 – Tim Curci, co-founder of Bonefish Grill, returned to his alma mater as guest speaker on Thursday, April 15 to help present 80 graduates of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) with their bachelor's degrees in culinary arts management and baking and pastry arts management. The next day, 96 more students earned their associate degrees, with Hyatt executive John T. Murray, Sr. speaking to graduates.

Curci, a 1987 CIA graduate, is also Bonefish's senior vice president of menu development and innovation. Telling his newest fellow alumni that they made the right choice to attend the CIA, he said, "None of my success would have been possible if I didn't graduate from the best culinary school in the world." Founded in 2000 in St. Petersburg, FL, Bonefish Grill now has more than 150 locations in 28 states.

He also told graduates to work hard while they are young and reminded them that their passion for food is a gift. "If you keep your passion alive and well, the sky is the limit," Curci said.

Murray is regional vice president of development for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. He challenged associate degree recipients to find a mentor on their way up the career ladder, then return the favor by helping others. "As you go through your careers, make sure to be a good mentor," said Murray, who graduated from the CIA in 1980. "Now you are responsible as future leaders in this vast and varied industry. We need you to give back, because so many have given so much to us."

Murray gives back to the college and the hospitality industry as a member of the CIA's Alumni Council and Society of Fellows, and through his involvement with the James Beard Society and the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

The CIA holds 16 associate degree and three or four bachelor's degree graduations each year.

Photo Captions:
Tim Curci '87, co-founder of Bonefish Grill restaurants, speaks to baccalaureate degree recipients at graduation ceremonies at The Culinary Institute of America on April 15, 2010.

John T. Murray, Sr. '80, of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, addresses associate degree graduates at the CIA on April 16, 2010.

Photo Credits: CIA/Keith Ferris

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

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Experts from The Culinary Institute of America are Available to Speak About New Sodium Reduction White Paper Collaboration with Harvard School of Public Health

Hyde Park, NY, April 20, 2010 – The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have announced 25 strategies and recommendations to reduce sodium intake while continuing to maximize people's enjoyment of food. "Tasting Success with Cutting Salt: Twenty-Five Science-Based Strategies and Culinary Insights" is a white paper and practical guide for consumers, chefs, foodservice operators, and manufacturers created by experts at these two leading colleges.

Download the full document here >

CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan and Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Greg Drescher are available for interviews about this new CIA/HSPH joint initiative. Drescher is also a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) sodium reduction committee.

"Tasting Success with Cutting Salt" coincides with the release of the IOM's much-anticipated report, "Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States." Studies have shown that a 35 percent daily reduction in salt (from 3,400 mg to 2,300 mg) could save up to 90,000 lives and billions of dollars in health costs each year. Sodium causes high blood pressure, a disease that affects nine of every 10 Americans during their lifetime.

Along with policy changes, this collaboration between the CIA and HSPH offers practical recommendations, such as:

• Produce first: Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Our bodies need more potassium than sodium, and many fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. In addition, produce, which is naturally low in sodium, will displace other high-sodium foods on your plate.
• Go nuts for healthy fats in the kitchen. Fat is a great carrier and enhancer of flavor, and using the right fats (including healthy oils, nuts, and avocados) can help make up for any flavor loss from using less salt.
• Know your seasons, and, even better, your farmer. Shop for raw ingredients with maximum natural flavor, thereby avoiding the need to add as much (if any) salt.
• Sear, sauté, and roast. Take the time to learn some simple cooking techniques that can boost flavors and make cooking less reliant on sodium.
• Spice it up. One of the easiest ways to reduce the need for added salt is through the use of ingredients such as spices, dried and fresh herbs, roots (such as garlic and ginger), citrus, vinegars, and wine.

The CIA and HSPH have been collaborating on various health-related issues for many years through their annual joint leadership conferences and retreats, including "Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives" (with the Harvard Medical School) and "Worlds of Healthy Flavors."

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

Stephan Hengst
845-905-4288
s_hengst@culinary.edu

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New Culinary Experiences Await Visitors to The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

St. Helena, CA, April 12, 2010 – Brand new culinary discoveries and experiences await visitors to The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone (CIA). The world's premiere culinary college has just completed a major remodel on the first floor of its historic Napa Valley building. Included in the renovations are a new campus store, chocolate lab, new teaching kitchen and a Flavor Bar which features short interactive tasting experiences for the public.

"In recreating this space, we feel it is very important to honor the historic design of our Greystone building, but also bring in beautiful, efficient, modern elements," says managing director Charles E. Henning.

The new campus store, called the Spice Islands Marketplace, is now located adjacent to the Grand Atrium of the CIA at Greystone. Its clear glass enclosure and open feel create an irresistible pull for food and wine lovers at all levels of experience. Whether they are searching for the latest cookbook, kitchen tool, wine book or gadget, or top of the line cookware, the knowledgeable staff is ready and well qualified to answer questions and help customers locate what their hearts desire.

Inside the store is a new 16-seat Flavor Bar where guests may participate in an interactive tasting experience. Currently scheduled are:

• Chocolate Tastings: Participants learn how chocolate is made and how the percentage of cacao and a chocolate's origins vary flavor. They will have the opportunity to taste cacao in its various stages and compare chocolates from different parts of the world.
• "Taste Like a Chef: Calibrate Your Palate": Participants explore the sweet, sour, bitter, and salty areas of their palates. They learn how chefs balance ingredients and make food flavors "pop" in a dish, lessons that can be also be used in home cooking.

Flavor Bar experiences will continue to be added, including tastings of super premium olive oils at a new Oleoteca slated to open in late spring. The current Flavor Bar sessions run approximately 15 minutes at various times of the day and cost $10 per person. For a complete schedule and to make a reservation, guests may call 707-967-2320.

