Victor Gielisse Delivers Commencement Address at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
St. Helena, CA 鈥 Victor Gielisse, a long-time administrator at The Culinary Institute of America, was the keynote speaker at graduation ceremonies at the CIA鈥檚 Greystone campus on September 6. Chef Gielisse鈥攐ne of 70 Certified Master Chefs in the United States鈥攊s currently a partner in the college鈥檚 industry consulting division.
鈥淏e true to yourself. Have the confidence to stand up for what you believe, know your voice, and be comfortable in your own skin,鈥 Chef Gielisse told the recipients of associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts. 鈥淚f you do not know who you are and what you stand for, then you will not be able to lead others toward a vision of making a positive impact in our industry. To know how other people behave takes skill and intelligence, but to know yourself takes wisdom.鈥
Chef Gielisse joined the CIA in 1998 and has served as the college鈥檚 vice president of advancement; associate vice president and managing director of CIA Consulting Group; and dean of culinary, baking, and pastry studies. Before coming to the CIA, Gielisse was chef and owner of Actuelle in Dallas, TX and president of the consulting firm CFT/Culinary Fast-Trac and Associates.
The native of the Netherlands is the author of Cuisine Actuelle, In Good Taste: A Contemporary Approach to Cooking and Modern Batch Cookery. Chef Gielisse has chaired the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Competition Committee and is a coach and advisor to ACF Culinary Team USA. He has managed and competed on teams that won the Culinary World Cup and earned gold and silver medals at the Culinary Olympics and Hotelympia.
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
Certified Master Chef Victor Gielisse speaks to graduates of The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone during commencement on September 6, 2019. (Photo credit: Victor M. Samuel/CIA)
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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