CIA Alumni Bio
CIA Alumni BioWhat is your favorite dish to create?
Coq au vin with fresh pasta. Combines two of my favorite culinary techniques; braising and making pasta.
Describe a day in your life at your job/business.
My day consists of connecting talented food and beverage professionals with any one of USHG’s businesses. Gauging the level of talent and how to best apply it, and having connected with the businesses to know to a detailed level what their ideal candidate looks like is the general back and forth of my position.
Tell us about a few highlights of your career.
Designing and implementing a beverage training program for Bluegrass Hospitality Group’s then 700 employees is certainly one. Joining the management staff at North End Grill, and contributing major qualitative and quantitative improvements to the bar program is definitely another. Lastly, joining Union Square Hospitality Group’s management team and assuming the role as the primary talent acquisition source for such a renowned company.
Do you have any advice for future or current CIA students?
Know what an open door looks like and seize it. The position made available to you is usually the open door to the position you have your sights set on.
What’s your best memory at the CIA?
So many! The full circle between Chef Pardus’ lessons, and being able to perform to a high level once I got to Chef Eisenhauer‘s class. That, and the life long friendship that were forged throughout my time there.
Jeff Turok majored in culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He is the wine director at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD.