Charleston Wine + Food Gives 2015 Culinary Legend Award to CIC Program Specialist Marion Sullivan

"Food writer Marion Sullivan, chef Kevin Johnson, bartender Joe Raya and chef Mike Lata today were honored by the Charleston Wine + Food Festival for their contributions to the local culinary community.

"While the annual awards are designed to recognize individuals whose influence is measured in years or decades, Sullivan – recipient of the Laura Hewitt Culinary Legend prize – used her acceptance speech to praise other trailblazers whose work she feared might be forgotten.

“'It is my duty to call out the ones who paved the way,' she said, citing chefs Donald Barickman, Frank Lee and Louis Osteen.
"We have so much to toast today,' said Sullivan, a program specialist at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. 'We’re now facing that teenage decade when anything can happen.'”
Read more here.

Welcome New Hospitality & Tourism Department Chair Nathan Rex

Nathan Rex is a Culinary Institute of Charleston alumnus, holding associate degrees in both Hospitality and Tourism Management and Culinary Arts Technology. After graduating from the CIC, Nathan continued his education at the University of South Carolina where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management. He later earned an MBA with a concentration in Finance from the University of Nevada.

A native of Garden City,South Carolina, Mr. Rex most recently served as the resort manager for the 3,000-room luxury property The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. His hospitality experience also includes positions as the director of front office at the Ravella Resort, assistant executive housekeeper and assistant front desk manager at the MGM Grand, and front office manager at the Platinum Hotel, all in Las Vegas. 

Congrats to CIC Alum Chelsey Conrad!

Congratulations to CIC alum Chelsey Conrad, who is moving up to take over the chef position at Charleston's highly popular Butcher & Bee. Conrad cut her culinary teeth in Chef Frank Lee's kitchen at Slightly North of Broad. She started as a sous chef at Butcher & Bee and was slated to move to Nashville to open a new Butcher & Bee there. When the Bee's chef, Stuart Tracy, announced that he was taking a position in Atlanta, ownership advanced Conrad into the top post. Read the announcement in the Charleston City Paper.