Hyde Park, NY 鈥 Dick Cattani, chief executive officer of Restaurant
Associates, delivered the commencement address at the New York campus of The Culinary Institute of
America on December 2. Restaurant Associates is widely considered the nation鈥檚 preeminent
on-site foodservice company and is the provider of dining services at the CIA鈥檚
new student dining venue, The Egg.
鈥淚n whatever you do, strive for the best,鈥 Mr. Cattani told recipients of CIA associate degrees in culinary arts and baking & pastry arts.
鈥淔ocus on progress, not perfection. If you can鈥檛 be the sun, be a moon beam. If
you can鈥檛 be the leader, be the best damn team player in the organization.
Passion should be at the heart of your performance and pride should be at the
core of your service.鈥
In 2002, as chief operating officer for Restaurant
Associates, Mr. Cattani oversaw all foodservice for
the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT鈥攁n operation that involved 150,000
meals a day for 17 days at 15 different venues. He was a 2005 recipient of a
Silver Plate Award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
and, the following year, earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society
for Hospitality and Foodservice Management.
The entire graduation ceremony can be .
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
Dick Cattani, CEO of Restaurant
Associates, speaks to graduates of The Culinary Institute of America at the
college鈥檚 New York campus on December 2, 2016. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world鈥檚 premier
culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and
hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers bachelor鈥檚 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.
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