Don’t Overthink It: Getting a Letter of Recommendation for CIA

Everyone approaches the different parts of the college admissions process in their own way. And while some of us find writing a personal essay to be challenging, for others, the most difficult step is asking someone for a letter of recommendation.

We understand that you may not feel comfortable asking someone for a favor. Or you’re stressed about the process and have a hard time relying on others. Whatever your reasons, there are steps you can take that can make this part of the application process much smoother and easier to complete.

Here are tips and advice from members of our CIA Admissions Team about who you can ask, what the letter should cover, and how easy the process can be. If you’re motivated to study at the Culinary Institute of America, then there are people in your life who are equally as motivated to help you succeed.

Who Can Write a Recommendation Letter for CIA Applicants?

The best letters of recommendation will come from people who know you well in a professional capacity. Think about all the people you’ve studied with in school and worked with in jobs—mentors, employers, co-workers, instructors, even your peers. Letters of recommendation carry the most weight if the person knows you well and can write a detailed and sincere recommendation.

Remember: The more personalized a letter is, the more likely it is to make a strong impression on the admissions committee.

For your CIA letter of recommendation, your recommender doesn’t have to be tied to the food industry. It’s more important that they speak to the things that make you a great learner, such as your character, your drive, and your ability to problem-solve. They should be able to speak to your abilities, such as if you’re able to handle high-pressure situations, or if you’re an excellent communicator and team player.

The one group that you cannot ask for a letter is family members. Even if they’ve provided mentorship or you’ve worked directly for them, recommendations from family members carry less weight and are likely to be rejected.

“When you’re choosing who to ask for a letter of recommendation, think about someone who knows you well and has seen how you show up as a student, teammate, or worker. This could be through a personal or professional relationship, as long as they’re someone who knows you well.

They don’t need to be from the food world. What matters most is that they can talk about your tenacity, determination, motivation, organization, and overall passion for what you’re doing. We want to hear from someone who can share why they believe you’ll do well at CIA and make the most of the opportunities here.”

—Christina Ciaccio ’13
Director—Admissions

When and How to Ask Someone for a Letter of Recommendation

You want to be as respectful as possible, which means:

1. The earlier the better
2. Providing lots of detail

First, reach out to your recommender as early as possible before the submission deadline. You don’t want them to feel pressured, but you should also give yourself some time to reach out to them for updates and to ensure that things are moving along. Contact them after a week if you haven’t heard anything, and follow up during the final week if necessary.

As for how to ask, try to reach out to them directly if possible, whether that’s in person or through a phone call. If that’s not possible, send them a polite and well-composed email with your request. Explain that you’re applying to the Culinary Institute of America and would appreciate it if they could write your letter of recommendation. Explain why you chose them—because you respect them, or they know you well, or they’re able to offer a unique perspective.

If they agree, follow up and offer some direction and suggestions about what you’d like them to write about. Some people find writing letters of recommendation to be challenging, but by providing specific details, you can assist them in writing and speed the process along. Important elements include:

• Length of the letter
  • No specific length, but preferably no more than a page
  • Should be enough to convey the student’s interest in and ability to thrive at CIA
    
• The submission deadline
  
• An overview of your goals and superlatives, which could include:
  • Your future aspirations and goals
  • Why you are choosing CIA
  • Specific accomplishments you’d like them to highlight

Be sure to follow up and thank your recommender after they submit the letter; you never know if you might need their assistance again in the future. You could even send them a thank-you note and update them if you get accepted.

Sometimes the unexpected happens, so be sure to keep a backup recommender in mind if your first choice falls through. You want to give yourself (and them) plenty of time, so if your first choice hasn’t sent in their recommendation by the start of the final week, reach out to your backup.

What a Good Letter of Recommendation Should Include

Letters of recommendation provide a different perspective on your personal qualities. While colleges look at your transcripts and work history to determine your academic strengths, and your personal essay informs them about your specific goals, the letter of recommendation offers insights into your personal qualities.

