Sixteen Food and Hospitality Luminaries Honored
HYDE PARK, N.Y., Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sixteen distinguished graduates whose careers have shaped and elevated the global food and hospitality industries have been inducted into the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) Alumni Hall of Hame. Among the group are Iron Chefs, James Beard and World’s 50 Best award-winners, pioneering restaurateurs, authors, educators, and entrepreneurs who built hospitality brands that are recognized around the world. The 2026 CIA Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are:
- David Burke ’82, restaurateur, artist, and philanthropist;
- Anne Burrell ’96, TV personality, chef, author, and teacher, recognized posthumously and represented at the ceremony by her husband Stuart Claxton, along with her mother and sister;
- Mario Carbone ’00, chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur;
- Andrew Carmellini ’91, chef, restaurateur, and author;
- Maneet Chauhan ’00, James Beard award-winning chef, restaurateur, and media personality;
- Michael Cimarusti ’91, James Beard award-winning chef and sustainable seafood advocate;
- Scott Conant ’92, chef, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and media personality;
- Cat Cora ’95, Iron Chef, restaurateur, TV host, author, and philanthropist;
- Mark Erickson, ’77, certified master chef, educator, and former CIA provost;
- Jennifer Jasinski ’89, executive chef and restaurateur;
- Michael Mina ’89, James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur;
- Enrique Olvera Figueras ’99, world-renowned chef and Michelin-starred restaurateur
- Alfred Portale ’81, chef, restaurateur and pioneer of New American cuisine
- Michael Symon ’90, Iron Chef, media personality, and Cleveland’s hometown chef;
- Rich Torrisi ’01, chef, restaurateur, and entrepreneur, and
- Geoffrey Zakarian ’83, Iron Chef, Michelin-starred restaurateur, and television host
“This extraordinary group has influenced how we cook, dine, entertain, and experience hospitality, setting new standards for excellence while inspiring generations of culinary professionals to follow their lead,” said CIA President Michiel Bakker. “It is an absolute privilege to give them a permanent home on our New York campus, where students, families, faculty, staff, and visitors may always be reminded of their remarkable contributions.”
In addition to the hall of fame inductees, the CIA also welcomed Chefs Thomas Keller and Roy Yamaguchi ’76—a 2025 CIA Alumni Hall of Fame inductee—to campus to have spaces dedicated in their honor. For Keller, whose name graces the college’s main entrance gate, it was a celebration of a statue in his likeness set just inside the Keller Gate. Across the campus, the college dedicated the Yamaguchi Family Lanai—a gathering space outside the college’s student commons—in Yamaguchi’s honor.
These dedications were among a variety of other events at the college’s New York campus last week, including the CIA’s Board of Trustees October gathering; annual Run for Your Knives 5K student scholarship Walk/Run; the 36th annual Chili Cook-Off, organized by the CIA Alumni Council; and Family Weekend, which brought more than 1,200 family members and friends of CIA students to campus.
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is dedicated to developing leaders in food, beverage, and hospitality. The independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry arts; bachelor’s degrees with majors in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry Arts, Food Business Management, Hospitality Management, Culinary Science, and Applied Food Studies; and master’s degrees in Culinary Arts, Culinary Therapeutics, Food Business, Sustainable Food Systems, and Wine and Beverage Management. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services are a valuable resource to industry professionals, and its worldwide network of nearly 60,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.
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SOURCE The Culinary Institute of America
