Hyde Park, NY – The Culinary Institute of America held its annual Leadership Awards event at the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life at
the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on April 28. Celebrity chefs
from around the country joined CEOs, culinary entrepreneurs, and food industry
leaders who were part of a capacity crowd of more than 600. They were all there
to support four icons of New York dining who helped
make New York world-class restaurant scene that it is today, and watch them
receive their Augie Awards™.
Named for French Chef Auguste Escoffier in recognition of his unwavering pursuit of excellence, creativity,
and professionalism, the Augie Awards were created by
the CIA in 2007 to honor members of the food and foodservice business who
exemplify those traits. The four individuals who received the Augie statuettes this year were escorted to the stage
through standing ovations. They each spent their long careers as trailblazers,
entrepreneurs, and mentors:
- Albert Kumin, pastry chef and
educator
- Egidiana Maccioni,
who, with her son Marco, accepted the award on behalf of her husband
restaurateur Sirio Maccioni
- Mimi Sheraton, writer and food critic
- André Soltner, master chef
Dr. Tim Ryan, president of the CIA, opened the evening
with a look at how New York’s dining scene has changed since these legends
began their careers. “I have tremendous personal admiration and affection for
each of our honorees. They have inspired me—and thousands of others—in their
own unique ways, and I am grateful for their example.” He spoke about how New
York became the culinary capital of the world during the heyday of our
honorees, then lead the crowd in a chorus of “New
York, New York.”
The Leadership Awards dinner is a major fund raiser for the
CIA, with proceeds from sponsorships, donations, ticket sales, and an online
auction all contributing to student scholarships. This year, a record amount
topping $1 million was raised. “This was one of the most dramatic and successful
of all of our fund-raising events,” said Dr. Victor Gielisse,
vice president of advancement and business development at the CIA,
“Mimi, Albert, Sirio, and André helped shape our industry during a
time of huge change and growth. Not only are we honored to celebrate
each of them,
but we are excited to share their inspirational stories with our
students.”
Thirty current CIA students were on hand to assist the guest
chefs—including CIA graduates JJ Johnson ’04, Bill Telepan ’87, and Alfred Portale ’81—who prepared hors
d’oeuvre for the opening reception. The students gained inspiration and
perspective from the four honorees, and they also took the stage to thank
everyone for supporting the scholarship fund.
The CIA Leadership Awards are made possible, in part, by the
generous support of platinum sponsor Avocados From Mexico, gold
sponsors Ecolab and The Wonderful Companies, and dozens of other
suppliers to the food and hospitality industries, plus many
individual friends
of the CIA.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images:
Photo 1 (top photo): A capacity crowd attended The Culinary Institute of America’s annual Augie Awards dinner, held April 28 at the American Museum
of Natural History in New York City. The event raises funds for scholarships
and celebrates visionaries of the food and restaurant industry. This year, the
awards were given to New York dining legends Albert Kumin, Sirio Maccioni, Mimi
Sheraton, and André Soltner. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Photo 2: Thirty
students from The Culinary Institute of America attended this year’s Leadership
Awards at the American Museum of Natural History. The event raises scholarship
funds, and the students found many ways to show their gratitude to the 600
industry leaders in attendance. (Photo
credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Photo 3: The theme
for this year’s Augie Awards—a fundraising event for
scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America—was Legends of New
York
Dining. The awards, named for legendary French chef Auguste
Escoffier, were presented to four individuals who shaped the restaurant
industry in New York City and helped make it what it is today:
Albert Kumin, Sirio Maccioni,
Mimi Sheraton, and André Soltner. (Photo credit: CIA)
Media Contact:
Jan Smyth
Marketing Manager
845-451-1457
j_smyth@culinary.edu
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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