Les Dames d'Escoffier Offers Legends Awards to Women in the Culinary and Hospitality Industry

Les Dames d'Escoffier is offering awards in three categories to provide internships to women in the industry:a week with a major New York state caterer, a week with a Washington state winemaker, or a week with Catering and Conference Services at the Rosewood Crescent Hotel in Dallas. Applicants must have two years of experience and currently be working in the food, beverage or hospitality industries.

Apply at http://tiny.cc/HNyEQ. Applications must be submitted by May 15, 2009.

CIC Students Going to ACF Regional Competition

ACF REGIONAL

COMPETITION
PLATES

Under the leadership of ACF Team Advisor CIC Chef Ward Morgan, the ACF Greater Charleston South Carolina Chapter is fielding a team to the Student Competition at the ACF Regional. The competition will be held at Central Piedmont Community College on Saturday, April 18th and Sunday April 19th.

CIC team members Joe Branton, Jeremy Manley, Jonathan Kaldas and Meri Spalviero have been joined by Arts Institute student Joe DiMaio. See their dessert and salad above.

Scholarships Available Now

The Charleston Hotel and Motel Association and The South Carolina Tourism and Hospitality Educational Foundation will award a total of $3,000 to CIC students through scholarships. Applications must be completed and postmarked by April 11, 2009.

Go to: http://www.goprostart.com/downloads/Application%202009.pdf for an application or see Mrs. Gaynor Mueller, Assistant to Dean Saboe.

CIC Students Mix It Up with Culinary Celebrities at Charleston Food + Wine Festival

CIC students volunteered to work at the 2009 BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival again this year, where top culinary luminaries included Chef and Food Television Network star Bobby Flay and seven of his chefs.

Details to come!

CIC's Own Joe Branton Wins Peoples' Choice Award at Nestles Waters Competition!

March 7th, 2009
Congratulations to CIC student Joe Branton, who brought home the Peoples' Choice Award from the Almost Famous Chef Competition! It was held by Nestles Waters at the Napa Valley branch of the Culinary Institute of America.

In February, Branton won the the Southeastern Regional division competition, which made him eligible to go to the finals. Keeping it true to home, Joe had created a dish of Pork Two Ways with Carolina Gold Risotto and Brussels Sprouts.

Culinary Department Head Michael Carmel and Chef Instructor Scott Stefanelli accompanied Branton to the competition. Thanks to Chef Stefanelli for the pictures above.

CIC Students Create Cocktail for Food + Wine Festival

CIC student Kim Harrigal Pours Moxie's Pomegranate Persuasion
Photo by Alan Hawes of the Post and Courier

Last week, Hospitality Department Head Patricia Agnew challanged CIC students to create a cocktail for the Post & Courier's booth at the upcoming BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival. They rose to the occasion, coming up with a tasty and refreshing "Pomegranate Persuasion." Here's the announcement from the newspaper Friday Moxie section and the recipe.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Meet Moxie
"We usually give away mugs. But today, Saturday and Sunday, we're giving away drinks.Moxie will be wo-manning a booth at the Charleston Food + Wine Festival and handing out Moxie's Pomegranate Persuasion, a delicious libation created for the occasion by the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College."

MOXIE'S POMEGRANATE PERSUASION
1 part white wine (chardonnay recommended)
3 parts lemonade
Splash of pomegranate juice (to taste)
Splashof sparkling water (optional)
Fresh mint garnish
Mix completely, chill well, and serve.
Created by the students of the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College

In a follow up note from Moxie, we were told: "We sincerely appreciate The Culinary Institute of Charleston's creating the drink. I think it was a huge success. Multiple people in attendance said it was the best thing there."

FELC Summit Held at Palmer Campus

The inaugural summit of the Food Educators Learning Community was held from February 22 - 28th at CIC's Palmer Campus. Pictured above left is Chef Mike Lata of FIG restaurant, who taught a Master Class on "The Hog, The Whole Hog, and Nothing but the Hog," using a pastured hog from Keegan-Filion Farms. On Friday, CIC student/Gold Medal BBQ Master Tim Handy (above right) taught a "Southern BBQ Master Class" utilizing this great pork. www.fooded.org

2009 Vintners Dinner Big Success

The annual fundraiser for Trident Technical College is the Vintners Dinner, a five-course black tie dinner for 500 guests prepared and served by the students and instructors of the Culinary Institute of Charleston. It is always a highlight of the CIC's year!

