Faculty: Research and Education

Chef Shirley Cheng

Chef Shirley Cheng, a native of China, has been a Professor of Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America since 1990. With over twenty-seven years experience of teaching Asian cuisines, she is the CIA's expert in this area. She graduated from the Culinary Institute of Sichuan, China in 1979 and taught for eight years there. She received a masters of science from Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island in 1990. In 1996 she was awarded CIA Faculty of the Year. She has also judged several Master Chef Exams.

Chef Cheng's MRFDI sponsored research focuses on the spices and flavor profiles of China's Sichuan province. Her current project involves:

• ethnographic studies documenting production and usage of Huajiao ("Sichuan pepper corn") in Chengdu
• sensory evaluation of Huajiao, and acceptance of traditional Sichuan dishes, amongst American consumers

Chef Almir Da Fonseca

Chef Almir Da Fonseca is a Professor of Culinary Arts at the Greystone Campus in Saint Helena CA. He teaches classes in degree and continuing education programs in Mediterranean, American regional, and Latin American cuisines. He travels extensively in South America, documenting indigenous ingredients and traditional culinary techniques.

Chef Da Fonseca is currently involved with 2 MRFDI sponsored research projects:

1. An ethnographic study surveying of the cuisines of Northeastern and Southeastern Brazil
2. Consumer behavior study exploring the effects of menu design on fruit and vegetable consumption

Chef Da Fonseca is a native of Brazil, who studied marine biology at the Liceu De Humanidades De Campos-Rio De Janeiro, and culinary arts at the Senace Trade School in Rio, Le Cordon International site. After traveling and researching the foods of South America he relocated to Northern California. He has owned and operated restaurants, catering operations, and has served as corporate chef for Compass Group and Delaware North, Corporate Executive Chef for Marconi Conference Center. Chef DaFonseca has also helped establish a culinary program at a San Francisco high school, participates in food competitions, and has written a food column. He is a frequent presenter at international culinary conferences and summits. His insights on culinary techniques and traditional cuisines, are highly sought and he is often cited in industry journals and mainstream media.

Chef Elizabeth Johnson-Kossick

Elizabeth Johnson-Kossick is a Latin Cuisines Specialist for the Culinary Institute of America at San Antonio where she teaches, conducts research, and produces multi-media tools for the Center for Foods of the Americas, which houses a Latin Archive. Prior to joining the CIA Elizabeth founded Organica Latina, an All-Natural and Organic food line featuring products from interior Latin America and was the Culinary Director of Culinaria in New Orleans, LA. She has worked and studied under such talented chefs as Donald Link, Margarita de Salinas, and Maria Dolores Yzábal. Chef Kossick specializes in the foodways of Latin America and is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, Florida International University School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Le Cordon Blue, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Elizabeth's research focuses on culinary ethnography of Latin American cuisines.

Chef Robert Jörin, CMB, CEPC, CCE, CHE

Chef instructor Jörin is Team Leader for the Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate Program at The CIA’s Greystone Campus, where he teaches courses ranging from fundamentals of baking and pastry to advanced techniques. He is a leading contributor to the CIA’s international studies programs, teaching baking techniques in Japan, Vietnam, and China, and is a regular presenter at The CIA's conferences and leadership retreats. Chef Jörin has run and operated upscale pastry kitchens in Switzerland and California. In 1999 he was part of the three-member USA team that won the prestigious Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in France, and he has since served as a judge at a variety international competitions. Chef Jorin's extensive international teaching and industry experience gives him a unique and valuable perspective on the application of traditional techniques in the modern global food market. His current research program focuses on the sensory and functional properties of fats and oils in traditional baked goods, and the development of alternative strategies for reducing trans fats.

Chef David Kamen, PCIII/CEC, CCE, CHE

David Kamen is project manager for CIA Consulting, part of The Culinary Institute of America's Continuing Education Division. Chef Kamen is responsible for the planning and management of custom projects for professional foodservice operations. CIA Consulting tailors programs for the foodservice industry in research & development, flavor exploration, product testing and development, supplier and operator relations, and training and certification. Before assuming his current position, Chef Kamen was a professor in culinary arts. He taught Culinary Skills Development, Seafood Identification and Fabrication, Meat Identification and Fabrication, and Breakfast Cookery in the college’s degree programs and various courses for industry professionals through the CIA's Continuing Education Department. His research is focused on the effects of salts on the sensory and nutritional properties of foods.

Chef Thomas Kief, CHE, Professor in Culinary Arts

Thomas Kief ('78) is a professor in culinary arts at The CIA, and is currently teaching Cuisines of the Americas in the college's degree programs. His course explores the cooking techniques, ingredients, and flavor profiles representative of the cuisines of the United States, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean while discussing the historical and cultural influences that have shaped these cuisines. Chef Kief's students prepare and serve traditional regional dishes for fellow students and faculty.

