St. Helena, CA – The Culinary Institute
of America at Greystone hosted its second annual from
April 24–26. The college’s California campus welcomed more than 130
up-and-coming beverage professionals, including many CIA alumni, over the
course of three days. Among were a Certified
Master Chef, Sake Master, Master of Wine, and 17 Master Sommeliers, plus many CIA faculty members.
Author and educator Kevin Zraly served as emcee. “As with last year’s summit, the CIA brought together the most knowledgeable group of wine educators in the United States to share their wine expertise to a truly diverse group of people and the next generation of sommeliers.”
This year’s summit covered several key aspects of the
beverage industry, , new trends in winemaking, understanding the
three-tier distribution system, communicating about wine, deep dives into
regions and varietals, food and wine pairing, and hands-on learning seminars.
New this year, in partnership with The SOMM Journal, the 2016 “Up-and-Comer” Scholarship was awarded
to eight sommeliers, who received an all-expense-paid trip to the CIA Sommelier
Summit, including transportation and two nights hotel stay.
The event wrapped up with a “Through the Generations” session,
tracing the path of American restaurants and their wine programs throughout the
last 50 years. An impressive panel of chefs, restaurateurs, and sommeliers
discussed the hospitality industry and how intertwined the sommelier and chef
relationship truly is.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images:
Photo 1 (top photo): Rajat Parr, Suzanne Chambers, and Jean-Charles Le Bault de la Morinière (from left
to right in front of classroom) were among the renowned presenters at the 2016
CIA Sommelier Summit at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. (Photo credit: Robb McDonough/CIA)
Photo 2: The 2nd
annual CIA Sommelier Summit was held at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
in April 2016. (Photo credit: Robb
McDonough/CIA)
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
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 CIA
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 CIA 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 CIA has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and
Singapore.
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