Hyde Park, NY – Five CIA graduates who are “Stars of the
Small Screen” were honored by The Culinary Institute of America at the college’s Augie Award™ ceremony at the Ziegfeld
Ballroom in New York City on April 25. The Augies—the
college’s Leadership Awards event—is the CIA’s largest annual fundraising
program. Through sponsorships, donations, ticket sales, and an online auction, this
year’s gala raised more than $1 million, with proceeds benefiting student scholarships at the college.
The 2018 Augie Award recipients
are Anne Burrell, Julia Collin Davison, Amanda Freitag, Sara Moulton, and Geoffrey Zakarian. Hundreds of foodservice and hospitality industry leaders, celebrity chefs, and other luminaries from business and entertainment joined to honor these alumni who have helped raise the status of the food and hospitality industry through their work on popular television cooking shows.
“This year’s honorees have collectively captivated and
charmed Americans with their accomplishments and larger-than-life personalities,”
said CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan. “They have
brought the food world into people’s lives in so many ways, but especially
through the magic of television, and each has inspired our students to pursue
futures in this exciting industry.”
Created in tribute to famed French chef Auguste Escoffier in recognition of his unwavering pursuit of excellence, creativity,
and professionalism, the Augie Awards were created by
the CIA in 2007 to honor members of the food and foodservice business who
exemplify those traits.
Thirty current CIA students were on hand to assist guest
chefs—including CIA graduates Lauren DeSteno,
Christina Marcelli, Kwame Onwuachi,
Maureen Petrosky, Foluso Salami, and Sahara Uy—who prepared hors d’oeuvre for
the opening reception. The students also took time to thank the evening’s
attendees for supporting CIA scholarships, as 91 percent of the CIA student
body depends on some type of financial aid.
The CIA Leadership Awards are made possible, in part, by the
generous support of gold sponsors Ecolab and MillerCoors,
silver sponsors Breakthru Beverage Group, Chipotle
Mexican Grill, and Colavita, and dozens of other
suppliers to the food and hospitality industries, plus many individual friends
of the CIA.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan (center) flanked by the college’s
2018 Augie Award winners (from left) Anne Burrell,
Julia Collin Davison, Sara Moulton, Geoffrey Zakarian,
and Amanda Freitag. All five of this year’s honorees
are graduates of The Culinary Institute of America. (Photo credit: Georgi Richardson/Maggie
Marguerite Inc.)
View hi-re res image>
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Writer
845-451-1372
Jeff.Levine@culinary.edu
About The Culinary Institute of America:
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers bachelor’s degrees in management, culinary arts, culinary science, and applied food studies, and associate degrees in either culinary arts or baking and pastry arts. The college also offers executive education through its Food Business School along with certificate programs and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of nearly 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food business. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.
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