Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Photographs from the 2014 Night in the Valley Wine Dinner and Auction

TTC Night of the Valley Wine Dinner and Auction 2014
Congratulations and thanks to all of the CIC students who cooked and served - and made A Night in the Valley Wine Dinner and Auction such a success! The Trident Technical College Foundation’s 11th annual A Night in the Valley wine dinner and auction, held Friday, Jan. 31, grossed more than $480,000, making it the foundation’s most successful fundraising event ever. The money raised came from sponsorships, ticket sales, silent and live auctions, and a special appeal during the dinner.

Monday, March 17, 2014

CIC grads Jamie Simpson and Ulfet Ralph Support Team USA of 2015 Bocuse d’Or World Cooking Contest


L-R: Chef Jamie Simpson, Chef Ulfet Ralph,
 Chef Kevin Mitchell working on Chef Simpson's
uni dish.

Saturday evening, Chef Farmer Jones' Culinary Vegetable Institute hosted a dinner to fund Team USA's training for the 2015 Bocuse d’Or World Cooking Contest. CIC grad Jamie Simpson is the executive chef for the Culinary Vegetable Institute and Chef Ulfet Ralph recently joined him there. Chef Kevin Mitchell also went up for the weekend. 
For more photos, check out the official Flickr account: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15955344@N00/sets/72157642573522813/
Chef Mitchell assisting Chef Phillip Tessier
 of the Bocuse d'Or Team



Chef Mitchell setting out the 'family meal'
 for chefs and visiting press














The chefs and Farmer Jones

Chef Gavin Kaysen's
Lamb Mosiac




Congrats to CIC Friend Brian Connors

CIC friend and former Chef Instructor Brian Connors just took 9th place in the World Ice Art Championships in Alaska! Owner of Ice Age Ice Sculptures, Connors worked for three days in 30 below weather. 

Post and Courier food writer Hanna Raskin reported that "The Championship sculpture is still on display in the Fairbanks park where it was carved; the event hosts a webcam at icealaska.com for ice sculpture aficionados who want to view the carving without getting cold." Read more in her report - and take a look at the CIC"s new mobile ad at the top of the page. 
http://raskin.postandcourier.com/?p=2474#more-2474 

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Two Boroughs Larder Chef/Owner Josh Keeler Speaks to CIC Students


Chef/owner of Two Boroughs Larder, Josh Keeler spoke to culinary and hospitality students on Thursday about his experiences communicating with staff, guests, and the media. In his talk, Chef Keeler expressed gratitude for his employees and high-profile chef mentors. When underscoring the importance public speaking, writing, and giving interviews, Keeler heeded, "I wish I would have had a class in culinary school that would have taught me what you are learning," as his rise to the spotlight has been a self-taught lesson.


It Takes a Village


Recycling the shells of the 80,000 pounds of oysters eaten at the Charleston Restaurant Association's Lowcountry Oyster Roast is not easy. Thanks to Chef Black and the CIC students that took part.




Artisan Breads Class is Hot!















It's been a fine term in Chef Vagasky's Artisan Breads class! 

Monday, March 3, 2014

CIC Grad Jamie Simpson Gets Props from the Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Simpson serves as the new executive chef for the Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan,Ohio, the educational arm of The Chef's Garden, growers of gourmet restaurant vegetables, and parent company of Veggie U, the nutritional training program for youth....
"Now that he's been promoted to executive chef, his duties have greatly expanded to include guest chef dinners, weddings, small and large dinners for the public, fundraisers for Veggie U and the upcoming Bocuse d'Or Foundation Benefit on March 15. The sold-out event, at $500 a ticket, features a team of eight chefs from restaurants across the country. Chefs from  New York's Per Se, California's French Laundry, in addition to Jonathon Sawyer of Cleveland's The Greenhouse Tavern, will help raise money for Team USA's appearance at the  similarly titled annual competition in France."
For the whole article: http://www.cleveland.com/cooking/index.ssf/2014/03/young_chef_jamie_simpson_now_c.html 

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts, founded and operated by CIC grad Allison Smith, gets NY Mag and NY Daily News kudos!



Congrats to CIC grad Allison Smith! 

