Forty-Five Earn
Certificates in Accelerated Wine & Beverage and Accelerated Culinary Arts
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
St. Helena, CA – Peter “Pete” Mondavi, Jr., scion of
one of Napa Valley’s leading winemaking families, was keynote speaker at the
March 27 graduation ceremony for the Accelerated
Wine and Beverage and Accelerated
Culinary Arts certificate programs at The Culinary
Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA.
Mr. Mondavi advised graduates to use their newly
honed skills to help people’s dining experiences become a break from the
fast-paced cell phone world.
“We can’t alter the pace of life here, but we can dedicate
ourselves to making sure that fine food, wine, and beverages are not
the
casualties of that pace, but a way to escape from it,” Mr. Mondavi
told 45 certificate recipients. “Your challenge is to find a way to
bring
America back to the dining table, to show Americans how to remove
their
electronic tethers and enjoy the remarkable cuisine and beverages that
you and
your fellow graduates have learned to prepare and serve.”
Pete Mondavi is the
third-generation co-owner—along with his father Peter Mondavi,
Sr. and brother Marc Mondavi—of St. Helena’s Charles
Krug Peter Mondavi Family Winery and CK Mondavi Winery. His responsibilities include day-to-day
operations such as winemaking, overseeing the vineyards, and directing sales
and marketing for the Charles Krug brand. With Pete’s background in
engineering, the Mondavi family has long been at the
forefront of innovations in the industry. The Mondavis recently completed a $4.5 million solar project to contribute to the
sustainability of the vineyards.
Over the course of the CIA’s eight-month Accelerated Wine
and Beverage Program, students taste more than 1,000 wines in class, take
dozens of field trips, and learn from the college’s expert wine faculty and guest
speakers. Classes focus on wines of the world, sensory analysis, and the
professional business of wine, spirits, and mixology. The Accelerated Culinary
Arts Program is for graduates of college hospitality, restaurant management,
food science, and nutrition/dietetics programs. During their two semesters at
the CIA, students gain the hands-on culinary knowledge and skills to tackle the
“food” side of the industry.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image
Pete Mondavi speaks to graduates
of the CIA's Accelerated Wine and Beverage and Accelerated Culinary Arts
certificate programs at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone on March
27. (Photo credit: Kristen Loken/CIA)
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent,
not-for-profit college offering associate degrees in culinary arts and baking
and pastry arts and bachelor's degree majors in management, culinary science,
and applied food studies, as well as certificates in culinary arts and wine and
beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA provides
thought leadership in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, and
world cuisines & cultures through research and conferences. The CIA has a
network of 48,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Roy
Choi, Cat Cora, Dan Coudreaut, Steve Ells, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The CIA also
offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting
services in support of innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry.
The college has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.
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