Want to sample the creations of one of the top 10 pastry chefs in America? Just visit the Apple Pie Bakery Café at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Francisco Migoya, CIA associate professor in baking and pastry arts and executive chef of the Apple Pie Bakery Café, has been named one of the best pastry chefs in America for 2011 by Dessert Professional magazine.

The Apple Pie Bakery Café is one of five public restaurants on the Hyde Park, N.Y., campus, all of which are also classrooms for students pursuing their bachelor's or associate degrees at the CIA. As such, in addition to being the restaurant's executive chef, Migoya teaches the sophomore-level Café Operations course for baking and pastry-arts majors.

By Michael DeJager, ’12, student-body president, JWU

Success in diverse working environments does not come easy. It takes a concerted effort on behalf of all parties to ensure that work flows smoothly. This process takes cultural intelligence, or an awareness and sensitivity to the nuances of cross-cultural communication. When employees have a sense of cultural fluency, communicating and interacting across cultures becomes natural.

Fresh off visits to the “Today” show and “Colbert Report,” Dr. Nathan Myhrvold came to The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) on March 24, where he delivered the baccalaureate graduation address. During commencement exercises, Myhrvold was named an honorary alumnus of the college by CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan, CMC.

While on campus, the former Microsoft executive also gave a presentation attended by 1,000 students in the college's gymnasium and simulcast to classrooms on campus. Myhrvold's 2,400-page Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking is generating the biggest buzz in the food world in years. Ryan was recently quoted in USA Today, calling it "one of the most important cookbooks of all time." Ryan has been in discussions with Myhrvold to consider how knowledge from Modernist Cuisine can be incorporated into the college's curriculum.

Baltimore International College (BIC) welcomes Eric Frauwirth, M.Ed., CHE, as the new dean of culinary and culinary-management programs. Frauwirth has several degrees from Johnson & Wales University, including an associate degree in baking and pastry, a bachelor’s degree in foodservice education, a bachelor’s degree in foodservice management, and a master of education in education computing and technology leadership. He is currently pursuing his doctorate of education degree in educational leadership at Argosy University and has been certified by the American Hotel and Lodging Association as a Certified Hospitality Educator.

Renee Zonka, R.D., CEC, CHE, MBA, has been promoted to dean of the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts. In her new role, Zonka will be responsible for strategic direction of the school’s culinary programs. A registered dietitian, she will also lead Kendall’s nutrition initiative. Zonka replaces Christopher Koetke, who has been named executive director of Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts, adding to his current title of vice president of Laureate International Universities Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts, a position in which he is responsible for the strategic direction of Laureate’s culinary programs worldwide.

Zonka joined Kendall College in 2007 as associate dean of the School of Culinary Arts, and was also named managing director in 2010. Prior to joining Kendall, she served as a lecturer at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and as a chef instructor at the Illinois Institute of Art–Chicago.

“Renee Zonka has been a tremendous asset to Kendall College since she joined us in 2007,” said Karen Gersten, president of Kendall College. “Her dedication to culinary education, strong background in culinary arts and nutrition, and demonstrated leadership make her a perfect fit for this role.”

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi, one of Italy’s leading family-owned wine companies, has chosen Thomas Bohne of Boulder, Colo., as the winner of the 2010 'Tuscany To You' recipe contest. Bohne’s recipe, Lobster, Shrimp with Vanilla Champagne Cream Sauce, beat out hundreds of entries from American home cooks vying for the ultimate epicurean reward: a private dinner for four prepared in the winner’s home by renowned Italian chef Donatella Zampoli.