Richard Marriott Receives
Honorary Doctorate at Commencement in Namesake Facility
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Hyde Park, NY – To the sound of patriotic music played by a brass band, Richard
Marriott and Culinary Institute of America President Dr. Tim Ryan dedicated the
42,000-square-foot Marriott Pavilion on the
college's Hyde Park, NY campus on Thursday, May 1. Now the largest gathering
place on campus, the facility will host commencement ceremonies, industry
leadership conferences, cultural events, and lectures by luminaries of the food
world.
"The Marriott Pavilion is just what we need to attract the
most influential chefs, scholars, nutrition and food scientists, business
experts, and thought leaders to our campus," Dr. Ryan said. "It will enrich the
CIA student experience and the culinary profession with innovative world-class
programs and events."
The Marriott Pavilion features the 800-seat Ecolab
Auditorium, with two portable kitchens that can be rolled onto the stage for
culinary demonstrations. Flanking the walls of the theater are 31-foot-high
reproductions of "" and "," two paintings by 16th century
artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. The lower level consists of a conference center
with a demonstration kitchen and space to seat 300, either theater-style or, by
erecting temporary walls, in up to six individual classrooms.
The $21 million pavilion was made possible by support from
the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Ecolab, and pledges to the
college's capital campaign.
"This facility is a tribute to the men and women of the
hospitality industry who work so hard to make it successful," said Mr. Marriott,
chairman of the board of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., the real estate
investment sister company of Marriott International. Following the dedication,
he delivered the commencement address at the first baccalaureate degree
graduation held in the building, and was granted an honorary Doctor of Humane
Letters in Culinary Arts degree.
"The world is full of opportunities," Mr. Marriott told 74
recipients of CIA bachelor's degrees in culinary arts management, baking and
pastry arts management, and, for the first time, culinary science. "Your
ability to be successful will depend upon your ability to identify these
opportunities."
Another highlight of the Marriott Pavilion is , a
33-foot-wide, eight-foot-tall, three-dimensional mural that hung in the CBS dining
room from the 1960s through 1980s. The 1,650 individual letters spelling out
culinary expressions and 65 food-related objects that make up this unique
artwork are now on display to the general public for the first time ever. The
brainchild of long-time CBS Art Director Lou Dorfsman, the work is
affectionately known as "Lou's Wall," and the twists and turns of how it found
its way to the CIA have been the subject of recent feature stories by , , and magazine. Check out our virtual tour of the Marriott
Pavilion.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images
Photo 1 (top photo): Dr. Tim
Ryan, president of The Culinary Institute of America, bestows honorary
doctorate degree upon Richard Marriott during commencement ceremonies at the
college's Marriott Pavilion on May 1, 2014. (Photo
credit: Al Nowak/CIA)
Photo 2: Richard
Marriott speaks during the dedication of the Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary
Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY on May 1, 2014. (Photo credit: Al Nowak/CIA)
Photo 3: The
Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary Institute of America. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Photo 4: Students
pack the auditorium for an event in the new Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary
Institute of America. A 31-foot-high reproduction of Guiseppe Arcimboldo's
"Vertumnus" flanks one wall. (Photo
credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Photo 5: The
800-seat Ecolab Auditorium in the CIA's Marriott Pavilion on the college's Hyde
Park, NY campus. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil
Mansfield)
Photo 6: Gastrotypographicalassemblage
is a 33-foot-wide, eight-foot-tall, three-dimensional art installation in the
Marriott Pavilion at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. (Photo credit: CIA/Phil Mansfield)
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent,
not-for-profit college offering associate and bachelor's degrees with majors in
culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, and culinary science, as well as
certificate programs 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 46,000
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 Hyde Park,
NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore.
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