News

Kendall Announces New Director of Alumni Affairs

Randi J. Bergey has been appointed the new Director of Alumni Affairs at Kendall. Randi recognizes that Kendall alumni are a very valuable resource and looks forward to nurturing lifelong relationships with our graduates. Randi brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership positions within business, education and not-for-profits throughout the Chicago area, most recently as Business Development Manager for Kendall College. Prior to joining Kendall, Randi was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Closet Factory and the founder and President of The Perfect Arrangement, a gift business serving corporations and high-level executives. In addition, she is a board member of the Professional Women's Club of Chicago and is active in the Greater North Michigan Avenue Business Association, serving on their membership committee and as the vice-chair for the annual "Meritage on the Mile" event. She has worked for many years as a Women's Board member and volunteer for The Make A Wish Foundation of Northern Illinois. Randi holds a B.S. in Education from the University of Iowa and has completed graduate coursework at the Keller Graduate School of Management and the National College of Education. Click here to update your Kendall Alumni Profile or contact Randi.

Cirstea Wins Trip in "America's Best Raisin Bread Contest"

Kendall School of Culinary Arts alumna Luminita Cirstea ('08), the co-grand-prize winner in last October's "America's Best Raisin Bread Contest" sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board in Fresno and hosted at the American Institute of Baking (AIB) in Manhattan, Kan., won a tour of California raisin country, wine regions and the San Francisco Bay area in late March. Cirstea was one of 20 finalists competing in artisan and commercial categories. Her winning entry in the artisan category, Raisin Rye Bread, earned her a plaque and medal along with the trip to California with nine of her fellow winners. The tour included Yosemite National Park and visits to Napa Valley and the San Francisco Baking Institute. "I am so looking forward to this trip," Cirstea says. "It will be very educational for me." Cirstea earned a Certificate in Professional Cookery from Kendall's School of Culinary Arts in 2007, and a year later graduated with an AAS in Baking & Pastry. These days, if Cirstea isn't traversing the country taking bread courses, she can often be found in Kendall's baking kitchens preparing for her Certified Baker (CB) exam through the Retail Bakers of America under the tutelage of instructor Melina Kelson-Podolsky, CMB. In early March, Cirstea presented her winning raisin bread at the American Society of Baking's BakingTech 2009 in Chicago. "Winning the co-grand prize in the artisan-bread category was a wonderful surprise and definitely a pleasure, but it honestly never entered my mind that it would happen," Cirstea says. "To share this prize with Chef Lionel Vatinet [LaFarm Bakery, Raleigh, N.C.] was beyond my wildest dreams ... it was an honor! Mainly, I entered the competition for the experience of a wonderful weekend of baking bread and meeting other talented and knowledgeable bakers. "My training at Kendall had everything to do with my success in the competition," Cirstea continues. "The class in artisan bread I took from Chef Kelson during my student years was the foundation. She was there for me with advice and encouragement as I practiced for this competition." Applications to enter the 2009 America's Best Raisin Bread Contest are available at www.LoveYourRaisins.com through August 15. The 2009 contest will be held at the AIB in Manhattan, Kan., in mid-October.

