The International Culinary Center Announces Culinary Arts Program in California with Inaugural Concentration in Farm-To-Table

CAMPBELL, Calif., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Culinary Center (www.internationalculinarycenter.com) today announced the launch of its first-ever program in farm-to-table culinary education, which uniquely looks at responsible production from small-scale artisans to nationwide producers and distributors. Being held at its Campbell, California campus, the program will encourage aspiring chefs to ask the right questions about the ingredients they rely on daily by providing them with insight into agriculture production and distribution systems, sustainability and food policy. Students will learn as well about selecting product for quality and flavor.

The Farm-to-Table program will take students out of the kitchen and into the fields, as they embark on field trips to local farms, wineries and artisans as well as large-scale producers that supply products across the nation. Destinations on these field trips include: the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium; Paicines Ranch, a 7,600 acre grasslands restoration project and ranch in San Benito County; Ridge Vineyards, a biodynamic winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains; Alba Organic Farm, an incubator training program that helps farmworkers become entrepreneurs; Bolthouse Farm in Salinas, the nation's second largest carrot producer supplying the fresh market, as well as value-added beverages and salad dressings; an industrial dairy operation in Hilmar, in the Central Valley; as well as the Wholesale Produce Market and the Ferry Building Farmers' Market in San Francisco. The field trips provide direct access to market leaders and innovators reflecting the abundance of California; the world's fifth largest supplier of food and agriculture commodities, with an industry more than twice the size of any other state.

"I am very excited to announce the new Farm-to-Table program at The International Culinary Center in California, the most innovative of its kind in America," said Dorothy Cann Hamilton, CEO and founder of The International Culinary Center. "This course is unique in the way it looks at the entirety of farm-to-table and combines immersive kitchen study with in-the-field experience. This will prepare our students not only to be the very best chefs, but also to help them understand and preserve our culinary and farming heritage for future generations."

The "Classic Culinary Arts with a Concentration in Farm-To-Table" program has been created in collaboration with Karen Karp of Karp Resources (www.karpresources.com), leading ambassadors in the national "good food" movement with expertise in sustainability, local food systems and cross-sector collaboration. The curriculum will examine core issues in agriculture, food systems and sustainability, encompassing the range of production systems from niche to organic to commodity farm production, primarily through experiential, practical and hands-on instruction. It will also include guest lectures, demonstrations, and support materials that supplement the world's leading six-month Classic Culinary Arts curriculum taught at The International Culinary Center.

"Our goal with this ground-breaking program is to empower students to ask questions about the food they purchase, eat, and cook in their professional lives," said Karen Karp, president of Karp Resources. "This innovative curriculum is designed to help chefs to understand the entirety of our food system and the economic, social, and environmental impact of the different scales, approaches and range of tastes available in the marketplace today."

By educating and preparing aspiring chefs to work in and out of the kitchen, The International Culinary Center is bringing the "Center" to life. Recent news and events have included:

• In August, the school's New York campus introduced its Farm-to-Table concentration in collaboration with Blue Hill and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and their Farm-Powered Kitchen™ program;
• The California campus has recently launched its Eat Drink Think symposium series, which examines important issues facing the food and drinks industry. The next in the series is a panel discussion on GMO Labeling;
• The appointment of Chef Jose Andres as Dean of Spanish Studies and the unveiling of its new Spanish curriculum, which celebrates both culture and cuisine and takes students on a trip to experience Jose Andres's Spain;
• An agreement with The New School in New York City which enables students to turn their culinary education into a college degree.

The inaugural program in California will start on February 4, 2013. For more information, visit: www.internationalculinarycenter.com/content/farm_to_table_california.  

About The International Culinary Center
The International Culinary Center, founded as The French Culinary Institute by Dorothy Cann Hamilton in 1984, is the world's leading culinary center for education. With campuses in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area and Parma, Italy, The International Culinary Center is a culinary incubator with cutting-edge curriculums, from serious amateur and recreational classes to unmatched six-month career programs, which produce world-class graduates that advance the industry. Its state-of-the-art multimillion dollar kitchens and classrooms provide the very best environment for aspiring chefs and culinary enthusiasts to learn and develop successful careers. The International Culinary Center boasts some of the most world-renowned chefs as its deans including: Jacques Pepin, Jacques Torres, Andre Soltner, Alain Sailhac, David Kinch, Emily Luchetti, Alan Richman, and Cesare Casella, with Jose Andres joining most recently.

In addition to offering its premier culinary education, The International Culinary Center is the leading destination for culinary events, catered and produced exclusively by FCI Catering & Events. The International Culinary Center is home to the Michelin-recommended restaurant L'Ecole in New York City and the Monte Bello Dining Room in California and has published three cookbooks, most recently The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking and the James Beard award-winning books, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine and The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts.

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SOURCE The International Culinary Center