VITAMIX SELECTS CIC FOR PARTICIPATION IN ITS NATIONWIDE CULINARY SCHOOL PROGRAM!

Vitamix announced the program in Chicago at the 2013 National Restaurant Assoc. show last month."Through the Culinary School Program, Vitamix is helping the next generation of professionals develop at the forefront of tomorrow's culinary scene. Since the program's inception in 2012, Vitamix commercial machines have been provided to 150 premier culinary schools located across the United States. Within those schools, Vitamix has committed to offering instructors and more than 52,000 of their students access to the latest innovations in Vitamix commercial blending technology."

Vitamix quoted CIC Culinary Department Chair Michael Carmel in the announcement: "Students can only become the best when working with the best," said Michael Carmel, department head, culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of Charleston. "Thanks to the Vitamix Culinary School Program, our students have the ability to work with the best-performing blender in the industry. Whether it is a beginning class learning to make soups and sauces or an advanced class making mousses and terrines, Vitamix has become the standard bearer for quality and performance with our faculty and students."

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/05/29/4900562/vitamix-unveils-nationwide-culinary.html#storylink=cpy

181 Palmer becomes Fresh on the Menu!

The Culinary Institute of Charleston is proud to announce that 181 Palmer has just become one of the Fresh on the Menu restaurants, a category of Certified South Carolina Grown. The SC Deptartment of Agriculture announce the release of a Fresh on the Menu app yesterday that features the certified restaurants, their chefs, and several of their recipes. Look for 181 Palmer there! It also features a "Roots" category showing South Carolina farms, produce companies, and breweries supplying restaurants. It's free and can be downloaded at www.freshonthemenuapp.com

Chicago Field Trip

Chicago at night

As part of the Maymester Special Topics course on Chicago Street Food, the class took a Chicago Field Trip to taste the real thing. Led by former Chi-town resident Culinary Department Chair Michael Carmel, the trip was a real success!

The class arrives!

Transportation: The L

Had to have a Chicago dog

China Town

Navy Pier

Bel 50 for waffle anything

Maxwell Street for tacos with handmade tortillas

Chef Carmel's CIA Alumni party

Doughnuts all over town: The Doughnut Vault,
Firecakes, and  Glazed and Infused!

Chi-town pizza at Lou Malnati’s 

The Sloppy Goat at The Little Goat Diner

Brunch at The Purple Pig

Great time at the National Restaurant Show

Took in a game

The Spring Farm to Plate Class Trips

The Spring 2013 Farm to Plate class hit the road, going on day trips around the Lowcountry and a three-day field trip to Asheville. There were so many pictures that we combined them in a book.

 

Chef Kevin Mitchell Cooks at Annual Edna Lewis Foundation Dinner

Chefs Darryl Evans, Art Smith, and Kevin Mitchell

Chef Joe Randall; Edna Lewis' sister,Mrs. Ruth Smith; Ms. Lewis' niece, Mrs. Matti Scott;
 Ms. Lewis' cousin, Mr. John  Henry Thurston

Chefs Kevin Mitchell and Todd Richards, Mr. J. Christopher Randall

The Edna Lewis Foundation Inc. hosted its second annual birthday fundraiser to celebrate the birth of Ms. Lewis on Saturday, April 13th at the City Club of Buckhead, Atlanta, Ga. The Edna Lewis Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Foundation was founded on January 15, 2012 and is dedicated to honoring, preserving and nurturing African American’s culinary heritage, culture and to elevate the appreciation of African American culinary excellence. 

Chef Mitchell's Soup

EVENT MENU
Hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Charlie Hatney of the City Club of Buckhead, Atlanta, GA.: Duck confit and dried fruit empanadas with muscadine and pomegranate sauce, salmon blt on brioche, crab and smoked gouda mac and cheese, pickled seafood with jalapenos and radish in a Mason jar.  
Soup prepared by Chef Kevin Mitchell of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, Charleston, SC: Roasted Kabocha Squash and Gala Apple Soup with Cardamom Crème Fraiche and Prosciutto Cracklings.
Appetizer prepared by Chef Todd Richards of The Shed at Glenwood, Atlanta, GA: Lamb Belly with Roasted Garlic "Hummus", Pickled Radishes and Fennel.
Salad prepared by Chef Duane Nutter of Lushlife Restaurant Group, Atlanta, GA: Creole-Cured salmon, Arugula, Frisee, Pecans, Parsnips, Bourbon Vinaigrette and Cornbread Croutons.
Entrée prepared by Chef Darryl Evans of the City Club of Buckhead, Atlanta, GA: Thyme and Rosemary-Crusted Pheasant Breast, Hoppin John Rice Cake with Ramps, Kale and Mustard Greens and a Ragout in an Onion Brûlée with Natural Jus.
Dessert prepared by Chef Jennifer Booker of Your Resident Gourmet, Atlanta, GA: Lemon Chevre Cheesecake, Macerated Wild Berries, Blackberry Sorbet, and Mint Syrup. 

For more details and pics, see: http://amateurgastronomer.com/index/edna-lewis-celebration-dinner/
To learn more about the Foundation, go to: Edna Lewis Foundation

2013 Graduation Luncheon

There was a great crowd for the 2013 Graduation Luncheon. And there was a great menu, too! 

Dean Saboe presented the First Annual Chef William Stacks Award to Cheryl Cote.

Thanks, HSCA Advisors Chef Vagasky and Miss Buzzelli. 