Artist and Culinary Alum Aims to Change the Way We Love

Arianne Vota Smeets earned her AAS degree in Culinary Arts in December, and is well on her way to achieving her dream: to change the ways in which we love-ourselves, others and the world around us-through her art. Last September, Vota Smeets debuted "Aorta Tranformata" in a three-evening multi-sensory event at Kendall College. The exhibit featured a collection of 33 contemporary mixed-media pieces presenting sculpted-clay hearts on canvas, with tasting dishes interpreting select artworks created by four Kendall culinary-arts students. Music accompaniments completed the comprehensive experience. Flourish Studios' Fine Art Gallery, 3020 N. Lincoln Avenue, is hosting Vota Smeets' exhibit through March 31. "Her work exemplifies all that it means to 'flourish,' showing that each and every one of us has the innate ability to live a full, creative and prosperous life," says the studios' founder and owner, Dr. Julia Rahn. Vota Smeets is a former educator of seven years. She designed and led numerous recognized educational initiatives, which culminated in being distinguished as the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club Local Teacher of the Year for Plainfield District 202 in 2007. After making several life changes in the same year involving her health, career, marriage and residence, Smeets began further developing her sculpting skills by working on large-scale, multi-dimensional pieces. Inspired in many directions, she created "Aorta Transformata" while a culinary student at Kendall College. "Kendall has been an important, essential launch pad not only for my art work, but my new life in general," Smeets says. Newly armed with a culinary-arts degree, she plans to open a coffee house and wine bar called VOTA, where she will be able to continue pursuing her artistic career via the kitchen and the canvas. Click here for images of Aorta Transformata, info on Arianne Vota Smeets and an exhibition schedule.

Kendall Alumni Earn Honors at Culinary "Olympics"

Two School of Culinary Arts alumni, both employees of Buffalo, N.Y.-based Delaware North Companies, competed in the 2008 Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA), or International Culinary Exhibition, in Erfurt, Germany, last October. Ambarish Lulay ('03), chef de cuisine at The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, Calif., and Rick Ortiz ('03), executive sous chef for fine dining at Soldier Field in Chicago, competed in the "A" category of the cold-foods competition, which requires chefs to present six appetizers and a platter for eight people, prepared hot but displayed at room temperature, glazed. Lulay earned a silver medal for his entry, and Ortiz won a diploma. The IKA, hosted by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), is commonly known around the world as the Culinary "Olympics," and takes place the same year as the Winter and Summer Olympic Games. More than 30 countries participate in the quadrennial event that launched more than 100 years ago. U.S. teams compete under the auspices of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), which represents the United States in WACS. Lulay and Ortiz were coached by Roland Henin, CMC, Delaware North's corporate chef and chief culinary ambassador. Henin, one of fewer than 70 ACF-certified master chefs in the United States, is a highly regarded culinarian with significant coaching experience at the international level. Delaware North is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States, with revenues exceeding $2 billion annually and 50,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Lulay's platter at the IKA, titled "Tasting of Popular Asian Flavors," featured Peking-style duck galantine, Thai coconut/mushroom terrine with cilantro and spiced vegetable raita and other specialties. His appetizers were based on common Asian street food such as samosas, octopus and quail lollipops. The victory was especially sweet for Lulay. His parents traveled from India and his wife, from their home in Yosemite, to see the president of the German Chefs Association place a medal around the chef's neck. "I'm not here to win a medal," Lulay said earlier in the day. "I'm here to do the best I can." As it turns out, he achieved both. "He's someone to watch out for," says Henin, who first met Lulay when the chef was a student at Kendall College. Lulay later served as a professor in the School of Culinary Arts before joining Delaware North. Ortiz enrolled in Kendall College's culinary-arts program in Evanston, Ill., upon graduating from high school in 2000. While at Kendall, he studied in Marseille and Aix en Provence, France, assisting Master Chef Renee Burgees at his two-star Michelin restaurant, Relias Sante Vectoir. While in France, Ortiz also had the opportunity to work for La Truffle Noir, a high-end catering company. Upon completion of his externship, he received a scholarship for his academic achievement. Following graduation from Kendall, Ortiz immediately went to work at Courtwright's Restaurant in Willow Springs, Ill., where he honed his skills. Ortiz later moved to a number of other kitchens in Chicago, gaining experience and earning more responsibility along the way. He joined the Sportservice team in 2004 as the sous chef. In 2006, he made the transition to executive sous chef for the fine-dining operations. At Soldier Field, Ortiz oversees production for 133 executive suites and 135 VIP all-inclusive skyline suites. In addition, he manages The United Club buffet, which serves 750 guests in a two-hour span. One of Ortiz' recent and notable accomplishments was creating and executing the menu for the Olympic Committee that is considering Chicago for the 2016 Games. Jeremy Jacobs Jr., executive vice president of Delaware North and the force behind the company's campaign to be the most respected culinary company in the world, described the chefs' accomplishments as "phenomenal" after the final awards ceremony in Germany. "You exceeded all of our expectations," Jacobs told the chefs.

