Hospitality Net

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., World-renowned chef instructors from Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America depart their traditional classrooms for new exhibitions of teaching talent at this year's International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City.

In the Salon of Culinary Art, two Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America chef instructors will display their captivating displays of "food as art." Chef David Watson, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute Pastry Chef Instructor and last year's gold medalist, will present a masterpiece depicting a fall festival scene made entirely of sugar. The display, measuring more than three feet long and 30 inches high, includes sugar representations of harvest bounty such as corn, pumpkins, mice, chipmunks, scarecrows, apples and pears. Chef Andrea Schrenk, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute Pastry Chef Instructor, will present an Asian-themed intricately handcrafted chocolate pagoda, comprised of paper thin leaves, multicolored marbled orbs and cherry blossoms, with a deity topping the three-foot cake. Combined, these instructors have spent more than eight weeks combined preparing their masterpieces.

"We hope our participation in this event will inspire our students to stay connected to their passion for culinary creation," said Chef Watson. "A successful culinary professional must truly love his or her work and find personal creative satisfaction beyond awards."

Last year, Chef Watson won Best in Show for his all-sugar southwestern themed masterpiece, featuring scorpions, snakes, cactus and skulls made entirely of pulled and blown sugar.

Chef Patrick Martin, vice president of culinary education development, executive chef and international ambassador for the prestigious Paris-based Le Cordon Bleu International, will transform the Demonstration Kitchen into one of his fourth level Le Cordon Bleu classes as he presents innovative ways to demystify classic European dishes.

Chef Michael Ciuffetti, baking and pastry instructor for the Le Cordon Bleu Program at Atlantic Culinary Academy in Dover, New Hampshire, will demonstrate how to prepare a classic Opera Cake, an intensive six layer process he shares with his most talented students.

Chefs Martin and Ciuffetti are two of only seven chefs presenting in the IH/M&RS Demonstration Kitchen, which offers an intensive culinary program featuring both pastry and traditional demonstrations in which each chef prepares a chosen specialty, demonstrates its preparation and offers a tasting of the finished product to the attendees.

"Participating in these demonstrations is a unique experience for our schools and our partnership with Le Cordon Bleu," said Kirk Bachmann, Vice President of Education and Executive Chef for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America. "We have to adapt the traditional teaching methods of Le Cordon Bleu to suit our diverse audience in the United States, many of whom have no formal culinary training but just as much enthusiasm for all things culinary."

"These events allow us to showcase the unique learning experience Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America offers, a perfect blend of classical traditions and modern techniques," said Chef Ciuffetti.

Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America will be exhibiting at Exhibit 1257 (main booth) on Level 3 and Exhibit 7312 on Level 1.

About Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America | Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America is the largest provider of quality culinary arts education. Few institutions possess the distinguished reputation of Le Cordon Bleu, which established its first culinary school in Paris in 1895. Today, Le Cordon Bleu operates schools in London, Tokyo, Ottawa and Sydney in addition to its Paris location, and offers programs in Australia, Mexico and Brazil. In 1999, Le Cordon Bleu partnered with Chicago-based Career Education Corporation, one of the largest providers of private, for-profit post secondary education, to create a dynamic culinary alliance in North America. There are currently 13 schools in the Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America network, offering programs in Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie & Baking, and Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality & Restaurant Management. For more information, please visit www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com/ .

About Career Education Corporation | Career Education Corporation ( www.careered.com/ ) is one of the largest providers of private, for-profit, post secondary education and has a presence in both on-campus and online education. CEC's Colleges, Schools and Universities segment operates more than 80 campuses in the U.S., Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates and offers doctoral degree, master's degree, bachelor's degree, associate degree, and diploma programs in the career-oriented disciplines of business studies, visual communication and design technologies, health education, information technology, and culinary arts. The Online Education Group operates American InterContinental University Online and Colorado Technical University Online and offers a variety of degrees in information technology, business, visual communication, and education. CEC's total student population as of October 31, 2005, was approximately 107,300 students.