Student-Curated Exhibit at the CIA
Hyde Park, NY – Over the course of a semester, students in The Culinary Institute of America’s Food History class—part of the college’s Applied Food Studies program—have been researching and curating a museum exhibit for the public. State of Ate: New York’s History Through 8 Ingredients is the result of this semester’s project. Through the use of primary texts, cultural artifacts, and multi-media, the exhibit showcases many aspects related to the relationship between food, history, and cultural expressions.
This exhibit delves into the developing aspects of the history of New York State through the lens of eight ingredients: apples, beef, corn, dairy, oysters, salt, sugar, and wheat. In researching this project, students explored the role of economics and technology in shaping our diet and health and learned how new cultures and peoples impact New York’s foodways and agriculture.
“By looking across food history, we reflect on how we interact with the environment and value preservation, and we better understand our relationship with the rest of the United States and intersecting global networks,” says Dr. Beth Forrest, professor of liberal arts at the CIA.
Students selected artifacts and wrote informative and descriptive text as well as produced audio and visual elements to this exhibit. The exhibit is also part of the on July 18, which begins in the Conrad N. Hilton Library before moving to the American Bounty restaurant on the CIA campus in Hyde Park.
An opening reception will be held on Tuesday, July 23 from 4–5 p.m. in the library. Student curators will be on hand to answer questions regarding the exhibit.
The exhibit will be on display in the Donald and Barbara Tober Exhibit Room in the Hilton Library until December 2019. The hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; and Saturday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images:
Top Photo: The 1959 menu cover from New York City’s Grand Central Oyster Bar is part of the student-curated “State of Ate: New York’s History Through 8 Ingredients” exhibit at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY through December 2019. An opening reception for the exhibit will be held on July 23. (Photo credit: From the CIA Menu Collection)
Photo 2: A menu from the Catskill Mountain House in Palenville, NY from the early 1900s is on display at The Culinary Institute of America as part of the new student-curated “State of Ate: New York’s History Through 8 Ingredients” exhibit. The exhibit runs through December 2019 at the CIA’s Hyde Park, NY campus, with an opening reception on July 23. (Photo credit: From the CIA Menu Collection)
Media Contacts:
Beth Forrest, PhD
Professor
845-451-1767
Beth.Forrest@culinary.edu
Nicole Semenchuk
Library Archives
845-451-1270
Nicole.Semenchuk@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 master’s, bachelor’s, 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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