Artlip Wins ACF Chef Professionalism Award

Mike Artlip, chair of Kendall College's Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program offered through the School of Culinary Arts, received the Chef Professionalism Award from Windy City Professional Culinarians (WCPC), a chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Inc., at their annual awards banquet on February 9, 2009. WCPC's Chef Professionalism Award recognizes exemplary character and achievement throughout a chef's career. A graduate of Kendall College, Artlip held executive cooking positions in a number of Chicago-area establishments before joining Kendall's faculty in 1987. In addition to overseeing the School of Culinary Arts' forward-looking two-year culinary-arts program, Artlip also manages the Cafe, the student-run restaurant that serves students, faculty and staff of Kendall's four schools housed at the Riverworks campus. Artlip serves as chair of the Culinary School's Faculty Senate, and works with organizations such as Skills USA, Careers for Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) and ProStart, operated by the National Restaurant Association's Educational Foundation, all geared toward helping high-school students achieve fulfilling careers in the foodservice industry. Among the many accolades garnered throughout his career, one of which Artlip is most proud is the Educator of the Year Award for the Central Region, bestowed by the American Culinary Federation in 2007. Like Koetke, Artlip has earned CEC and CCE credentials through ACF. "We are quite proud of Chef Artlip's accomplishments," says Linda Rosner, CEC, CHE, president of Windy City Professional Culinarians and culinary-arts director at Lexington College. "Kendall is the best-known culinary program in greater Chicago, and among the top cooking schools in the nation. I have known Mike for many years, and I have great respect for his intense involvement with students and students' futures." For more information on Windy City Professional Culinarians, visit www.acfwindycitychefs.org.

Kendall Alum Jose Garces Is the Sixth Iron Chef

"The Next Iron Chef" is … Jose Garces! On Nov. 22, Garces, a 1996 graduate of Kendall College's School of Culinary Arts, beat out Jehangir Mehta in a head-to-head battle to take home the world's most coveted culinary title. Garces was selected as the Sixth Iron Chef by existing Iron Chefs Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon, along with series judges Donatella Arpaia (acclaimed restaurateur, food expert and owner of Anthos, Mia Dona and Kefi), Jeffrey Steingarten (food critic, Vogue magazine) and Anya Fernald (sustainable food consultant), who served as judges throughout "The Next Iron Chef." As executive chef and owner of Amada, Tinto, Distrito, Chifa and Village Whiskey in Philadelphia and  executive chef at Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago, Garces has spent years perfecting different cuisines in top-rated restaurants and is now well known for his signature Latin cooking style. Since 2005, the Chicago native has opened six restaurants, authored Latin Evolution (Lake Isle Press, 2008) and won the 2009 "Best Chef Mid-Atlantic" award from the James Beard Foundation. Studying culinary arts at Kendall College was excellent training for a young chef, says Garces. "Lots of discipline, which is kind of the opposite of family cooking. 'A pinch of this, a touch of that' becomes exact measurements that you'd better follow if you want to get it right!" A class assignment became Garces' inspiration for Amada. "Our final project was to create a business plan for a restaurant we would one day like to open, and mine was a modern Spanish tapas bar, which is exactly what I set out to create, years later, in Philadelphia," he says. "I called it Amada, after my grandmother who taught me to cook all those years ago, and opened it in October of 2005. It is a dream come true: full of energy and life-and some really good food-and I'm thankful for the encouragement and vision of my professors and advisers at Kendall." Tune in to "Iron Chef America" on Food Network on Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 8 p.m. CT as Garces represents the Chairman in Kitchen Stadium for his first battle as an Iron Chef. For more information, behind-the-scenes videos and photos, visit: www.foodnetwork.com/nextironchef.

