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Napa, CA – Chefs across any dining venue will find inspiration in a new series of video recipe demonstrations introduced by The Culinary Institute of America. Presented by the National Watermelon Promotion Board, the free online learning program, Watermelons Add Wow to Your Menus, is available at .

The new program includes five recipes developed and tested by CIA Chef-Instructor Rebecca Peizer, all downloadable and demonstrated in streaming video. These video demos feature adventurous, cutting-edge recipes with watermelon from Southeast Asian, North African, Mediterranean, and other global flavors.

Chef Peizer developed recipes to inspire others to think outside the box when cooking with watermelon. “From juicing to grilling, pickling, and compressing, it was fun to get creative and explore such a wide array of applications with watermelon,” she says. “Watermelon’s crisp, juicy, and refreshing texture; beautiful color; and sweet floral flavor make it a very versatile ingredient that pairs well with many world flavors.”

Among the original recipes created for this new series are:

The video series was produced by the CIA’s Digital Media team, which has won two James Beard Awards for Best Webcast. View the module at .

Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images:

Photo 1: Watermelon Consommé with Scallop Ceviche. (Photo credit: CIA/John Barkley)

Photo 2: Watermelon Carpaccio with Fried Prosciutto and Basil Oil. (Photo credit: CIA/John Barkley)

Photo 3: Watermelon and Ahi Tuna Poke. (Photo credit: CIA/John Barkley)

Media Contact:

Claudia Ramer
Digital Media Manager
707-967-2509
c_ramer@culinary.edu

About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers bachelor’s degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food studies; associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts; and executive education through its Food Business School. The college also offers certificate programs and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of 49,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food business. The CIA has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.

About The National Watermelon Promotion Board
The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), based in Winter Springs, Florida, was established in 1989 as an agricultural promotion group to promote watermelon in the United States and in various markets abroad. Funded through a self-mandated industry assessment paid by more than 1,500 watermelon producers, handlers and importers, NWPB mission is to increase consumer demand for watermelon through promotion, research and education programs. Watermelon, the produce leader in lycopene, is a multivitamin unto itself, with each serving providing an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and a good source of Vitamin B6 with only 80 calories. Watermelon consumption per capita in the United States was an estimated 14.8 pounds in 2015. Watermelon volume in the United States was approximately 4.7 billion pounds in 2015. For additional information, visit .

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