CIC Grad Chef Aaron Lemieux's Duck Confit Featured

RUE de JEAN CHEF SERVES UP A VERY FLAVORFUL DUCK TREAT By Angel Powell, Special to The Post and Courier
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Duck Confit, Beech Mushrooms Poached in Garlic Butter with Thyme & Rosemary, Goat Cheese Potato Croquettes & a Concord Grape and Bacon Emulsion Sauce
"For the sake of full disclosure, let me say that I've rarely met a duck that I didn't want to eat. That being said, the duck at Rue de Jean is pretty amazing. Traditionally, you will see duck paired with cherries, but chef Aaron Lemieux has a new take on the dish. Rather than cherries, Lemieux serves his duck with a grape and bacon emulsion sauce that gives it an entirely new and exciting flavor."
To read the rest of the piece, see: http://www.charlestonscene.com/news/2011/aug/24/rue-de-jean-chef-serves-up-a-very-flavorful-duck/ Photo by Angel Powell.

Chef M. Kelly Wilson Joins the CIC Faculty

Please join me in welcoming our new full time faculty member, Chef Kelly Wilson to CIC and the Baking and Pastry Program. Chef Wilson has been an Adjunct Instructor with us for almost five years and has taught Intro to Baking and Pastry, Advanced Baking and Pastry, Plated Desserts, and Frozen Desserts. - Culinary Department Head Michael Carmel

M. Kelly Wilson, Baking and Pastry Chef Instructor M. Kelly Wilson earned a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1996 and a bachelor of arts degree in English with a focus in creative writing in 1998 from the University of South Carolina, where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

In 2002, Wilson graduated summa cum laude with an associate’s degree in baking and pastry from Johnson & Wales University at the Charleston campus. While a student she began her culinary career as a pastry cook at Cypress Lowcountry Grille when the restaurant opened in April 2001. Shortly after graduating, Wilson earned a promotion to pastry chef at Cypress. While working at Cypress, she began her teaching career at the Culinary and Wine Institute at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Two years later, she joined the faculty at CIC as an Adjunct Instructor of baking and pastry.

In 2009, Wilson became a pastry chef at the Kiawah Island Club. She was later promoted to the position of Executive Pastry Chef. Wilson and her desserts have been featured in Food Arts magazine, Charleston Magazine, The Post and Courier, The City Paper, The Cypress Cookbook, and Charleston Classic Desserts.

City Paper Includes 181 Palmer in "The Dish" magazine

The CIC was delighted to find 181 Palmer included in the Charleston City Paper's bi-annual food magazine, The Dish:
"Craving a three-course lunch on an empty wallet? The students at the Culinary Institute of Charleston's 181 Palmer, watched over by Chef Scott Stefanelli, lay down an unbelievable lunch value with food so good it might as well be served at one of our downtown restaurants. Stefanelli sets the menu each semester with the goal of using the best ingredients available and letting his students master techniques like pan-roasting pork, searing fresh sea scallops, and grilling chicken breast from Keegan-Filion Farms. You can follow the menu development via their Twitter feed. The three-course menu lets you choose an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert course for $15 per person. The dining room operates only when school is in session, and you have to make reservations sometimes weeks in advance, so plan ahead. But if you want to see the future chefs of Charleston, they're ready to practice on your palate for half the price. And here's a hint: Find out when the pastry class is, because on those days, you'll get the added bonus of trying their scrumptious petit fours and canapés." Stephanie Barna, Dish (Summer 2011)
Restaurant Details
Let culinary students show you their talents at the Culinary Institute's downtown dining room. Open to the public when school is in session. $15 for three courses. Reservations required.
Features: Online Reservations, Lunch
Hours: L, during school semesters   Price: $$

TTC Hosts National Association of Community College Trustees Dinner at 181 Palmer

CIC culinary students with181Palmer Chef Instructor Scott Stefanelli prepared the dinner, which was served by CIC hospitality students led by Hospitality Instructor Lisa Buzzelli. Pictured left: hors d'oeuves of melon with duck prosciutto. THE MENU:

1st Course: Housemade Mozzarella, Local Arugula Pesto, HeirloomTomatoes, Smoked Aged Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Crouton (Photo right bottom)

2nd Course: Grilled Line-Caught Wild King Salmon, Watermelon Gazpacho,Radish and Scallion Salad

3rd Course: Poele of Keegan-Filion Farms Chicken, Creamer Potatoes, Cipolini Onions, Sautéed Kale, and Roasted Garlic Jus

4th Course: South Carolina Peach and Anson Mills Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake with Sesame-Ginger Ice Cream

Charleston Chapter of Les Dames D'Escoffier Lunch at 181 Palmer

181 Palmer was proud to host a luncheon for the Charleston Chapter of Les Dames D'Escoffier. The following is the report written for the organization's national magazine by LDEI Second Vice President Susan Slack."Charleston Dames and their guests gathered for an elegant April luncheon at 181 Palmer, the dining room at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. Culinary Program Specialist Marion Sullivan and Hospitality Department Head Patricia Agnew hosted the special event with the help of CIC's culinary team. Arriving guests were greeted with exquisite hors d'oeuvres and flutes of champagne. A choice of three seasonal courses followed, expertly cooked and served by well-trained culinary students under the direction of Chef Instructor Scott Stefanelli and Hospitality Instructor Lisa Buzzelli. A large screen video monitor, strategically placed on one wall, allowed diners a behind the scenes look at the kitchen action. The students earned top marks and high praise for their efforts. Guests included CIC student Elizabeth Freer and Art Institute student Junni Lai, both recent recipients of a $1,000 culinary scholarship from the Charleston Chapter."

Photos courtesy of Susan Fuller Slack.