Chef Annette Tomei is a lecturing instructor of the Food Business School at CIA, where she blends decades of professional kitchen experience with her rich academic background to inspire and educate students. A classically trained chef and culinary tourism specialist, she has designed and led immersive programs that celebrate global food and beverage cultures.
Since 1999, Tomei has been developing and hosting programs that connect audiences to community and culture through what we eat and drink. She created and facilitated online programs for Kitchen Arts & Letters and The 92nd Street Y, curated the Taste & Talk series at The Essex Market in New York City, and served as a contributing editor and columnist for Life of Riley Publishing.
Her tenure with Holland America Line from 2018 to 2023 showcased her talent for blending entertainment with education. She wrote and produced the acclaimed Port to Table on-ship cooking shows and was a host of America’s Test Kitchen at sea, performing live culinary demonstrations for international audiences. She also trained performers and led special projects, including onboard art tours and cultural programming.
Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at top culinary institutions, including The International Culinary Center in New York and CIA at Greystone in California, where she designed bespoke food and beverage educational programs for global corporate clients and coordinated high-profile events like Worlds of Flavor® and its offshoot Worlds of Healthy Flavors.
Tomei holds a master’s degree in Gastronomy from the University of Adelaide and Le Cordon Bleu Australia, a grand diploma in Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute, and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. She also holds certifications as an Italian Wine Scholar and in International Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.
Outside the classroom, she enjoys her ongoing role as the host of the Kitchen Arts & Letters Cookbook Club, experimenting with new recipes with family and friends, and exploring the vibrant food scene of the Hudson Valley and Capital Region.