Food + Wine Festival "Friends" Diner Held at 181 Palmer

On February 19th, The BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival donor group, the "Friends of the Festival," enjoyed a four course dinner created by a cadre of Charleston's top chefs, who were assisted in the kitchen by Culinary Institute of Charleston students. Host Mickey Bakst, General Manager of Charleston Grill, also received CIC student assistance in the front of the house.

Chef Frank Lee, Southern Maverick Kitchens: hors d'oeuvres
Chef Ken Vedrinski, Trattoria Lucca: Crudo of Local Black Fish, Tangerine Agromato, Jalapeno
Chef Michelle Weaver, Charleston Grill: Nantucket Bay Scallops, Mango, Serrano Ham Crisps
Chef Mike Lata, FIG: Pancetta-Wrapped Wild Stripped Bass, Mushroom Ragout, Soft Polenta
Chef Brett McKee, Tuscan Rubbed Chateaubriand, Truffled Demi-Glace, Root Vegetables
CIC Instructor Melissa Fritz: Chocolate Kir Royal Mascarpone Creme de Cassis Mousse

CIC Grad Matt Veit Featured in "Vegas Golfer" Magazine

Matt, Executive Chef of the Anthem Country Club in Las Vegas, was featured in the January issue of "Vegas Golfer" magazine. The article is titled "Delicious and Diverse: Chef Matt Veit's Ever-Changing Menu Boasts Dishes for Everyone at Anthem Country Club."

Quotes from the story include:
"Hard work and a desire to hone his skills propelled Matt Veit to the top at Anthem Country Club. The 29-year-old became the private golf club's executive chef last February and continues to raise the bar for excellence in the kitchen."

"Although Anthem is Veit's first country club setting, he has a lengthy resume from which to draw. The executive chef started cooking at 15 and never looked back. He attended culinary school in South Carolina and moved to Las Vegas to look for new opportunities, after having spent time as a personal chef on a yacht and a kitchen manager at several restaurants in Charleston, S.C."

The magazine also features Veit's recipe for Roasted Salmon with Wilted Swiss Chard, Fingerling Potatoes and Meyer Lemon and Cilantro Vinaigrette.

http://www.vegasgolfer.com/toc.html

Farmer Lee Jones of The Chef's Garden Comes to CIC

<Tristan's Chef Aaron Deal and The Chef's Garden co-owner and farmer, Lee Jones, held a demonstration and discussion at the Culinary Institute of Charleston’s Palmer Campus Demonstration Kitchen on Tuesday, January 20th. Farmer Jones discussed the principles behind sustainable agriculture from earth to plate, and Chef Deal demonstrated his contemporary approaches using The Chef’s Garden produce.

Farmer Nutures The Chef's Garden

Teresa Taylor, Food Editor The Post and Courier, Jan. 28th

"Over the past week, Jones was engaged with chef Aaron Deal of Tristan restaurant in an unusual collaboration. Last Tuesday at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, he and Deal launched a road tour, Jones talking about his family's "The Chef's Garden" farm, the chef cooking its vegetables. Traveling north, they were headed to three more cooking schools and the James Beard House in New York City, where they put on a dinner Tuesday night."
Link to Post and Courier story:
http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/jan/28/farmer_nurtures_chefs_garden69713/

CIC Students Participate in Post & Courier Pizza Survey

EYES ON THE PIES: TWO PIZZAS RIZE TO THE TOP IN OUR PUBLIC SURVEY
By Teresa Taylor
The Post and Courier Wednesday, January 28, 2009

