Hyde Park, NY – While a trip to the Final Four is not in their immediate future,
the basketball team at The Culinary Institute of America recently received national recognition from ESPN. The Steels were the
focus of a feature that aired on the network’s flagship program, SportsCenter, on February 23 and 24. Fan
correspondent Reese Waters and a production crew had earlier spent two days on
the CIA’s New York campus to tape “Basketball and Beignets.”
Waters spoke with players, coaches, and fans about the
quirky aspects of fielding athletic teams at the CIA—with long class days and
students leaving for externship or graduating in the middle of a season—while
dispelling myths about cooks and bakers not being athletic and “in shape.” The
segment ran three minutes, and aired several times.
During the ESPN visit, one player working Saturday lunch
service in the American Bounty restaurant on campus had to run to the gym in his chef whites and change into his uniform
to join his teammates who had already begun their warm-up drills for the game.
The Steels—named for the tool chefs use to sharpen their
knives—won their games against Pratt Institute and The Cooper Union while ESPN
was on campus, and finished the season with a 7-8 record. Watch the video >
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
ESPN correspondent Reese Waters with CIA students. The sports network
featured The Culinary Institute of America in a segment that
aired on SportsCenter on February 23 and 24, 2016. (Photo credit: Courtesy ESPN)
View hi-res image >
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier
culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development for the
foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit CIA
offers associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts;
bachelor’s degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food
studies; and executive education through its Food Business School. Its
conferences and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the
food industry in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, world
cuisines & cultures, and professional excellence & innovation. The
college also offers certificate programs and courses for professionals and
enthusiasts. Its worldwide network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every
area of foodservice and hospitality. The CIA has campuses in New York,
California, Texas, and Singapore.
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