Hold onto Your Spellbooks for the Fifth Annual Tri-Wizard Tournament!

Learn About this CIA Competition’s Latest Addition: Hospitality

Author Sarah Rolph ’22/’26 is a Culinary Science major.

Spirits are high in the Student Recreation Center as participants wait eagerly to compete in the fifth annual Tri-Wizard Cup—a fun, fast-paced competition in celebration of culinary and baking and pastry skills. The upper level of the gym is packed full of students with signs ready to cheer on the competition. But this year something is new; the latest addition to this CIA tradition: hospitality skills!

While the culinary and baking contestants get busy making mayo, precisely fabricating a chicken, and rolling out pie dough to weave their perfect latices. There is something new happening across the gym.

Round two of this competition for hospitality students includes skills essential to any service; napkin folding, 3 oz. and 5 oz. wine pours, and tray service. Finishing up, the contestants show off their skills by making a freshly pulled cappuccino and preparing a variety of citrus garnishes.

The final round of this competition takes place in Farquharson Hall, the once Jesuit chapel that is now transformed into our own little Hogwarts. Here, the highly ranked hospitality contestants will showcase their house spirit by greeting guests, table settings for a full banquet, and full beverage service; including water, bread, cocktails, and wine.

Here at the Culinary Institute of America hospitality is basically part of our DNA (as a key component of the food industry), so it’s about time that this was added to the competition. And of course, don’t forget to say hi to Sting on the way out!