If your recommender is an instructor or supervisor, chances are they’ve written letters of recommendation before and will have a good idea about what to write. However, it’s always helpful to provide them with some guidance on what you want highlighted. Ask your recommender if they will write about a project or job title that highlights an important quality, such as your:

• Leadership skills
• Ability to solve problems
• Eagerness to learn and adapt
• Success in working with others
• Capacity to keep cool under pressure

“Your letter of recommendation doesn’t need to be about food—so don’t stress if you don’t have food-related experience yet. What matters most is that the person writing it can speak to who you are.”

“We’re looking for someone who can talk about your character and work ethic—your drive, determination, reliability, interests, and overall ability. All of that helps us understand what you hope to get out of a CIA education and why you’d be a great fit here, even if their experience with you has nothing to do with a kitchen.”

—Christina Ciaccio ’13
Director—Admissions

How to Easily Submit a Letter of Recommendation

Your recommender has several options on how they could provide their recommendation:

1. You can submit the recommender’s name, email, and phone number through the CIA application portal and we will send them a form to fill out directly.
2. They could email their letter of recommendation directly to [email protected].
3. You could provide the recommender’s phone number through the application portal and an admissions counselor will call them for a verbal recommendation.

How You Can Submit a Résumé Instead

Some schools accept alternatives to a letter of recommendation, and CIA is one of them. Adult learners and transfer students with significant work experience can choose to submit a résumé instead of a letter of recommendation if they feel it’s a better representation of their character and abilities.

If you would like to send us your résumé in place of a letter of recommendation, just be sure to:

1. Revise your résumé so it’s as up-to-date as possible.
2. Write to [email protected] and explain that you’re sending a résumé in place of the letter.
3. Attach your résumé to the email.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you begin the application process, keep yourself accountable and on track by avoiding the following common mistakes.

• Waiting until the last minute: Rushed requests can stress your recommender, lead to weaker letters, or risk missing deadlines. Reach out to them early enough to give them time to write (and you time to follow up).
• Failing to follow up politely: Be proactive in reaching out to your recommender; they probably have other responsibilities taking up their time and attention. Not checking in or confirming submission can lead to last-minute surprises or missing documents.
• Focusing too much on food experience: Your recommendation should highlight traits like your character, work ethic, teamwork, and ability to commit—not just that you enjoy cooking. Use your personal essay as the opportunity to discuss your passion for food; your recommendation is about you as a person.
• Asking someone who doesn’t really know you: Trying to reach out to someone because they’re a name in the food industry, even if they barely know you, will result in a generic letter that is far less impactful than a detailed, personal letter from someone who has seen your growth.
• Not giving your recommenders enough guidance: Make your recommender’s job as easy as possible by providing them with information on your goals, offering them details on the experiences you’d like them to highlight, and providing links to the CIA program you’re applying to.
• Putting too much pressure on yourself: Recommendations are meant to support your application, not act as a judgment on who you are as a person. Ask for help from people who genuinely want to help you succeed, whom you trust and respect, and take comfort in knowing that they want to help you succeed.

Your biggest takeaway is that you shouldn’t feel intimidated by this step. Instead, see it as an opportunity to reconnect with an important figure in your life and share this exciting opportunity with them.

“We’ve heard from many students and applicants who’ve built this step up in their heads and put too much pressure on themselves. Because they think of CIA as prestigious, it’s easy to start worrying that what they’ve done—or haven’t done—especially in terms of food experience, won’t be ‘enough.’ My biggest piece of advice is: try not to overthink it. If you choose someone who knows you well and can speak to your effort, growth, and potential, you’re already setting yourself up for a strong letter. Be thoughtful about who you ask, communicate clearly with them, and trust that what you bring to the table is worth talking about. You’re helping us see the real you—and that’s exactly what we want.”

—Christina Ciaccio ’13
Director—Admissions