Hyde Park, NY 鈥 The Culinary Institute of America welcomes top chefs and food industry leaders from China to its Hyde Park, NY campus on Thursday, February 14.
The visit is part of an international exchange of ideas called the Food Forward
Forum, with a goal of supporting greater large-scale food sustainability and
healthy cooking practices.
During the visit, the Chinese chefs will learn from CIA faculty about the college鈥檚 Menus of Change庐
initiative, which focuses on making food systems more sustainable and meals
healthier by bringing vegetables and delicious plant-based recipes to the
forefront while having meat protein play more of a supporting role. Making the
forum true exchange, CIA chefs will also learn Chinese culinary techniques from
the visiting delegation.
鈥淭his is an opportunity for our faculty members to broaden
their horizons by both teaching and learning from colleagues from another
culture who have a different culinary style and technique,鈥 says Dr. Michael Sperling,
CIA vice president of academic affairs. 鈥淭his kind of exchange will help expose
American palates to authentic, traditional Chinese cuisines, while sending our
guest chefs home with methods and techniques that are both good for the
environment and the dining public in China.鈥
CIA chefs will demonstrate the preparation of a Western-style
plant-forward menu for the visitors from China. Then chefs from both nations
will enjoy the meal together. Later, the Chinese chefs will provide a cooking
demonstration for their American counterparts.
The CIA visit is part of a two-week tour by select Chinese
culinary leaders to several universities in the Northeast. The chefs began at
Yale University, whose foodservice operations are managed by CIA graduate Rafi Taherian. The CIA is the final collegiate stop, after
visits to the University of Massachusetts, Harvard University, and the
University of Connecticut. The tour ends on February 15 with a visit to
Google鈥檚 New York foodservice operations.
To be part of the Food Forward Forum tour, the Chinese chefs
had to design versions of traditional Lunar New Year dishes that were at least
85 percent plant-based.
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Writer
845-451-1372
Jeff.Levine@culinary.edu
About The Culinary Institute of America:
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 master鈥檚, bachelor鈥檚, and associate degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.
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