Chef Kief has taught in The American Bounty and Escoffier Restaurants, two fine dining restaurants on the CIA campus; senior-level Advanced Cooking; Culinary Skills Development, Garde Manger, Lunch Cookery, Breakfast Cookery, International Cuisines, Seafood Cookery, and Culinary Skills for Bakers.

Chef Kief holds an associate degree in liberal arts from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Science in finance and marketing from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. He is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE).

Chef Kief earned a first prize at the New York Food Show in 1990 and he was a member of the CIA faculty team which won the coveted Marc Sarrazin Cup at the 1996 Salon of Culinary Arts in New York City.

His research interests are focused on documentation of Latin cuisines. He is currently developing a new production kitchen at the Hyde Park campus to be named Cuisines of Latin America.

Professor Lisa Klein Pearo, PhD

Professor Lisa Klein Pearo, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University. Dr. Klein Pearo received her D.B.A. in Marketing from the Harvard School of Business Administration, and a Bachelors of Arts from Yale University. She has authored many papers in peer reviewed journals on marketing and consumer behavior in multi-unit food service operations. Professor Klein Pearo is a CIA adjunct faculty teaching the MenuMasters online course, "Applications of Marketing and Consumer Behavior in Menu Research and Development".

Professor Chris Loss, PhD

Professor Chris Loss, PhD, is the Director of Menu Research and Development, at The Culinary Institute of America. Professor Loss received his culinary degree from The Culinary Institute of America in 1993, and Bachelors ('96), and PhD ('06) in Food Science from Cornell University, with concentrations in Microbiology and Nutrition. He teaches the MenuMasters online Course, "Food Science and Technology Applications for Menu Research and Development", as well as Introduction to Gastronomy and Food Safety, as part of the A.O.S, degree program. His research program focuses on culinary strategies for reducing sodium in foods with a focus on herbs and spices, effects of nutritional information in the food service environment on consumer behavior, and development and evaluation of sustainable culinary practices.

Associate Professor Francisco J. Migoya

Francisco J. Migoya is presently an Associate Professor at the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York, teaching at the Apple Pie Bakery-Café, where students are exposed to real life café operations where up to 3000 customers are served each day. Migoya has worked at the CIA since April of 2005, and was fortunate enough be selected by his peers and superiors as the Faculty Member of the Year for 2007. He is the author of Frozen Desserts, The Modern Café, nominated for a James beard Award, and he has completed a third book titled The Elements of Dessert, due for publication April 2012.

He was named one of the Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America in 2011 by Dessert Professional Magazine.

His position previous to working at the CIA was as Executive Pastry Chef for The French Laundry, Bouchon Bakery, and Bouchon Bistro. Migoya has also worked at a number of upscale restaurants in New York City such as Veritas, Ilo, and The River Cafe. At Veritas and The River Cafe he was the head pastry chef. At Ilo (now closed) he was the Pastry sous-chef.

His current research interests include leveraging textures and aromas in the pastry kitchen for developing innovative flavors and healthy dairy based desserts, and Innovations in chocolate confections.

Chef Mark D. Thomas

Chef Thomas is founder and President of M.D.T. LTD, an Atlanta based consulting group that provides global R&D strategies for restaurant operators, food service suppliers, and food and beverage manufacturers. He's an adjunct faculty for CIA teaching MenuMasters online courses, "The Culinary Art of Menu Research and Development" and "Operational Strategies for Menu Research and Development". Chef Thomas is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Georgia's Masters of Food Technology Program. He is the author of "Improving the success rate of new food product introductions", in Developing New Food Products for a Changing Marketplace, CRC Press, 2008; A.L. Brody and J.B. Lord, eds. He is a 1972 graduate of The Culinary Institute of America.

Chef Iliana de la Vega

Chef Iliana de la Vega is a Latin American Cuisines specialist at the Culinary Institute of America. Her focus is Mexican Cuisine and Culture which she has been studying for more than 20 years. Prior to joining the CIA in 2007 Iliana won worldwide acclaim for her reinterpretation of Oaxacan cuisine at her restaurant, El Naranjo in Oaxaca, Mexico. Born and raised in Mexico City, she has been featured in top U.S. publications including the New York Times, Bon Appetit and Conde Nast Traveler, among others. She is as a founding member of the Culinary Institute of America's Latin American Advisory Council.

Iliana teaches classes at the CIA's San Antonio campus, presents at conferences, and coordinates the Latin Flavors American Kitchens Conference. Her research focuses on culinary ethnography of Latin American cuisines. She conducts field interviews with chefs, home cooks, culinary historians, anthropologists, growers and ingredient manufacturers, using video and photography. She also documents traditional and emerging ingredients, recipes, culinary techniques and cultural influences that are shaping the cuisine of Latin America. All the collected data is catalogued in order to create an archive for the better understanding of the Latin American culture and cuisines to preserve and disseminate the information.