CIA alumni are always cooking up something interesting, and with a network more than 50,000 strong, there’s never a shortage of highlights! Here are just a few examples of CIA alumni in the news this past month.
Openings and Chefs on the Move
Chef William Racin ’06, winner of multiple competitions and honors, has joined the Pittsburgh-area Westmoreland Community College School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality as a full-time baking and pastry instructor.
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Daniel Darves-Bornoz ’78 opened Josie’s Table in Albany, NY. Josie’s is focused on local, organic, and seasonal ingredients paired with organic wines, and cocktails made with locally distilled spirits. Daniel’s son, and fellow CIA alum, Peter Darves-Bornoz ’11 is the restaurant’s executive chef.
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Origin Stories
Chef Victor LaPlaca ’92, was profiled in the Long Island Press, sharing his cooking journey from visiting his Sicilian grandparents’ farm in upstate New York to his time at the CIA, to his various endeavors including his current restaurant, Haviland Kitchen and Bar in East Rockaway, NY.
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Douglas Kim ’06, MS, director of wine in Las Vegas for MGM Resorts International, was profiled in the Las Vegas Sun. He discussed his role as a supervisor of over 50 sommeliers and 350,000 bottles of wine at MGM’s Las Vegas properties as well as the rigor required to become one of fewer than 200 elite Master Sommeliers in North and South America.
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Kishi Arora ’04 shared her journey to becoming a horticulturist: from having a small terrace garden in her second-floor apartment to an entire nursery that houses more than 1,000 plants. Arora uses the produce, both edible and decorative, in the catering business she runs with her mother.
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Throwin’ Down
An episode of Raid the Fridge, a new Food Network show, featured one of our recent alumni, Kaela Cochran ’21. The show challenges contestants to create a meal using the contents of a mystery refrigerator. In her introduction, Cochran mentioned that she was a student at the CIA.
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Giving Back
Founder of Deke’s Bagels, Deke Haylon ’84, who described his two years at the CIA as the “best two years of my life, until now,” plans to use his successful bagel business to help others by creating job opportunities in his community of Guilford, CT. He wants to help break destructive cycles while creating original, delicious bagels.
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Chef Nikki Satin ’91 has expanded the Chefs for Seniors program into New Haven County, CT. The program, active in 26 states, is a unique take on senior assistance. Chefs fulfill seniors’ specific dietary needs by preparing meals for seniors in their home kitchens.
On the Shelf and On the Menu
Chef Kevin Mitchell ’96, CEC, culinary historian, chef-instructor at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, and adjunct instructor at the CIA, was profiled by We Are Chefs as part of their efforts to highlight Black food culture. Chef Mitchell and co-author Michael Shields recently published the book, Taste the State: South Carolina’s Signature Foods, Recipes and Their Stories, which explores almost 100 ingredients and dishes central to South Carolina cuisine that trace their origins to African, Indigenous, and other sources.