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Top Alumni Stories—March 2016

Twenty-eight CIA grads were nominated for James Beard awards! Nominations were in a variety of categories, from best chef to food journalism. Congrats to all of our nominated grads! #proud2bcia

Grant Achatz 16

Grant Achatz ’94 had two of his restaurants, Alinea and Next, featured on this list of where you should eat in Chicago.

Top Alumni Stories - March 2016 #3

Cameron Mitchell ’86 had a rocky start, but worked his way to the top against all odds. He is now is the CEO of a $250 million restaurant empire.

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Spike Mendelsohn ’05 cooked for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his U.S. visit. The State Department lunch was hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Mendelsohn was also recently named chairman of DC’s Food Policy Council.

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CIA spends about $750,000 a year on seafood and 95% of that seafood supply is from sustainable sources. “When a respected educational institution makes sustainability a centerpiece of its curriculum, it reinforces for new generations of chefs the importance of incorporating sustainable sourcing into decisions about how to build their menus,” says Shela Bowman, manager of culinary and strategic initiatives for Seafood Watch.