The new chocolate lab is adjacent to the store and Flavor Bar and separated by a clear glass wall. Visitors may have the opportunity to see students working in the 675 square-foot space designed with optimal conditions for confectionary work. The temperature and humidity in the room are carefully controlled and the lab is self-contained so that no other cooking odors negatively impact the chocolate and other confectionaries. The chocolate lab will be used for a three-week curriculum in chocolate and other confectionary work for all Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degree students. It will also be used to create Greystone Chocolates for sale in the store.

The new Viking Teaching Kitchen gives students an extra 1,950 square feet of space to learn and create. The kitchen includes three cooking suites containing state-of-the-art Viking commercial equipment. Each suite is equipped with an energy efficient, variable speed hood system. Electronic sensors automatically adjust the fan speed and respond to the amount of smoke generated in the work area. Some of the college's weekend food enthusiast classes for consumers will also be held in this space.

We invite you to come explore our new offerings. Media may contact Tyffani Peters at t_peters@culinary.edu or 707-967-2322 to arrange a tour and a complimentary tasting at the Flavor Bar.

Photo caption: The entrance to the newly redesigned Spice Islands Marketplace at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

Photo credit: David Wakely/CIA

Contact:
Tyffani Peters
Media Relations Specialist
707-967-2322
t_peters@culinary.edu

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The Culinary Institute of America Awards "Cream of the Crop" Scholaships to Future Industry Leaders

Hyde Park, NY, April 9, 2010 – The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has awarded its Cream of the Crop scholarships for summer and early fall 2010. Five aspiring culinary leaders who begin their CIA studies in August and September earned merit scholarships to the college based on their leadership skills and academic record.

Recipients earn $5,000 renewable for each year of study at the CIA provided they maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average (GPA). The latest scholarship winners are high school seniors Samantha-Jo Bradley of Middlebury Center, PA; Kristina DePalma of Garrison, NY; Kevin Driscoll of Litchfield, NH; Joel Eisenberg of Lutz, FL; and Zachary Tranter of Clearwater, FL.

• Ms. Bradley is graduating from Wellsboro Area High School with a 3.8 GPA. She was president of Student Council and SkillsUSA, vice president of 4-H, captain of the tennis team, and a member of the National Honor Society (NHS).
• Ms. DePalma graduates from Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers this spring with a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of NHS, Yearbook Committee, and Habitat for Humanity, while volunteering at the Putnam Valley Library and a local day care center.
• Mr. Driscoll graduates from Campbell High School with a 3.9 GPA. He is editor of his school newspaper, a member of Youth in Government, lead intern for an outdoor leadership class, and a volunteer tennis instructor for Granite State Kids.
• Mr. Eisenberg is finishing his studies at Walter L. Sickles High School with a 3.8 GPA. A member of the football, wrestling, and weightlifting teams, he also sings with an a cappella group. Joel volunteers with a therapeutic horseback riding program for disabled adults and at an organic farm. An NHS member, he is a science tutor for middle school students.
• Mr. Tranter graduates from Palm Harbor University High School with a 3.8 GPA. He is a member of NHS, the International Thespian Society, and his school's a cappella singing group. Zachary also volunteers with Paws With A Cause.

"These five outstanding young men and women rose to the top of a very qualified applicant pool to earn their scholarships," said Drusilla Blackman, CIA vice president of enrollment management. "They join more than 120 other successful up-and-coming culinarians in the last 12 years whom the CIA has been proud to support through the Cream of the Crop Scholarship."

All five students will be pursuing bachelor's or associate degrees from the CIA in either culinary arts or baking and pastry arts. The CIA's Cream of the Crop scholarships are awarded to 10 worthy recipients each year. To learn more about scholarship opportunities to attend The Culinary Institute of America, call 1-800-CULINARY (285-4627) or visit www.ciachef.edu/admissions.

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

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The CIA Opens its Doors to New Visitors on May 15 for "CIA: A First Taste"

Attendees will Enjoy a Lecture, Food Demonstration, and Tour of the College's Food Enthusiast Classes

Hyde Park, NY, April 5, 2010 – For food lovers who have not yet visited The Culinary Institute of America, a special event has been planned at the world's premier culinary college.

"CIA: A First Taste" will be held on Saturday, May 15 from 9:30 a.m. to noon for new visitors to the campus to acquaint them with the variety of food enthusiast classes at the college. The morning orientation will feature a lecture, food demonstration, and tasting, as well as a visit to several of the popular Weekends at the CIA classes.

The program begins with a presentation by Lisa Schwartz, owner of Rainbeau Ridge Farm in Bedford Hills, NY. Ms. Schwartz will share a sampling of goat cheese handcrafted on her farm, and discuss sustainable farming for the home gardener. Chef David Kamen will then prepare two tasty dishes based on recipes from the Saturday classes. Participants will sample these offerings, paired with a glass of sparkling wine. A tour of classes in progress will follow. At the conclusion of "CIA: A First Taste," participants will receive a special CIA gift.

Admission for "CIA: A First Taste" is $39.95 per person. Those who register may apply the $39.95 fee to future enrollment in any Saturday or Boot Camp class.

Advance reservations for "CIA: A First Taste" are required. Please register by calling 1-800-888-7850 or by visiting us online.

Attention Media: You are cordially invited to attend "CIA: A First Taste." Please reserve your spot in advance with Jay Blotcher, Continuing Education publicist, at 845-905-4419 or j_blotch@culinary.edu.

Photo captions: The Culinary Institute of America's Hyde Park campus opens its doors wide to first-time visitors for an open house program on Saturday, May 15, titled "CIA: A First Taste."

Photo credits: CIA/Keith Ferris

Contact:
Jay Blotcher
Media Relations
845-905-4419
j_blotch@culinary.edu

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