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
Constellation Culinary Group has appointed Chef Hoon Rhee ’11, as executive chef of food and beverage operations at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In his new role, the Philly native will manage several cafes, private catering, and Stir, the museum’s full-service restaurant.
Read the article >
After serving six years in the Air Force, Henry Johnson ’17 turned to his love of food and attended the CIA San Antonio. Five years later, he has climbed the ranks from sous chef at Cafe Pacific in Dallas, TX, to executive chef of neighboring restaurant, Bistro 31.
Read the article >
Matthew Zappoli ’98 will oversee all the restaurants at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa in his new role as Creative Culinary Director. Zappoli previously served as executive chef at NYY Steak located at the hotel’s sister property Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.
Read the article >
Scott Nishiyama ’01 is expanding on an already distinguished career by opening Ethel’s Fancy, named after his mother and grandmother, in Paolo Alto, CA. Nishiyama’s credits his mother’s and grandmother’s cooking as the inspiration behind his culinary career.
Read the article >
New and Noteworthy
Enrique Olvera’s ’99 restaurant, Pujol located in Mexico City, Mexico, once again made The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, this year taking the number five slot. Founded in 2000, Pujol showcases everything about Mexican gastronomy, from its unique techniques and inimitable spices to the country’s rich history.
Read the article >
Volk Jensiriwanich’s ’17 restaurant, Volk’s New York-Style Bagels, has been named as one of 11 restaurants and cafes to grab breakfast in the Ari-Chatuchak neighborhood of Bangkok, Thailand.
Read the article >
Atlantic Seafood in Old Saybrook, CT, was named one of the best New England seafood markets by New England Today. Chef Jerry Doran ’81 and his staff cut all their fish fresh and make all their prepared seafood delights from scratch every day.
Read the article >
Hudson Chatham Winery, in Ghent, NY, was listed as one of the places to visit while exploring the town. Owned and operated by Steven Rosario ’13 and Justen Nickell ’10, the winery offers a curated wine tasting experience with perfectly paired sips and charcuterie while taking in breathtaking views of the Valley.
Read the Hudson Valley Magazine article >
CIA Singapore grad, Gwyneth Ang’s ’15, restaurant One Prawn & Co., was recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award. Before 2021, One Prawn & Co. operated as a hawker stall; Ang tells 8 Days she had “almost no salary for three years,” while running the hawker stall. Positive reviews on various food blogs led to more customers, and in the beginning of 2022, Ang decided it was time to expand into a full-fledged eatery after fine-tuning their recipe.
Read the article >
Todd Lindberg ’05 is the VP of operations and mind behind the food and beverage menu at this exciting new social experience. The Iowa-based brand is building a foundational base for Smash Park, an “eater-tainment” venue featuring six pickleball courts, both indoor and outdoor, games of all kinds, and chef-crafted food and drinks.
Read the article >
Brandon Walker ’01, co-owner and executive chef of Essie’s Restaurant in Poughkeepsie, NY, is celebrating six years of Essie’s. Walker opened Essie’s to showcase globally influenced cuisine and pay homage to his grandmother and the women in his family who ignited his interest in food.
Read the article >
Origin Stories
Katianna Hong ’05, a Korean adoptee raised by an American family, was featured in a New York Times article highlighting chefs who are exploring their identity through food. Through restaurant cooking, Hong explores a heritage that she didn’t grow up with, creating dishes traditional Korean dishes with twists that are deeply rooted in her adoptive family’s background.
Read the article >
Ohio City Pasta was started back in 1990 by Gary Thomas ’87, who saw an opening for a local company that supplied fresh pasta to restaurants in Cleavland, OH. Within a year, Thomas was distributing to more than 60 local restaurants. Today, Ohio City Pasta is being served by restaurants throughout Ohio.
Read the article >
David Samiljan ’93, owner of Baron’s Quality Meats & Seafood, in San Francisco, CA, pays a homage to his great-grandfather, David Baron, with his shop. Baron opened Baron’s Meat & Poultry, a in Brooklyn, NY, around 1915. Samiljan never thought he would resurrect the family butcher shop on the opposite coast, but that’s exactly what he’s done.
Read the article >
Giving Back
2022 CIA Leadership Award recipient Enrique Olvera ’99 has teamed up with Shake Shack’s Culinary Director Mark Rosati to create the Ant Burger, with all the proceeds being donated to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
Read the article >
Recipes for Success
Maine’s Kristie Sibley ’13, shares advice on how to score a vacation table and the best type of lobster roll in New England this summer with the Boston Globe.
Read the article >
Celebrity Chef, Jamie Gwen ’94 appeared on KPRC 2+ to share how to keep cool in the dog days of summer are here and it’s time to cool off with refreshing beverages and tasty recipes.
Read the article >