"Like the Arizona Cardinals, you can't kick frozen pizzas around anymore.
Over the past decade, they've bulked up with better ingredients that make them real competitors against pizzeria pies. ...
"With Super Bowl eating in mind, we asked the public and students at the Culinary Institute of Charleston to tell us their favorite frozen pizza: brand, crust, toppings and why.
"Admittedly, it was a small sampling, but a champ and a runner-up emerged.
No. 1: DiGiorno's Rising Crust Supreme. With 19% of the vote, it was the clear-cut favorite of both the public and students.
No. 2: Palermo's Primo Thin Crust Grilled Chicken Caesar or Margherita.
Also, honorable mentions go to Kashi Mediterranean Pizza and California Pizza Kitchen Four Cheese."
"'I think that it is the closest pizza to delivery, without the wait or the price.' — Julie Jackson, a student at the Culinary Institute of Charleston, about DiGiorno's Supreme.
Link to the story at: http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/jan/28/good_frozen69715/

Rave Review on Vintners Dinner

CHARLESTON CHOW

Thoughts and Opinions on Charleston Area Restaurants by a Seasoned Restaurant Critic

By cookbook author and former Post & Courier restaurant critic, Holly Herrick

Sunday, January 25, 2009

One Hundred Percent Technically Correct
When Johnson & Wales packed its bags and headed to Charlotte a few years ago, many predicted that Charleston's restaurant scene would falter in the absence of the culinary and hospitality school giant. While the loss was both massive and preventable, Trident Technical College has seriously stepped up to the challenge plate to fill in any potential culinary training gaps in greater Charleston. Indeed, on Friday night, the school, its students and its faculty proved itself to be a world-class culinary tour de force with its "A Night in the Valley" fund-raiser.

I attended the event and was immediately wowed by the facility before the evening got underway. Champagne and appetizers flowed from a series of ultra-modern, commanding cooking laboratories that made Le Cordon Bleu, Paris facility (at least when I attended 15 years ago) look seriously small and antiquated. Students, clad in their chef's togs and wearing broad smiles, served graciously and pridefully. It was wonderful to see how much joy and pride they took in their work, for this the school's biggest annual fund-raiser. Most people don't realize that many culinary students choose the profession after already pursuing another career. They go to culinary school because they want to, not because mom and dad say they have to. They go because they have a hunger to understand the fundamentals of cooking and from the looks and taste of things, they're getting it here, in spades.

After cocktails, dinner was served to a packed house. The tables were impeccably dressed with linens and more wine glasses than I could count. Students stood at the ready to serve, and then came a remarkable stream of Italian inspired goodies, starting with spanking fresh bread baked in-house that very morning. A sweet/tart eggplant caponata starter was balanced with the mellow counterpoints of grilled radicchio. Next, a thin-as-air flutter of ravioli stuffed to the brim with fresh lobster and crab; a delicate seafood reduction sauce was the luscious complement. I had to leave before the entree and dessert were served, but ponder the decadence of a center cut grilled veal chop with a porcini sauce, spinach aioli and a risotto cake followed by a milk chocolate hazelnut pave with popcorn ice cream. All the well-paired wines served with the dinner were imported from Italy, to boot. Everything I tasted and everything I experienced on this fine evening was without fault and fully enjoyable.

Pulling off a meal of this complexity served to this large of a crowd (550 warm bodies!) with this much positive energy and panache, is no small feat and is not one that happens by chance. It happens with the teamwork, knowledge and skill of the school's staff and the radiance and pride and talent it evokes in its students. Charleston is lucky to have Trident Technical College and I was lucky to have a chance to attend this remarkable event. Next time I'll stay for dessert!

Trident Technical College, Main Campus700 Rivers Avenue, N. Charleston(843) 574-6111

Posted by Holly Herrick at 8:40 AM

Chef Mitchell Leads Gullah Culinary Preservation Project

CIC Chef Instructor Kevin Mitchell joined Gullah Cuisine restaurant Chef/Owner Charlotte Jenkins at CIC's Palmer Campus in late December and early January to test a collection of Chef Jenkins' Gullah recipes soon to be published in a cookbook on Gullah culinary heritage. As evidenced in the picture above of some of Chef Jenkins' dishes, the testing was very successful!

Food + Wine Festival Poster Party at CIC Palmer Campus

CIC Dean Michael Saboe accepts the BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival scholarship check from Festival Board Chairman Laura Hewitt and Board member and BB&T representative Randy Byerly.

L to R: Cru Catering and Granville's cook in the teaching kitchens at CIC's Palmer Campus.