Chef A. Olivarez Eisenhauer is a professor of Culinary Arts at CIA in New York, where she currently teaches Global Cuisines of the Mediterranean, Asia, and Americas. These courses offer students immersive, hands-on experience exploring techniques, ingredients, and cultural traditions specific to country and region.
Since joining the CIA faculty in 2002, Olivarez Eisenhauer has taught many courses in the college’s degree programs, including the capstone course for associate degree students in the student-run restaurants. From five years in the American Bounty in New York to opening the CIA Top Table restaurant in Singapore, her teaching is informed by a diverse and accomplished career in professional kitchens, hospitality venues, culinary education, and extensive professional education travel.
Previous industry roles in Manhattan include chef-consultant for Prune restaurant and The Gap-Café; cooking at Savoy and “44” at The Royalton; chef work at Eight Mile Creek, Alley’s End, Serena Bass Catering; independent chef for Restaurant Associates at Carnegie Hall, The U.S. Open, the MET and MET Opera, Great Performances, New York Parties and several private clients; and chef work, by stage, for the iconic Jaques Torres at Le Cirque and Amy’s Bread. She was a member of the opening team for The Blue Door at The Delano Hotel in South Beach, FL, served as special-location chef for fashion photographer Fabrizio Ferri in Pantelleria, Italy, and was a guest chef instructor aboard Oceana Cruises throughout the Mediterranean.
Olivarez Eisenhauer holds a Master of Business Administration in Sustainable Systems from Green Mountain College, a bachelor’s degree in Culinary Education from Empire State College (State University of New York), and a graduate certification from Madeleine Kamman’s School for American Chefs.
For 14 years, Olivarez Eisenhauer served in collaborative governance roles at CIA. Her leadership spanned the Culinary Teacher’s Association, the Faculty Council executive committees, and a four-year tenure as Chair of the Faculty Council. During this time, she co-led the development of CIA’s first Culinary Program Review and created a sustainability committee in co-governance, contributing to the institute’s growth.
She also guided student clubs to collaboratively develop the first sustainability conference and CIA’s first food donation system. Her mentorship of Chefs In Community Service, CIA Slow Food, and Chefs Sustaining Agriculture helps empower students to embrace innovation and drive meaningful change. Beyond campus, Olivarez Eisenhauer donates her teaching to charitable organizations, K-12 schools, and community cooking clubs.
Her extensive educational travel includes teaching, cooking, and sustainable farming observations across Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and Cambodia, as well as throughout the United States—from farms in Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia to the West Coast, Central Plains, and all the way to Maine. As a delegate to Terra Madre, she has deepened her global perspective on food systems and sustainability. Her professional journeys have also taken her through Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. She brings insights from these immersive experiences back to her students, enriching their understanding of global food cultures and sustainable practices.
Building on this global foundation, her active participation in conferences, food hackathons, cultural symposiums, and innovation forums fuels her passion for sharing fresh ideas with the next generation of culinary leaders. Many of her former students are now culinary instructors—a legacy she celebrates as part of the ever-evolving cycle of education.