James Bickmore-Hutt has risen quickly within the ranks at Dole because, he believes, the CIA鈥檚 Culinary Science degree program helped make him a valuable asset. The marriage of scientific and culinary knowledge is much in demand in the industry right now and James sees the program鈥檚 graduates as having the ability to go into just about any segment of the food world. His own rise at Dole began with a 12-month fellowship in which he was working for the corporate chef. But after six months of James proving his knowledge and working hard, he was asked to take over that position himself. Proof, he says, of the CIA鈥檚 ability to prepare its students at a very high level to enter the industry and be successful.
鈥淭he scientific process that you learn in this degree is second to none. You get very well prepared in the program here.鈥