CIA alumni are always cooking up something interesting, and with a network of more than 55,000 strong, there’s never a shortage of highlights!
Awards and Accolades
Tracy Malechek‑Ezekiel ’08 and Arjav Ezekiel of Austin’s Birdie’s were named to the 2025 Time100 Next list under the “Innovators” category, recognized for reimagining the restaurant model with excellence, equity, and joyful hospitality. Grant Achatz ’94, who was recently inducted into CIA’s Alumni Hall of Fame, wrote the article.
Multiple CIA friends and alumni were mentioned for their contributions to our current food culture—including Anthony Bourdain ’78, Rocco DiSpirito ’86, Roy Choi ’98, Andrew Carmellini ’91, Dr. Jessica Harris, and Kwame Onwuachi ’13—in Food & Wine contributors’ retrospective on their top 25 food and culture trends that have shaped the 21st Century so far.
Dean Fearing’s ’78 star on CIA’s Alumni Walk of Fame was covered in The Dallas Morning News. Fearing, known as the “father of Southwestern cuisine,” joined several of his fellow Walk of Fame members at CIA New York for a dedication, which he described as a “coming-together of friends who spent the past few decades cooking all over the country and world.”
In its review of Cento, Cameron Mitchell’s ’86 100th restaurant, The Columbus Dispatch called the Italian concept “beautifully executed and delivered with an abundance of friendly attention” and praised Mitchell’s enduring success. Mitchell was honored this month at CIA’s dedication of the Mitchell Gate and is one of the inaugural inductees into the CIA Alumni Walk of Fame.
Food Innovations
Mary Denham ’12 has created a permanent home for her roving pop-up, Blooms End at Neighboring Fields. According to SFGATE, the bakery is housed in a custom-built wagon on a rural road near Petaluma, CA. Known for her inventive pastries like coffee cardamom monkey bread and poached quince tarts, Denham’s bakery has quickly become one of the Bay Area’s hidden gems.
Ross Hatton ’14, co-owner of Mishmash, shared with the Johns Hopkins Newsletter how his Baltimore-based micro creamery blends Lebanese and Southern flavors through creative small-batch ice cream pop-ups. He also described their passion for hospitality, design, and community engagement, as well as plans to expand with new seasonal flavors and collaborations.
Alumni Taking the Lead
Jeff O’Neill ’92 was appointed executive chef of Goldener Hirsch in Deer Valley, UT. With more than 30 years of experience in world renowned kitchens such as Restaurant Daniel and Le Bernardin, O’Neill will lead the resort’s culinary direction and launch its new signature restaurant opening in November.
Clifford Pleau ’81 is one of several people to join Artistry Restaurants’ newly expanded leadership team as it prepares for continued growth in 2026. Artistry plans further brand expansions and new Oak & Stone openings across Florida and Texas next year.
Kwame Onwuachi Making Waves
Kwame Onwuachi ’13 continues to make headlines:
- Variety reported that Hollywood agency WME will be working with Kwame to adapt his memoir, Notes From A Young Black Chef, into a feature film and to expand his work in film and television.
- His Washington, DC, restaurant, Dōgon, was awarded a prestigious AAA Four Diamond designation, recognizing its exceptional dining experience and culinary artistry, as per Inside Travel Report.
- He is a featured chefs at the new Time Out Market Union Square. Patty Palace will serve Jamaican patties in flavors such as curried chicken, beef, and jerk mushroom, blending New York and Caribbean influences.
- He served as golf chair for the annual City Harvest fundraiser, which brought together top chefs, restaurateurs, and athletes to combat food insecurity in New York City, as Morning Honey reported.