AUSTIN, Minn. – The successful Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program (CEIP), a collaboration between the Foodservice segment of Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) and The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) has announced the 20 chefs who will comprise its seventh CEIP Class of 2024. These chefs represent foodservice operations in both the commercial and non-commercial segments, ranging from multi-unit restaurants to hotels to universities and senior living facilities. Their 12-month journey of culinary excellence will begin April 3, 2023. CEIP is the only professional development program to offer advanced management training specifically designed for skilled chefs.
“The whole CEIP program is about enrichment and innovation. In our previous graduating classes we’ve seen how the participants use the information they’ve learned to better their menus, to challenge their purchasing position and to try to get better products into their establishments,” said David Kamen, director, CIA Consulting Client Engagement and CEIP program director.
The program’s objective is to teach an elite group of professional chefs how to identify, practice, and master the necessary skills for culinary leadership and innovation. Since the inception of the program more that 15 years ago, the educational modules have steadily evolved to reflect changes in the foodservice industry.
“We want to help these chefs see the world a bit differently, so they can bring a broader vision to their organizations, and ultimately the industry at large,” said Annemarie Vaupel, vice president of Foodservice marketing at Hormel Foods. “Through underwriting this program and sponsoring tuition for each of the participants, our company is helping prepare today’s best and brightest chefs for leadership in our industry,” Vaupel said.
CEIP participants gather for three intense days every six months, setting aside their daily responsibilities as senior-level chefs and immersing themselves in lectures, hands-on kitchen work and one-to-one dialogue with fellow chefs and visiting guest lecturers. Consisting of three academic and experiential modules, CEIP covers a range of topics, including contemporary flavors and techniques; health and wellness; leadership and innovation; and menu R&D as a collaboration of culinary arts, consumer behavior, food science and management.
Participants will explore everything from the relationships among the five senses, to principles of modernist cuisine. They’ll also tour a local farm and winery, create food focused on world flavor traditions to better understand its profit potential and explore novel approaches to developing new applications that help differentiate their operation.
The Class of 2024 will attend modules at three of the college’s locations: Napa, CA (Module 1), San Antonio, TX (Module 2) and Hyde Park, NY (Module 3). This will give the class the unique opportunity to experience the seasonal differences in the CIA’s programs across the country.
For more information on the program, please visit www.ceipinfo.com/.
CEIP Class of 2024
| Amalia Moreno-Damgaard | Amalia Latin Gourmet |
| Benjamin Burger | The Philadelphia Cricket Club |
| Brandon Velie | Juniper |
| Dale Schnipke | Chartwells @ UMass Dartmouth |
| Daniel Skay | Centura Health and Manna Restaurant |
| Elijah Pulley | Columbia Yacht Club |
| Garrett Stover | Sunset Manor & Villages |
| Greg Sever | Experience Senior Living |
| Jason Congleton | New Realm Brewing Company |
| John Signorelli | The St. Regis Houston |
| Kyle Lore | Maverik |
| Latresia Hunter | Carney Hospital |
| Lloyd George | 1st Prep |
| Maria Galan | Topgolf |
| Matthew Harding | The Piada Group |
| Matthew Thompson | Harvest Table Culinary Group |
| Nick Jones | Hormel Foods |
| Robbie Nicolaisen | The Hound |
| Ryan Berlin | The Ohio State University – Dept. of Athletics |
| Steve Tiezzi | Martin Brothers Distributing |
About Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, WHOLLY®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com.
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers master’s, bachelor’s, 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. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.
