Growing up in Tivoli, NY, the youngest of four children, Tim spent a
lot of time in the kitchen with his mom. As a one-car family, Tim often
accompanied his mom as she drove his dad to work—passing the CIA campus
on the way. “I saw all the chefs in uniform and said ‘that’s what I want
to do,’” Tim recalls. During high school, he spent half the day at
Dutchess County Boces studying in CIA's culinary arts program. After a brief stint in the kitchens at Bard College, Tim was ready to start training at the world’s premier culinary college.
“The
education was outstanding right from the beginning in Fundamentals
class,” Tim says. “It was totally hands-on, which was perfect because I
responded well to that type of learning environment. The curriculum is
so well laid out that you steadily build your skills. Working through
the restaurants on campus teaches you every aspect of the industry. By the time you graduate you’ll have the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful chef.”
Like
nearly all CIA grads Tim had several job offers, all of which came from
the well-attended career fairs hosted on campus during the year. He
chose to work for Host Marriott Services Corporation to gain experience.
At Cuisines Restaurant in Cleveland, OH, the owners took notice of
Tim’s natural ability to train new employees. At Oakwood Country Club in
Cleveland Heights, OH, the kitchen staff loved the way Tim demonstrated
and explained how to do various tasks. “That’s when I started looking
into teaching,” Tim says. He contacted the Ohio Department of Education
and learned that the Lorain County Joint Vocational School in Oberlin
was looking to hire a chef to teach the junior foodservice program.
Hiring
a professional chef to teach at a high school level was part of the
school’s innovative approach to their culinary arts program. “When I got
into education I developed my culinary program using my notes from the
CIA,” explains Tim. “I took bits and pieces from the CIA curriculum and
brought it down to the high school level.” The program proved so
successful that it now has four faculty members—a pastry chef, two
culinary instructors, and a hospitality instructor—and the students run
the Buckeye Room Restaurant, which is open to the public.
To this
day, Tim has a lot of respect for his alma mater. “I believe the
commitment to excellence and professionalism is still at the forefront
of the educational experience offered at the CIA,” he says. “Get as much
as you can from the chefs, the staff,
and the environment—there is a wealth of knowledge available. Volunteer
for every event and get to know as many people on campus as possible.
Those connections will serve you well in the future. The culinary
community is small with CIA alumni spread all over the world. A degree from the CIA will take you as far as you want to go.”