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, Events, and New Beginnings
Aubrey ’13 and Tyler ’14 O’Laskey, who met while studying at CIA, were spotlighted in a Food & Wine article on the Reno, NV, food scene. The couple founded Perenn Bakery in 2018 as a side hustle to their catering business. The bakery became a success and now has three locations.
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Miami’s Community News reported on the opening of Kojin 2.0, a highly anticipated restaurant by chef couple Pedro ’21 and Katherine ’20 Mederos, in Coral Gables, FL. The couple met while at CIA.
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American R&B and soul singer Aaron Neville visited Essie’s Restaurant, owned by CIA graduate Chef Brandon Walker ’01.
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Herald Tribune reported that Paul Mattison ’87 planned to open Mattison’s, an upscale restaurant with a focus on sustainable sourcing, at Sarasota Bradenton Airport.
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Four Seasons Resort in Nevis, West Indies, announced that Rocco DiSpirito ’86 would be performing a three-night residency from November 26–29.
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Richmond Bizsense reported on Yero Rudzinskas’s ’04 plans at the time to openBaltik’s bagels as a quick-service restaurant.
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Best of New Jersey released a list of the “Best French Restaurants in New Jersey,” which included James Laird’s ’90 restaurant, Serenade.
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The Times Herald-Record reviewed six new mid-Hudson restaurants and bars. Among them was Ryan Viator’s ’08 restaurant, Barbue, a Cajun restaurant that recently opened in Eastdale Village.
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Gambit reported that Sophia Petrou and Adolfo Garcia ’15 opened a Korean-style fried chicken restaurant: Chi Chi’s Chicken & Beer.
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In a roundup of local Napa Valley News, The Press Democrat shared the expanded menu of Proper Plates, a vendor at Napa Farmers Market, which added a variety of sourdough toasts with bread made in-house by Gina Gonzales ’20.
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Tuscan Foodie reported that Davis Matias ’00 opened a new restaurant, Victoria Cocina Mexicana, with his family in northern Tuscan, AZ, and shared the menu.
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Bangor Daily News reported that Devin Dearden ’13 and his partner, Hannah Adams, planned to open a restaurant that served American cuisine in Camden, ME. Dearden and Adams noted that although they had not decided on an opening date, the restaurant would be named Winona, after their cat.
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San Antonio Express News reported that High Horse, a Texas barbeque restaurant, named Mara Serna ’10 and Laura Loomis as its pitmasters.
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A roundup of new restaurants in Delaware by Delaware Online included the opening of the fourth location of 322 BBQ and Hill Donut co., founded by David Wiederholt ’97.
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Awards and Accolades
Food & Wine named Geoff Davis’s ’09 Oakland, CA, restaurant, Burdell, best restaurant of the year.
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Multiple syndications reported the Dilly Duck Shop at 666 Main Ave in Norwalk, owned by Russ Zappala ’06 and his mother Phyllis, was named one of the best sandwich shops in the U.S. by Yelp.
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The James Beard Foundation announced the 2024 Fall Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) cohort, which included Caroline Glover ’08 and Sara Quinteros ’12. The program was a ten-week virtual program and extensive curriculum, in which participants worked to refine and articulate their goals and vision for growth.
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The FSR recognized Gabe Kennedy ’10 as one of the top 40 Rising Stars under age 40.
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In a USA Today poll, Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions, owned by Chris Bolyard ’00, was named the third best butcher shop in the United States.
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Lee Rankin ’96 was inducted into the Western North Carolina Hall of Fame for her leadership and expertise in agricultural tourism.
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Worcester Technical High School in Worcester, MA, named Kimberly Youkstetter ’88 “Teacher of the Year.”
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The New York Times released their list of America’s Best Restaurants 2024. Among the best restaurants are Quince, with Chef and Owner Michael Tusk ’89 and Service Manager Neev Behal ’22; L’Orange, with Chef and Owner Joel Stocks ’07 and Chef Nick Duff ’07; and Penny NYC with Chef Joshua Pinsky ’05.
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Interviews and Profiles
Roy Yamaguchi ’76 was interviewed by Travel Writers Radio. In the interview, he discussed how Hawaiian cuisine could develop into its own style utilizing local ingredients.
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Cynthia Chaplin interviewed Lucia Palm ’13 on the Italian Wine Podcast. Palm noted that she first became interested in wine in her mandatory wines course at CIA.
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The Courier & Press reported that Evan Mooney ’11 planned to open a new Latin cuisine restaurant, Sazon Y Fuego, in Newburgh by the end of September.
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Tribeca Citizen interviewed Andrew Carmellini ’91 about the renovations to his restaurant, Locanda Verde. When asked what asked about his culinary journey, Carmellini noted that he attended CIA and studied in Italy after graduating.
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East Bay RI interviewed Cruz Goler ’98 who returned to Bristol to run Judge Roy Bean Saloon. Goler expressed a desire to rebrand the bar while ensuring its roots are respected.
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Great Day Houston interviewed Edy Massih ’15. In the interview, he discussed the release of his new book on Lebanese cuisine, Keep It Zesty.
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Time Magazine interviewed Amar Santana ’02 about his career path from childhood to winning second place in Season 13 of Top Chef. Santana said that winning a full tuition scholarship to CIA was “the American Dream come true.”
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Creative Mornings Charleston shared a talk by Courtney and Michael Zentner ’01 about starting their business, The Drifter, at the height of the pandemic.
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To the Point interviewed Ernesto Delgado ’22, for a segment during Hispanic Heritage Month in which he revealed his plans to open eight restaurants and create greater accessibility to Cesar Chavez Park to increase community involvement.
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Making a Difference
Food & Wine profiled Brandon Chrostowski’s ’01, EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute, a fine-dining restaurant and educational program that trains incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people in culinary, dining, and hospitality. Chrostowski was a 2023 James Beard finalist for outstanding restaurateur.
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Chrostowski ’01 also announced a new initiative to open The Friars’ Table, a monastic-themed restaurant from Cleveland Capuchin Ministries. The restaurant is a collaboration between the Cleveland Capuchin Ministries and Chrostowski’s EDWINS.
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Eyewitness News reported that Charleston, WV, Mayor Amy Goodwin presented Paul Smith ’02 with key to the city of Charleston for his dedication towards efforts that elevated West Virginia’s culinary industry.
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Dreams Do Come True
Multiple sources reported that Oceania Cruises announced the first two members to its culinary advisory board: Sara Moulton ’77 and Kathryn Kelly ’10.
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Chowhound released a list of 13 restaurants in the U.S. with three Michelin stars, which included Grant Achatz’s ’94 Alinea.
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In a look inside the luxury Chatwal Lodge in the Catskills, Forbes listed Karl Ulmer’s ’82 seasonal farm-to-table menus as a reason to visit.
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The Heat of Competition
The Detroit News reported Chef Gabriella Baldwin ’14 would compete on the Food Network Show, Last Bite Hotel, where eight chefs have only 13 ingredients to last their entire stay at a hotel.
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