The School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College won the Academy of the Culinary Arts Cordon d’ Or – Gold Ribbon Cooking School of the Year Culinary Academy Award for 2008.
“We are honored and thrilled to be named the top cooking school in the world by this august awards program,” says college President Nivine Megahed, Ph.D. “Preparing and motivating students to become industry leaders has been the cornerstone of Kendall College’s School of Culinary Arts’ unwavering mission since its founding by a core team of culinary visionaries 24 years ago.”
Cordon d’ Or – Gold Ribbon was established in 1985 by Noreen Kinney, who launched the Culinary Academy Awards Program in 2005 to recognize exemplary contributions to the culinary arts from around the globe. Kendall College’s distinction marks the second Cooking School of the Year Award.
“On behalf of the administration of Kendall College, we thank the Culinary Academy Awards committee for this outstanding tribute that would not have been earned without the extreme dedication of our faculty and staff, as well as the passion and enthusiasm of our extraordinary students,” Megahed says.
“Together, we remain committed to discovering best practices and establishing benchmarks in global culinary education so that culinary-training programs everywhere may continue to be inspired in our shared quest for excellence.”
Chef Christopher Koetke, CEC, CCE, dean, will represent Kendall College and its School of Culinary Arts when he joins other award-category honorees at the Culinary Academy Awards Dinner on May 16, 2009, at the Don Cesar Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida, during the Tampa Bay Food & Wine Festival.
“This award from Cordon d’ Or acknowledges the impact of avid, superbly trained graduates of Kendall’s School of Culinary Arts on the U.S. foodservice industry, as well as our pioneering programs that position us as an education leader,” Koetke says.
“Kendall College is grateful to the Academy for recognizing the value of our sole product: graduates prepared to meet employers’ need for qualified personnel.”