Cincinnati State to host reception, testing for top chefs

May 29, 2009

Top chefs from North America will be meeting at the Midwest Culinary Institute over the next few days.

• On Monday (June 1), 14 chefs from around the country will launch a two-day test of their kitchen skills. The chefs are preparing to take the American Culinary Federation’s grueling Certified Master Chef examination in January, 2010.
  
  Today and over the weekend they will receive their test instructions, plan their meals and order the food items they will require. On Monday, and again on Tuesday, they will have four-hour sessions in the Midwest Culinary Institute kitchens to prepare and serve the meals to the six ACF-certified master chefs who will serve as evaluators. These tests will cover two of the areas likely to be included in the January examination.
  
  This marks one of the few times that such an evaluation has been held outside the Culinary Institute of America complex in upstate New York. Each of the 14 chefs will be assisted by a Midwest Culinary Institute student (or, in one instance, a staff member). One of candidate chefs, Alan Neace, is an MCI faculty member, as is one of the evaluators, Master Chef John Kinsella.
• Meanwhile, more than two dozen French chefs who work in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and elsewhere will visit Cincinnati for the annual gathering of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France -- an event often held in New York City.
  
  Their agenda includes a boat trip on the Ohio River, a visit to Elk Creek Vineyards in Kentucky, and, on Monday, June 1, a reception followed by a gala dinner at the Midwest Culinary Institute featuring a five-course meal prepared (with help from students) by Jean-Robert de Cavel, the recently appointed Chef in Residence at the Midwest Culinary Institute. The French chefs have invited the six chefs serving as evaluators for the ACF examination to join them at the dinner.
  
  “The Maîtres Cuisiniers de France is such a respected association around the world,’’ Chef de Cavel said. “I'm proud they picked Cincinnati for their annual meeting. It's a wonderful way for the area's culinary efforts – from farmers and producers, cooks and chefs - to be shared with them.’’
  
  De Cavel helped bring the meeting to Cincinnati. Himself a member of the organization, de Cavel was born and raised in France and trained there before launching his career in the United States.
  
  “We have had warm responses from Jean-Robert and (his wife) Annette, and a lot of people like those at the European-American Chamber of Commerce who were happy to show Cincinnati and the region,’’ said Jean-Louis Dumonet, president of the North American chapter of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France. “We are looking forward to discovering “new’’ products, producers, local farmers, with whom we could start to work, and share our ideals.’’

Press coverage of Monday’s reception is welcome. The event will be staged at various MCI kitchens on the Clifton campus of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College starting at 6 p.m.

For information the day of the event, please contact Robert White at Cincinnati State at (859) 468-6640 or Amy Hunter at (513) 325-0480.