Thanks, Friday Relish Restaurant Culinary and Hospitality classes!

Graduation Luncheon April 12, 2013

MENU
1^st Course

Kurios Farms Crunch Bibb Lettuce, Hydroponic Red Round Tomatoes, Candied Bacon,

and Buttermilk Blue Cheese Dressing
or

Vidalia Onion Soup Gratinée with Wisconsin Gouda & Rye Croutons

2^nd Course

Roast Flounder with Rockefeller Stuffing, Hollandaise, Farro, and Myer Lemon Zest

or

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breast, Prosciutto Frizzle, Spring Vegetable Risotto

3^rd Course

                                         Local Strawberries, Sweet Biscuit, and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

CIC Grad Josh Shea Has Opportunity for Creativity as Food and Beverage Manager of the Charleston Riverdogs

Great feature story today about the innovative food offered at The Charleston RiverDogs stadium, where CIC grad Josh Shea is Food and Beverage Manager! "Shea, 30, came to the RiverDogs in February after a stint working at Tidewater Catering. The Culinary Institute of Charleston graduate jumped right in the vetting process and test kitchen tryouts... 'I love inventing new food ideas,' Shea says."



For the story: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20130410/PC1206/130419997/1017/beer-milkshakes-and-pbj-burgers-oh-my-riverdogs-8217-food-developers-up-to-new-tricks

For a game schedule: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t233
For jobs as cooks or cashiers, see the CIC job board. Josh says that he has already hired several CIC students but there is room for more!

Welcome MUSC Dietetic Interns!

For the last 9 years, MUSC dietetic interns have been coming for a week of culinary hands-on at CIC, co-ordinated on our end by Chef Ben Black. Today Angela Fish is in Chef Barickman's American Regional class, but other classes involved this year have been HOS 128 Culinary Mgt & Human Resources, HOS235 Menu Planning HOS180 French Regional Cuisine, HOS216 International Cuisine, HOS242 Vegetarian and Vegan Cuisine, HOS182 Artisan Breads, HOS183 Plated Desserts, and HOS181 Candies and Confections. 

All of the interns have already earned at least a BS (some with MS) in a nutrition-related field. (Angela has a BS and DPD from Syracuse.) Now they are doing their post-baccalaureate dietetic internship that spans over 1200 hours/10 months. This internship includes hands-on experience in clinical, community, culinary/food service, research, wellness, and other areas of nutrition and dietetics.  Both their didactic nutrition degree and their internship are accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and are required steps, in that order, to sit for the national board exam to be a practicing Registered Dietitian.  

Here's a comment from one of the intern's evaluation sheet. It was sent to Chef Black by MUSC's Dietetic Internship Director, Kelley Martin, MPH, RD, LD.
"I think overall it was a wonderful experience, especially for someone like me who does not have much expertise in the culinary department. I was able to experiment with a variety of different foods and learn about a vast amount of new cooking methods, which will help tremendously when working and relating to patients in the nutrition field. We also talked all week to students about what we are, and what we plan to do as RD’s. So it was a great way to create awareness about our profession and maybe even attempt to close the gap between food and diet!" 

To learn more about the dietetic internship program at MUSC: http://mcintranet.musc.edu/dietintern

CIC Cocktail Dinner for the 2013 Charleston Wine + Food Festival

Chefs Barickman, Smith, and Wilson with CIC students that made it possible in the back of the house

CIC Chefs Stefanelli, Barickman, and Wilson with Guest Chef Bill Smith of Crook's Corner, Chapel Hill.

L-R - Chef Kevin Mitchell, Chef Scott Stefanelli, Mixologist Charlotte Voisey, Chef Bill Smith, Dean Michael Saboe, Chef Donald Barickman, Chef Kelly Wilson, CIC Student Anna Lone, Mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, Chef Michael Carmel, Mixologist Jim Ryan.

The CIC hosted its second annual Cocktail Dinner for the 2013 Charleston Wine + Food Festival on Friday, March1st. Lovely Brand Ambassador Charlotte Voisey and Mixologists Jim Ryan and Tony Abou-Ganim paired cocktails with the hors d'oeuvres and each course featuring The Balvenie Doublewood and Hendrick's Gin.

MENU

PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES AND COCKTAILS
Chef Scott Stefanelli

Hors d’Oeuvres
Grilled Apple and Walnut Focaccia
Dunbarton Blue Pimento Cheese

Crispy Pork Rillettes
Smoked Red Pepper Marmalade

Honey-Cured Salmon Tartar
Toasted Sesame,  Asian Pear, Wonton Chip

Chicken Liver Crostini
Candied Bacon and Grainy Mustard

Cocktails

Bobby Burns

Balmoral Fizz

DINNER AND COCKTAILS

Rustic Blue Crab Soup, Biscuit Croutons
Chef Bill Smith
Cocktail: Sparkling Rose

North Carolina Trout with Diced Vegetables, Fresh Herbs, and Sidemeat
Chef Bill Smith
Cocktail: Birdcage

Double Lamb Chop, Rhubarb-Apple Chutney, Braised Greens with Roasted Turnips and Mepkin Abbey Mushrooms
Chef Donald Barickman
Cocktail: Lowcountry Cup
Brown Butter Cake, Black Pepper and Vanilla Bean Roasted Strawberries, Chocolate Balsamic Reduction

Chef Kelly Wilson
Cocktail: Hendrick’s Alexander