New Website for Kendall Alumni

Kendall College Alumni Association is pleased to announce the launch of our new website The Kendall College Alumni Association serves to enrich the lives of our alumni by providing educational, social and charitable opportunities for our graduates. Within alumni.kendall.edu, you can: Renew old friendships Establish new connections Expand your professional network Learn about upcoming news and events for alumni Make a difference for tomorrow's graduates Your Own Login Reconnecting is the first step. You will need to log-in to access the members only features located in the "Alumni Community" section. Your login has already been created and if we have your email on file, has been emailed to you. Please contact Randi Bergey if you need to find out your Alumni site login. As a graduate, you are already a valuable member of our organization. The next step is to become an active participant in what we hope will be a life-long partnership! We hope you will share your stories and come to the Kendall Alumni web site often!

Kendall College 75th Anniversary Dinner raises over $50,000 for the Kendall College Charitable Trust Scholarship Fund

On April 29, Kendall College hosted Diamond Dreams: Celebrating 75 Years of Kendall College, a dining event benefiting the Kendall College Charitable Trust (KCCT), a not-for-profit organization that provides financial support to Kendall students in need. More than $50,000 was raised at the event for scholarships, which included a donation of $2,000 from the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs Foundation. With Kendall hospitality students on hand to help with event proceedings, the evening started with a welcome reception and silent auction. An ice sculpture adorning the room was crafted by Kendall culinary students, and appetizers and cocktails were prepared by Kendall's alumni chef instructors. The attendees then broke off into three different rooms for private dining experiences with special guest chefs. Desserts were prepared by Kendall baking and pastry students. Guest chefs included Kendall alumni from notable Chicago restaurants, including Jose Garces of Mercat a la Planxa and winner of the Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef;" Christian Eckmann of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises; Bill Kim of UrbanBelly; Timothy R. Cottini of Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba; and Kristine F. Subido of Wave at the W Hotel Chicago. Ryan Pitts of RL Restaurant also participated. Culinary students at Kendall College had the opportunity to support the guest and alumni chefs in the kitchens. The event brought together many leaders from Kendall College's 75-year history including Thomas Kerr, former president; Raymond Geraldson and Penny Brown, former board chairs; Christian DeVos, former dean and trustee; Dr. Karen Gersten, provost and interim president; Dr. Lynn Eramo, former trustee; Ira E. Graham, past board member; David Kipley, current board member and Paula Singer, board chair and president of Laureate Higher Education Group, a division of Kendall's parent company Laureate Education. Click here for more information about the Kendall College Charitable Trust.

Webb and B&P Grads Take the (Anniversary) Cake

When the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) held its 2010 National Leadership Conference at Kendall College in July, pastry chef and instructor Erika Webb wanted to do something extraordinary to celebrate the organization's 65th anniversary. Naturally, she baked a cake. But not alone, and not just any cake. The "cake" that Webb and recent Kendall baking-and-pastry-arts graduates constructed consisted of three tiers of Styrofoam with a base of 3 by 1 feet. The middle tier was just more than 2 by 1 feet, and the top tier was about 18 inches by 1 foot. A 1-foot-plus gumpaste cake topper crowned the "confection." Once completed, the creation, frosted in the official FCCLA colors of red, black and white, was so heavy it had to be transported on a flatbed cart. "We worked on it for nine days," Webb says. "I had never worked on something this large, and we had to account for decorative mishaps due to humidity. But all told, it was a decent first effort. My student helpers-all recent graduates-were really great. They helped with icing the cake, fondant work and gumpaste flowers and designs." But what did the 3,000 FCCLA guests eat at the anniversary celebration at McCormick Place? Webb came to the rescue with pre-sliced sheet cakes. So everyone got to have his or her cake. And eat it, too!