The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America
You'll find that a wide variety of career opportunities fall under the "chef" umbrella, from a station chef cooking on "the line," where most culinarians begin, to the sous chef to the top position of executive chef. The executive chef is responsible for all kitchen operations, including menu development, ordering, budgeting, and staff management. As a chef, you might be sautéing, grilling, and prepping in the kitchens of restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, private homes, resorts, and many other venues. To be a successful chef, you need a passion for cooking; a highly creative mind; good organizational and interpersonal skills; the physical stamina to work in a hot, busy kitchen; and the ability to think on your feet.
Bryan Voltaggio is the chef/owner of VOLT, a three-star restaurant located in his hometown of Frederick, MD that features his signature preparations of Modern American cuisine. Chef Voltaggio's passion for cooking began during childhood, when meals often included produce harvested from the family garden. Deciding on a culinary career in his early teens, Bryan served as sous chef and executive chef … [Read more...]
Where can you find creative openness, a Zen-like attention to detail, and practical business sense all in one place? At Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, CA. That's where the husband and wife team of Chad Robertson '93 and Elisabeth Prueitt '93 spend their days setting a standard of excellence that is hard to match. Their work received national recognition when the couple shared the 2008 James … [Read more...]
Melissa Kelly is executive chef and proprietor of Primo, located in mid-coast Maine. She is the 1999 James Beard Foundation Awards winner of the American Express Best Chef, Northeast Award. She was also nominated in 1998. Chef Kelly grew up on Long Island. Her earliest cooking lessons took place in her Italian grandmother's kitchen. In fact, she still favors Mediterranean accented foods. Melissa … [Read more...]
Ivan has always been obsessed with the language and culture of Japan. At the University of Boulder he majored in it. But his passion for food brought him to the CIA and, for a time, Japan faded into the background. He worked at Lutèce, at Mesa Grill, and for Restaurant Associates, but always there was something missing. After he married a Japanese woman, the choice became clear. Tokyo became home … [Read more...]
Jonathan Eismann is chef/owner of the critically acclaimed Pacific Time in Miami, FL. Now located in the city's Design District, the fine-dining restaurant combines the cool ambiance and enticing Pan-Asian dishes Chef Eismann is known for with a new palette of fresh contemporary American flavors and French techniques. Raised in a family-run hotel restaurant, Jonathan Eismann gravitated to the … [Read more...]
Florida is Dennis Chan's home, but to hear him talk about it, the CIA in Hyde Park still holds a big piece of his heart. "I really value the experience I had at the CIA," he says. "I try to be as much of an ambassador for the school as I can." Dennis currently has three employees whom he is encouraging to attend. And he does a lot of cooking demos for culinary students at the local community … [Read more...]
When Wilo Benet first began his career, he played the drums to relax, enjoyed a round of golf on a sunny day, and took photographs of nature just for fun. But now that he is the head of a growing culinary empire, those three pastimes have become part of his work. A golf outing almost always includes talk of business ventures. His photos of wildlife have been commissioned by a local resort to … [Read more...]
Acclaimed chef John grew up hunting and fishing in Southern Louisiana, learning at an early age the essentials of Louisiana's rich culinary traditions. After graduating from The Culinary Institute of America, his talent and drive have earned John critical kudos from the outset of his career: in 1999, Food & Wine named him one of the "Top 10 Best New Chefs in America." In 2003, Gourmet magazine … [Read more...]
John Barricelli had a vision: to offer simple, delicious food in a homey atmosphere. His dream became reality in 2005, when he opened the doors to the SoNo Baking Company and Café. Located in the vibrant SoNo (South Norwalk) district of Norwalk, CT, the bakery café offers everything from artisan breads and French-style pastries to soups and sandwiches. Customers are encouraged to sit back with a … [Read more...]
In success, as in many things, timing often plays a major role. You could say that Sonia Arias is blessed with impeccable culinary timing. From the instant she and Jared Reardon met and fell in love while BPS students at the CIA to the moment they opened the doors of their new restaurant, Jaso, they have made well-timed and well-thought-out career choices that are sure to lead to success. While … [Read more...]
