CIA alumni are always cooking up something interesting, and with a network of more than 50,000 strong, there’s never a shortage of highlights!
Openings and New Beginnings
Andrew Carmellini ’91 appeared on CBS Saturday Morning’s “The Dish” to discuss his latest restaurant Café Carmellini and the significance of it being his first namesake opening.
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Eater San Diego reported that Justin Ayoub ’20 will join the new Middle Eastern restaurant, Lelia, scheduled to launch in Summer 2024.
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Chelsey Maschhoff ’13 was profiled following the launch of her new sausage brand, Lottie’s Meats & Provisions. Maschhoff started the new business with her sister in the Denver area in March 2024.
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Lynn Pritchard ’97 relaunched Farm-to-Table restaurant, Table 128, in Des Moines, IA. Pritchard told the Iowa Politics Insider that the relaunch would combine a sleeker, larger location with the same farm-fresh approach.
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Michelle Fried’s ’16 babka pop-up, Juna, was featured as a highly anticipated opening for Summer 2024.
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Chef Kristopher Plummer ’03 joined Atlas Ocean Voyages as a culinary expert guest chef. “Chef Plum” is a three-time Emmy-nominated chef and food show host who is set to sail the high seas on the Atlas’s 2024 Epicurean Expedition.
Tom Branighan ’09 paid homage to classic French fare with opening of MaMou in New Orleans, LA. Branighan puts family and making memorable food above everything else at the restaurant named after his great-grandmother.
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Norman Reola ’93 helped bring the ‘Daddy’s Chicken Shack’ franchise to the East Coast as part of the Esperto Hospitality Group leadership. The group will begin its expansion on the Jersey coast starting in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
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According to Eater New York, Micheal Mina ’89 opened his fanciest steakhouse yet. The prolific West Coast chef and restauranteur opened his first Manhattan restaurant, Bourbon Steak, a homecoming of sorts 35 years after kicking off his career in New York City.
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Accolades and Awards
The Michelin Guide, in its first year in Mexico, awarded two stars to Enrique Olvera’s ’99 Pujol in Mexico City.
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The World’s 50 Best announced Kwame Onwuachi ’13 as a presenter for the #50BestTalks to be held June 4 at the Wynn Las Vegas. The theme of this year’s talks is the “Quest for Culinary Gold”.
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CultureMap Dallas nominated Jonah Friedmann ’15 and RJ Yoakum ’17 for “Chef of the Year” in their 2024 Tastemaker Awards.
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Tony Conte ’92 and Harley Peet ’02 were both nominated for the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic. Both hailing from Maryland, they were nominated for the coveted award alongside chefs from Pennsylvania; Delaware; and Washington, DC.
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The Heat of Competition
Jeremy Intille ’11 was interviewed about his upcoming participation in the Food Network’s Next Baking Master: Paris. The Star Tribune spoke with Intille about his journey and his career goals.
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Kamal Grant ’04 was featured on Fox 5 Atlanta for his upcoming appearance on Gordon Ramsey’s Food Stars on FOX. Grant is the owner of Sublime doughnuts in Atlanta, GA.
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The cuisine of Scott ’11 and April ’14 Franqueza was highlighted in a review of High Hampton Resort in North Carolina’s blue Ridge Mountains. The review praised the couple’s “high-low” mixed menu.
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Making a Difference
Mae Lee Tang-Gilroy ’81 was profiled for her efforts to expand Sebring High School’s exceptional culinary program since joining the staff of the Florida school.
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Interviews and Profiles
Kaleena Bliss ’09 talked with FoodSided about her choice to step back from Top Chef Season 21 for her mental health.
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Eun Joo Kim ’24 was interviewed by The Press Democrat about defecting from North Korea to come to the U.S. where she discovered her passion for cooking and joined CIA.
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Entrepreneur Magazine profiled Thomas Zacharias ’09 on his journey from chef to entrepreneur. Zacharias discussed how founding The Locavore renewed his entrepreneurial spirit.
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Danny Girolomo ’14 discussed his career, work-life balance, and shared a kid-friendly recipe with Sonoma Index-Tribune.
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City Lifestyle Magazine spotlighted Eric Williams ’92 for his fresh, seasonal dining program. The program helped to redefine wellness through food at Bethany Retirement Village.
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Fox5 in Washington, DC interviewed Daniella Senior-Alvarez ’10 about her success as the CEO of Colada Shop after immigrating to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic.
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CIA Board of Trustee member, Maneet Chauhan ’00, discussed authenticity in the industry with the Huffington Post.
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Losa Yi ’00 shared her culinary journey from CIA to New York City with Forbes. Yi talks about the influences and mentors she has had that prepared her way to eventually open her restaurant and showcase her Korean cuisine.
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