Broadcast Highlights
Julia Spondike ’21 demo’ed a gluten-free almond cake with strawberry rhubarb jam for Fox 8 News, in Cleveland, OH. She is currently executive sous chef at the Hotel at Oberlin in Oberlin, OH.
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Austin Sumrall ’12 competed in the Chopped “All-American Showdown: South” competition, making it to the dessert round. In 2020, Sumrall received a James Beard Award nomination for “Best Chef: South.”
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The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge is currently gearing up for its release on Netflix with Erin Jeanne McDowell ’07 as one of the expert coaches who will help the contestants along the way. McDowell is a multi-talented pastry chef, food stylist, and bestselling author. Currently, she is the host of the award-winning YouTube series, Bake It Up a Notch on Food52.
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Profiles/Insights
Kwame Onwuachi ’13 was profiled by Vogue magazine and led a tour of G.H. Mumm headquarters in Reims, France. Onwuachi is a brand ambassador for G.H. Mumm.
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Kwame Onwuachi ’13 was interviewed as one of “the food world’s fastest rising stars,” sharing his journey and the lessons he’s learned in his career. He also spoke about his highly successful New York restaurant, Tatiana.
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Spring grad Kelsey Dwyer ’23 was profiled in the May-June issue of Edible OKC about her journey coming to CIA and where her career will go from here.
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The River Front Times shared delicious offerings from Saul Juarez ’04 of Crepes and Treats on Cherokee Street in St. Louis, MO. Juarez is the chef and owner of Crepes and Treats which opened in 2021.
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So Lemak, a hawker stall in Bedok, Singapore, run by Shanice Lim ’18 was profiled by Red Hot Singapore. The menu at So Lemak is small and focused, with a primary spotlight on their signature prawn-paste wings.
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Ross Warhol ’08, ’09 shared his favorite unusual condiments with Buffalo Spree Magazine. Warhol is executive chef and partner at Schutte Hospitality Group in Buffalo, NY.
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Adán Medrano ’10, who will present at the Latin American Cuisine Summit at CIA San Antonio, donated archival papers, including notes from his time as a student, to The University of Texas at San Antonio Special Collections. Medrano is a San Antonio native and award-winning Mexican cookbook author and filmmaker.
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Openings/Releases
Coeur, a new French-inspired restaurant owned and operated by Jordan Smith ’14, recently opened in downtown Ferndale, MI. The name of the new venture was inspired by its location in America’s heartland combined with Smith’s passion for French preparation. Coeur is the French word for heart.
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Lisa Ahier ’97 has a new cookbook, Together at SoBo, which was named National Post’s cookbook of the week. In Together at SoBo, Ahier’s recipes are love letters to Tofino, the most westerly point of Canada, as well as Ahier’s home and the location of SoBo, her restaurant.
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Awards and Recognition
Matthew Lake ’01 is the chief operating officer of Roosters’ restaurant group that was awarded the Utah Restaurant Association’s Golden Spoon: Restaurateur of the Year. The Standard-Examiner interviewed Matthew Lake about the start of Roosters and the keys to success.
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Multiple CIA alumni and board members retained or gained stars in the Micheline Guide for California.
New One Star:
Jonny Black ’07—chef/co-owner of Chez Noir
Keeping Three Stars:
Michael Tusk ’89—chef/owner of Quince
Thomas Keller (BOT, CIA Educational Policy Committee Member, Internship host site of CIA Culinary Arts master’s program)—chef/owner of The French Laundry
Kyle Connaughton (CIA Educational Policy Committee Member, Internship host site for CIA Culinary Arts master’s program)—chef/co-owner of SingleThread
Keeping Two Stars:
Niki Nakayama (Chef mentor for CIA Culinary Arts master’s program)—chef/owner of N/Naka
Val Cantu (Chef mentor for CIA Culinary Arts master’s program)—chef/owner of Californios
Michael Cimarusti ’91—chef/co-owner of Providence
Richard Lee ’09—chef de cuisine of Saison
Keeping One Star:
Robert Curry ’98—executive chef of Auberge Du Soleil
Daisy Ryan ’08 (Chef mentor for CIA Culinary Arts master’s program)—executive chef/co-owner of Bell’s Los Alamos
Gary Danko ’77—chef/owner of Restaurant Gary Danko
Eric Bost ’98—executive chef of Jeune et Jolie
David Yoshimura ’10—executive chef of Nisei
Josef Centeno ’98—executive chef of Orsa & Winston
Philip Tessier ’99—executive chef of Press
David Schlosser ’98—chef/owner of Shibumi
Alexander Hong ’10—executive chef of Sorrel
Junsoo Bae ’10—chef/owner of SSAL
Stuart Brioza ’98—chef/co-owner of State Bird Provisions
Bloom Tampa Bay declared the new restaurant Lana by Richard Sandoval ’91 a “top contender for the best Mexican food in Tampa Bay.” As a global pioneer in contemporary Latin cuisine, Richard’s culinary empire spans 60 locations across four continents, elevating Latin American dining to new heights.
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Smoke and Donuts, an Orlando restaurant owned by Ian Russel ’09 and wife Juliana Peña was positively reviewed by Orlando Weekly calling it “a sweet and meaty sanctuary steeped in nostalgia.”
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Bici in Ramsey, NJ, led by chef and co-owner Anthony DeVanzo ’96, was named one of the 30 best restaurants in New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly.
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New Leadership
Street Insider reported that The Squire, a full-service bar and restaurant in Long Branch, NJ is now open under the stewardship of GM John Boden ’91. Boden is a sommelier certificate holder from the Sommelier Society of America and had previously worked 29 years as general manager and executive chef of the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York City.
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Summit House, a seasonal American restaurant in New Jersey, welcomes AJ Capella ’10 as the new executive chef as reported by Patch. Capella’s “modern American” style of cooking incorporates global culinary influences while remaining dedicated to best-of-the-best local, seasonal ingredients.
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Chronogram magazine covered the July 15 opening of Union Street Brewing Co. in Hudson, NY, under head chef, Joel Somerstein ’88. Union Street serves an upscale bar food menu featuring fusion small plates designed to be eaten with your hands.
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New Ideas
Nickolas Rizzo and wife Katie Rizzo ’13 are using the Summerlin Takeout ghost kitchen in Las Vegas, NV, to introduce their Italian pickup and delivery business, Tavola, according to NewsNation. Tavola offers a made-to-order menu and a catering menu.
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Bake celebrated the imaginative approach to baking and pastry demonstrated by Faith Morley ’18, of Counter in Charlotte, NC. Her newest themed menu is inspired by American artist Georgia O’Keefe.
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Eater reports on Aditya Sastri’s ’14 hit pastry, the bostock, made from brioche, frangipane, and almonds. But Sastri’s creation also uses leftover croissant dough trimmings that are usually thrown away, along with a more generous helping of frangipane. Sastri is the Head Baker at restaurant and bakery Steel & Rye in Milton, MA.
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