The end of 2020 and the start of 2021 proved busy for CIA alumni, with new positions, new businesses, and giving back to their communities. Here’s a sampling of just some of the CIA alumni in the news:
Frank Pinello ’06 continues to build his Best Pizza empire. In December, he opened a new shop inside the American Dream Mall in New Jersey—his first outside New York.
Read the article on NJ.com >
Nicholas Ducos ’12 opened an urban winery, Mural City Cellars, in Philadelphia, PA with business partner Francesca Galarus. Mural City Cellars offers Community-Supported Winery (CSW) memberships, where people can receive two bottles per month, access to virtual events, and discounts on wine. Fifteen percent of CSW membership proceeds will be donated to neighborhood initiatives and the Philadelphia Mural Arts Project.
Read the Philadelphia Inquirer article >
Emily O’Brien ’17 was interviewed for The Boston Globe on opening her new pop-up bakery, Sweet & Sage Patisserie, during the pandemic.
Read the article on WickedLocal.com >
Ethel Koh ’17, pastry chef at Gozu in San Francisco, CA, was featured on The Bold Italic’s list of “What to Bake During the Shutdown, According to Bay Area Bakers,” with a recipe for her chocolate coffee caramel tarte.
Read The Bold Italic’s article >
Isaac Frerichs ’03 was featured in his former hometown’s (Longview, WA) newspaper after opening Boujee Bonbon, a new artisan chocolatier, in San Antonio, TX. He specializes in handmade bonbons, chocolates, and fine confections that are available exclusively through his online shop and select locations.
Read the article from The Daily News >
Ryan Carroll ’13 officially established a second kitchen location in Bellmore, NY for Carroll’s Kitchen, a nonprofit organization helping to feed thousands of people across Long Island. He began this initiative after losing his restaurant job last March due to the pandemic. Many of his volunteers are chefs in the same boat—including Alex Murray ’13, who was a classmate of Carroll’s at the CIA.
Read the LI Herald article >
Campbell Mahaffey ’20 was named executive chef of Mustang Cantina in Goliad, TX. The fine-dining restaurant recently re-opened and serves approachable French country food.
Read the Victoria Advocate article >
Hudson Valley Magazine ran a story on Charlie Webb’s ’19 Detroit-style pizza shop, Hudson & Packard, which opened last fall in the city of Poughkeepsie, after more than a year of pop-ups.
Read the Hudson Valley Magazine article >
Jacob Griffin-Diaz ’08, along with his partner Alejandro Griffin-Diaz, opened a luxury coffee bar, Jacob Alejandro, in Troy, NY. Jacob has experience bartending, a baking and pastry degree from the CIA, and helped get many small coffee shops off the ground working for Irving Farm Coffee Roasters. Alejandro is a 2011 Latte Art Champion.
Read the Daily Coffee News article >
Yvonne Chung ’07 is the newest member of GuildSomm’s Board of Directors. She will serve a three-year term in this role at the nonprofit international membership organization for wine professionals, and hopes to help expand the organization’s audience internationally and create a more diverse community.
Read GuildSomm’s announcement >
Matt Barone ’04, a chef instructor at Kearny High School in New Jersey, has been appointed to Sani Professional’s Food Safety Advisory Council. The council is dedicated to raising awareness to prevent foodborne illness across various foodservice operations.
Phillip Tessier ’99 was hired as the executive chef at PRESS in St. Helena, CA right when the pandemic hit and was forced to quickly help pivot to a takeout model in order to keep people employed and the restaurant afloat. He also established “Feed Our Families,” a donation meal program in partnership with the local Boys & Girls Club, which led to his nomination for Napa Valley Register’s “Heart of the Valley” honors.
Read the Napa Valley Register article >
Ryan Hildebrand ’00 is opening Hildee’s Dine-In in Wimberley, TX, a bistro concept offering casual and comfortable dining. Hildebrand is looking forward to getting back into the kitchen after spending most of his time working on the hospitality side of things.
Read the Culture Map article >