Kendall College School of Culinary Arts Instructor Named Regional Chef Educator of the Year
Dina Altieri to compete for American Culinary Federation national title in July
Chicago—April 27, 2011—Dina Altieri, CEC, CCE, of Mount Prospect, Ill., a chef-instructor at Kendall College, received the 2011 American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF) Central Region Chef Educator of the Year award at the 2011 ACF Central Regional Conference in New Orleans, April 17–20.
The 2011 ACF Central Region Chef Educator of the Year award pays tribute to an active culinary educator whose knowledge, skills and expertise have given culinary students leadership and guidance for the future. As this year’s Central Region recipient, Altieri will vie for the national title against three other candidates at the 2011 ACF National Convention in Dallas, July 22-26. Candidates will each give a lecture/demonstration before a panel of judges that will decide the winner.
“Being a chef educator continues to reward me in ways I never thought possible,” says Altieri. “I am honored to be recognized by such dedicated professional chefs, and am grateful for the opportunity to represent the Central Region in this role.”
Altieri was born in New York City and has worked in the foodservice industry for more than 20 years. She graduated as salutatorian from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., in 1991, with an associate degree in occupational studies. She has cooked from coast to coast for multiple restaurants, catering operations and special events, including the James Beard House and the Academy Awards. Altieri worked as sous chef for Fino in Torrance, Calif., and as executive sous chef for Descanso in Hermosa Beach, Calif., before becoming executive chef at More Than A Mouthful, Inc., in Los Angeles.
She entered the education side of the culinary industry in 1997, when she began working as a chef-instructor and department chair at California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena. From there, Altieri went on to serve as associate dean and chef-instructor at New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt. While in Vermont, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Johnson State College in 2007.
Altieri, certified as both an executive chef (CEC) and culinary educator (CCE) by the ACF, has worked as a chef-instructor at Kendall College since 2008. She has successfully coached two student teams to win the Baron H. Galand Culinary Knowledge Bowl in 2007 and 2010, and most recently coached the student team from Kendall that won the 2011 ACF Central Region Knowledge Bowl. Last year, she received Kendall College’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
About Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts
Kendall College, founded in 1934, is located in Chicago, Illinois. Kendall offers undergraduate degrees in business, culinary arts, early childhood education and hospitality management to a diverse and passionate
community of more than 2,500 students. The curriculum combines strong academics with practical experience and international educational opportunities that help give students in business, hospitality and culinary arts programs the skills and expertise to be leaders in their professions. The School of Culinary Arts is one of the leading culinary training programs in the United States. The school offers associate and bachelor’s degrees and certificates in the culinary arts as well as an associate degree and certificate in baking and pastry. The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission has accredited the Culinary Arts associate program since 1988 and the Baking and Pastry associate program since 2008. Kendall College, a member of the Laureate International Universities network, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Media Contacts:
Maria Alexandra Velez, 1-312-752-2088, maria.velez@kendall.edu
Amber Cerda, 312-752-2472, amber.cerda@kendall.edu
