Austin, MN – The successful
Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program (CEIP), a collaboration between The Culinary
Institute of America (Ѹ) and the Foodservice Division of Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL)
has announced the 16 students who will comprise its CEIP Class of 2016. The students,
who hail from 11 different states, represent foodservice operations in both the
commercial and non-commercial segments ranging from multi-unit restaurants to hotels
to universities to hospitals and senior living. Their 12-month journey of culinary
excellence will begin October 26, 2015. CEIP is the only professional development
program to offer advanced management training specifically designed for skilled
chefs.
Now beginning its fourth session, CEIP received a record number
of applications for the Class of 2016, attesting to both the heightened awareness
and effectiveness of the program. While the minimum requirement for entry into the
program is 10 years of professional experience, each of this year’s chosen chefs
has at least 15 years in the field.
“The whole CEIP program is about enrichment and innovation. In
our previous graduating classes we’ve seen how the participants use
the information
they’ve learned to better their menus, to challenge their purchasing
position, and
to try to get better products into their establishments,” said Dave
Kamen, project manager of Ѹ Consulting and CEIP program director.
The Class of 2016 will attend modules at all three of the college’s
U.S. campuses: St. Helena, CA (Module 1), San
Antonio, TX (Module 2), and Hyde Park, NY (Modules 3). This will give
the class the unique opportunity to experience the seasonal differences in the Ѹ’s
programs across the country.
The program’s objective is to teach an elite group of professional
chefs how to identify, practice, and master the necessary skills for culinary leadership
and innovation. CEIP participants gather for three intense days every six months,
disconnecting from their daily responsibilities as senior-level chefs and immersing
themselves in lectures, homework, hands-on kitchen work and one-to-one dialogue
with fellow chefs and visiting guest lecturers. Consisting of three academic and
experiential modules, CEIP covers a range of topics, including contemporary flavors
and techniques; health and wellness; leadership and innovation; and menu R&D
as a collaboration of culinary arts, consumer behavior, food science and management.
Participants will explore everything from the relationships among the five senses,
to principles of modernist cuisine. They’ll also tour a local farm and winery, create
food focused on world flavor traditions to better understand its profit potential,
and explore novel approaches to developing new applications that help differentiate
their operation.
The educational modules of CEIP were created in 2008 for the
inaugural CEIP class, and have steadily evolved to reflect changes in
the foodservice
industry. Among those attending will be several chefs from colleges
and universities,
including Yale University Assistant Director/Executive Chef David
Kuzma, who recently opened the Yale School of Management hospitality
operation after working on the concept for two years; and Northern
Michigan University’s
Executive Chef – Director NMU Catering and Events and Adjunct
Professor for Hospitality
Management/Culinary Nathan Mileski, who has a diverse
background in hotels, restaurants, country clubs, and now university
dining. Attendees
from the healthcare segment include Tyler Ehlert, regional
executive chef at Mckay Dee Hospital – Intermountain Healthcare,
who maintains high level kitchens and staff in four North Region
hospitals; and
Thomas Smith IV, director of dining services at La Loma Village, who
has applied
his classical training to provide his patrons with a variety of
options that are
creative and consistent. Others in the class include Suleka
Sun-Lindley, executive chef and owner at the Thai Basil Restaurant, who
is a former
interior designer but ultimately found her passion in the kitchen; and
Salvador
Delgado, executive chef at Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, where he has been
working for
the past 24 years.
“We want to help these chefs see the world a bit differently,
so they can bring a broader vision and wider horizons to their organizations, and
ultimately the industry at large,” said Bill Dion, product innovation team leader
for the Foodservice Division of Hormel Foods. The company is a co-founder of the
program and has underwritten the development of the curriculum. It also sponsors
the tuition for each of the participating students. “We feel we’re helping to prepare
today’s best and brightest chefs for leadership in our industry,” Dion said. For
more information on the program and the Class of 2016, please visit .
CEIP Class of 2016
- Tyler Ehlert—Mckay Dee Hospital – Intermountain Healthcare
- Jacqueline Kleis—Pollo Tropical
- Thomas Smith IV—La Loma Village
- John Brazie—The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center
- Salvador Delgado—Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel
- Lamar Moore—Hotel Chicago, Marriott
- Polly Sang—Compass Group USA
- Mark Kowalski—Pennsylvania State University
- David Kuzma—Yale University
- Beth Partenheimer—University of Illinois
- Nathan Mileski—Northern Michigan University
- Matthew Young—Hula Grill Waikiki
- Mario Stanzione—Hollywood Casino at
Penn National Race Course
- Kevin Petroske—Axel’s & Bonefire Restaurants
- Suleka Sun-Lindley—Thai Basil Restaurant
- Christian Rumpler—Walt Disney World
Media Contact:
Stacy Mitchell
Hormel Foodservice
JT Mega
952-929-1370
smitchell@jtmega.com
About Ѹ
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute
of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership
development for the foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit
Ѹ offers associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts; bachelor’s
degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food studies; and executive
education through its Food Business School. Its conferences and consulting services
have made the Ѹ the think tank of the food industry in the areas of health &
wellness, sustainability, world cuisines & cultures, and professional excellence
& innovation. The college also offers certificate programs and courses for professionals
and enthusiasts. Its worldwide network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every
area of foodservice and hospitality. The Ѹ has campuses in New York, California,
Texas, and Singapore.
About Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in
Austin, MN, is a multinational manufacturer and marketer
of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known
and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise,
innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to
bring branded, value-added products to the global marketplace. The company is a
member of the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index, Dow Jones
Sustainability Indexes, Maplecroft Climate Innovation
Indexes, Global 1000 Sustainable Performance Leaders, and was named one of “The
100 Most Trustworthy Companies” by Forbes in 2010. The company enjoys a strong reputation
among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products
highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value. For more information,
visit .
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