May 2026 Issue
Gold Medal Classroom:
The official ezine for CAFE | May 2026 issue
FEATURES:
Culinary Arts: Alchemy or Artistry? Yes to both. Part Two – Moving from paper to the kitchen in recipe ideation is where creative ideas meet culinary skill; where art and alchemy meld.
Reclaiming Baba au Rhum as a contemporary classic. Student inspiration helped Craig Piermarini see the Baba through a renewed frame: a perfect example of thoughtful pastry design and proof that elegance lies in simplicity.
Beef tallow adds umami and savory aroma: The high-smoke-point oil offers a counterpoint to seed oils.
CAFÉ’s summer conferences focus on technology: 20th Annual CAFÉ Leadership Conference and Deans and Directors Retreat held this June at Kendall College in Chicago.
FUTURE THINKING IN EDUCATION:
CHEF PROFILE:
Jim Churches
Senior Executive Corporate Chef
Land O’Lakes
BREAKING NEWS:
CAFÉ Sponsor Spotlights: Meet CAFÉ’s partners and watch short videos describing why companies care and what they will offer you at the June 2026 Leadership Conference.
Online culinary scholarship resources available for high school and undergraduate students.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES FROM THE GMC ARCHIVES:
Teaching modern students an often-underappreciated craft: charcuterie. In an industry with tight margins and differentiation a challenge, creating high-quality, house-made charcuterie isn’t just a culinary skill—it's a valuable business asset.
Fruit’s beauty and versatility across menus: Adding fruit to sweet and savory applications teaches students the benefits of fruit in all its formats.
Bronze die-cut pasta worth the groove: Shaping the perfect pasta from mouthfeel to texture to taste.
Teaching soup building block basics is good for the soul and culinary students’ education: Building students’ confidence by stacking one foundational concept onto the next.