Her company, Glazed Gourmet Doughnuts, was named one of America's 100 Best Doughnut Shops by New York Magazine's "Grub Street!"
 "Because a plain doughnut is an essentially perfect canvas on which forward-thinking up-and-comers can apply their own distinct culinary sensibilities, a beloved foodstuff that is begging to be ennobled.
"Happy to do just that are new-school doughnut shops like Glazed in Charleston, Top Pot in Seattle, or the much-celebrated Federal Donuts in Philly. And yet, the gleaming counters of old-school shops will never go out of fashion, either."
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/02/101-amazing-doughnut-shops-around-america.html

The New York Daily News, in an article on Charleston and Columbia, called out Glazed a week later:
"To get a full sense of Charleston’s evolving food scene, treat yourself to a leisurely, calorie-packed walk up the Peninsula/Downtown area’s Upper King St. where practically every other storefront is a recently opened food venue. Start at Glazed (481 King St., glazedgourmet.com), where Allison Smith knocks out a mouth-watering daily assortment of doughnuts in flavors from Maple Bacon to “Irish Car Bomb,” which is filled with homemade Baileys and topped with a Guinness glaze. Get there early, as they often sell out well before closing."
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/great-food-charleston-columbia-s-article-1.1617720 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

CIC Does SEWE

Photo courtesy of 
Jonathan Boncek at The Charleston City Paper


In Charleston, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (http://sewe.com/) is the season's kickoff. Thousands of attendees flood the downtown streets, flocking to the festival's center on Marion Square. The Culinary Institute of Charleston is proud to partner with SEWE. We lend them the Rainbow Row backdrop from TTC's Conference Center, our mobile cooking station, and our very finest showman chef. 

Monday, February 3, 2014

CIC Grad Benjamin Dennis Featured in Post and Courier New Food Section


"Local chef B.J. Dennis, a Daniel Island native who’s staged a series of Gullah/Geechee pop-ups dinners at Butcher & Bee, sent along the following vegetarian recipe for mustard greens. He says that collards, turnip or other greens also may be cooked this way. 'The peanut butter adds a meat flavor, almost umami-like taste. This is a favorite way greens are cooked in the Caribbean and Africa, which is the way I cook true Gullah cuisine.'” 
Here's the recipe:

Canola or any oil of choice, about 2 tablespoons (just enough to glaze pot)
1 small onion, sliced thin/julienned
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
1 small hot pepper minced, seeded or not (depending on heat preference) or 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 cup peanut butter (or more or less to taste)
2 to 3 cups of unsweetened coconut milk
1 bunch local mustard greens, cleaned and chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Put the oil in a pot, then add onions, garlic, ginger and hot pepper. Cook over medium/low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until onions start to soften and aromatics start to cook but not brown.
Stir in peanut butter and cook for another minute. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil, then add mustard greens.
Cover and cook until tender, about 30 to 60 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Note: Cooking time depends on how tender the greens are from your farmer and also depends on how cooked you like your greens.


Friday, January 24, 2014

Check out CIC Friend and The Grocery Chef/Owner Kevin Johnson on The Chew!

Last summer, CIC friend Chef Kevin Johnson hosted an Outstanding in the Field Dinner, which CIC students went out to support. It was filmed by The Chew crew and just aired. Congrats, Chef Johnson! 
http://thegrocerycharleston.com/ 
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1a34gw_the-chew-on-location-outstanding-in-the-field_shortfilms 

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Congrats to CIC Grad Aaron Lemieux

Congrats to CIC grad Aaron Lemieux, who will be moving over from Chef at Holy City Hospitality's Rue de Jean to be Chef at its new resto, Vincent Chicco's. 

The Charleston City Paper says: "Holy City Hospitality has been very busy. The company behind 39 Rue de Jean, Coast, and Virginia's on King is opening three new spots within the month. Tonight, their new Italian restaurant, Vincent Chicco's, opens to the public. Executive Chef Aaron Lemieux says the steakhouse Michael's on the Alley and Victor's Social Club will follow in a couple of weeks."  Read more and see pictures of Vincent Chicco's at: http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/Eat/archives/2014/01/15/vincent-chiccos-opening-tonight

Friday, January 10, 2014

Chef Miles Huff Handed a Thank You

 

Committee member, culinary author, and television personality Nathalie Dupree congratulates Chef Huff on the award given to him at the recent CIC Advisory Committee meeting. Presented by CIC Dean Michael Saboe, it reads: "In appreciation of your many years of support for our high school recruitment efforts." Way to go, Chef Huff!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

CIC Grad Jamie Simpson Shared Pics of Some of His Dishes at the Chef's Garden

Winter Wonderland
CIC grad Jamie Simpson is the chef at The Culinary Vegetable Institute, a part of The Chef's Garden in Milan, Ohio. He says: "The Chef's Garden sends me to restaurants around the county monthly to stàge in the kitchen and strengthen the relationship with the farm. I also run the test kitchen here and am responsible for all culinary related communication with visiting chefs." 

Petite Caesar


Sweet Potato
Pickled Sorrel Stems

Potato 
Exotic Fruits
Tomato Butter and Meatballs

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Ice Carving Featured with Former CIC Instructor Brian Connors


Former CIC Instructor Brian Connors was our ice carving master until he started his own company, Ice Age Sculptures. He was featured on the ABC affiliate in the video below.

Chef Morgan will be teaching ice carving this session on Main. Drop by to check it out.