Living the Dream! CIA Graduation!

Tradition holds at the CIA-Greystone, that every graduating class gets their name written on the Teaching Kitchen Chalkboard. This time, it was AOS 6's turn to go up on the board!

Congratulations AOS 6! Bill, Rick, Caitlin, Shannon, Tyson, DJ, Denise, Grace, Michael, Jenny, Ed, Britny, Shaylene, Courtney, Chris...........and yours truly! Let's do this.

First things first, AOS 6 met down in the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant for a little Sparkling Toast to the class of May 14, 2010.  Thanks to Mikey Fojtasek for providing the Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs.

Into the Ventura Center we went and lined up for the graduation ceremony. Props go out to Britny Sundin for delivering a stellar student speech that had all of us and all of our family and friends rolling in laughter........and holding back a few tears (not me, I don't cry).  Thanks also go out to Chef Tom Wong for being our faculty representative and further cementing "Monkey's in a Cage" as our class motto.

Thank you President Tim Ryan.  I graciously accept my Culinary Institute of America graduation cordon.

The Mrs. was able to slip into the group photo with her near-chef-jacket-style coat and we all got a last group shot before we set down for the graduation luncheon. Speaking of lunch, we were treated to a delicious 3-course meal prepared by Special Events Executive Chef David Thader.

1st Course: Crab and Avocado Timbale with Red and Yellow Tomato Concasse, Basil Oil, and Micro Greens.

Paired with a Grgich Hills Estate Fume Blanc, 2008, Napa Valley.

Main Course: Dry Aged Beef Strip Loin Steaks with Yukon Gold Potato and Olive Oil Puree, Pickled Cauliflower, Asparagus, and Truffle Butter.

Paired with Rombauer Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Napa Valley.

Dessert Course: Strawberry Rhubarb Tart with Yogurt Sorbet.

Paired with Robert Mondavi Moscato D'Oro, 2008, Napa Valley.

That concludes life at the Culinary Institute of America-Gresystone. I hope it made for some fun reading these past 2 years! I know it for sure made for some fun life experiences and some great friendships and some excess calories and some burns and cuts and some..................anyway, it was great and I am so thankful to have been blessed to have been a part of AOS 6. Good luck to all of you as you pursue the next chapter in your lives! Next stop for me, the real world!