"Great American Meals"
Features Fun and Approachable Recipes, Tips, and Instruction
Media Contact:
Stephan Hengst
Director of Communications
845-905-4288
s_hengst@culinary.edu
Hyde Park, NY – Home cooks across the country will get culinary inspiration and
great new recipes throughout 2014, thanks to the new Great American Meals series
from The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and USA WEEKEND. The recipes,
which will run in USA WEEKEND every Sunday and be posted to USAWEEKEND.com,
were created by the expert chefs at the world's premier culinary college. With
a focus on eating better, trying new things, and learning a few new techniques
in the kitchen, these easy-to-understand recipes are supported with culinary
technique videos on USAWEEKEND.com.
The videos are hosted by Chef Bill Briwa of The Culinary Institute of
America. A 1980 graduate of the college, Chef Briwa has been an
instructor at the CIA's California campus
for 17 years, and previously honed his culinary skills working in
famed establishments
like The French Laundry. Before deciding to become a chef, he was
first a
thespian, having studied theater and acting at Bard College in
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY—good news for USAWEEKEND.com visitors. "Chef
Bill" lights
up the videos with his charisma and easygoing personality, and brings
his
culinary talents to the table with fun, inspiring, and
simple-to-follow lessons.
With so many consumers vowing to eat better or lose weight
in the new year, cooking at home is a great way to
make those resolutions stick. Many Americans have lost their connection to the
kitchen—between 1965 and 1995, the amount of time they spent cooking decreased
by 50 percent. Studies have shown that for every 30-minute reduction in cooking
time, there is a corresponding 0.5 increase in body mass index (BMI). It's
notable that countries like France and Italy, where adults spend 19 minutes
more time cooking than their counterparts in the U.S., have far lower rates of
obesity.
"We're not promising that you're going to lose weight by
cooking along with us," explains Chef Briwa. "However,
you will be thinking more about the foods you're preparing and the ingredients
you're selecting, and this helps you make more educated decisions about what
you're cooking for your family."
"We could not think of a more perfect way to get Americans
back into the kitchen," adds Heather Frank, editor-in-chief of USA WEEKEND. "By
partnering with the CIA, we are now able to offer home cooks ideas and
inspiration from the same institution that educated some of the nation's most
well-known figures in the food world. It's important to note that home cooks
will most certainly see some familiar dishes—we're not reinventing American
icons. But by working with the CIA, we hope to help families embrace new
flavors from around the world and combine them with techniques they may already
know to create a new definition of the Great American Meal."
USA WEEKEND is a national weekly magazine distributed
through nearly 800 newspapers in the United States. Awarded for its journalism
and design, USA WEEKEND focuses on social issues, entertainment, health, food,
and travel. USA WEEKEND is a Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) publication.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images
Photo 1: Chef
Bill Briwa of The Culinary Institute of America helps
home cooks to master new culinary techniques each week as part of the
"Great American Meals" series on USA WEEKEND.com. New recipes and
videos from the CIA are posted each Friday. (Photo
credit: USA WEEKEND)
Photo 2: The
January 26 issue of USA WEEKEND features a cover story by the CIA focused on
how the definition of 'American' cuisine has changed over the years. Those influences
are seen in new recipes from The Culinary Institute of America that will change
the way you think about party foods for the Big Game. The story goes live on USA
WEEKEND on Friday, January 24. (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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