Follow a master, find a mentor

Students learn steps to success in school and out

What is a chef?

Merriam-Webster defines it as “a skilled cook who manages the kitchen of a restaurant.” But students at Culinary Institute LeNôtre have more to add. A chef, they said, is a professional, a leader, a manager, and an artist.

“We are artists, not only by image, but by flavor combinations,” said Culinary Management student Steve Ellis. “We want food to be appealing to the eye and to the palate. When I take a plate out and get ‘oohs and aahs,’ I get a tingle down my spine.”

Defining the meaning of chef was just part of the discussion recently during President’s Orientation at Culinary Institute LeNôtre.

Students at President’s Orientation            Steve Ellis, Culinary Management

Institute Founder Alain LeNôtre offered advice applicable to life in school and in the real world.

The first thing, he said, is to find a niche. Students came up with a lengthy list of careers a graduate can embark on. While baker, caterer and executive chef are classic niches, some students were thinking outside the box as dieticians, food critics and food stylists.

Alain LeNôtre compiles a list of chef-related careers

Leticia McCabe, a Cuisine Diploma student, plans to delve into the history of food.

“I want to travel the world and learn about different cuisines, not only from executive chefs at high-end restaurants, but from indigenous people as well,” McCabe said. “All of our food and cuisine came from somewhere. I would like to know where.”

Leticia McCabe, Cuisine

This need-to-know approach is something Alain LeNôtre applauds. He encourages students to be “library rats,” to explore books, magazines, DVD’s and how-to guides featuring success stories and influential chefs.

Read, re-read, then read some more

In keeping with the Institute’s foundation of Tradition, Quality and Respect, Alain LeNôtre went on to stress the importance of responsibility and work ethic. “Complete every job better than was expected,” he said.

He drove the point home by making an example of Charles Carroll, who became an executive chef at an upscale country club at a relatively young age.

Charles Carroll, CEC, Executive Chef River

Oaks Country Club in Houston

Carroll, executive chef of River Oaks Country Club in Houston, has received more than 70 national and international awards, is a successful author and inspirational speaker, and still finds time to serve the community, whether it’s coaching the United States Culinary Olympic Team or serving as board president for Culinary Institute LeNôtre’s advisory committee.

For students at Culinary Institute LeNôtre, it all starts now.

Students at President’s Orientation

Graduation is the goal, but not the end goal. The learning, Alain LeNôtre said, should never stop. Be inspired, but be inspirational. Set an example, and be an example.

“Remember,” Alain LeNôtre told students, “that we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”

Graduation sash, medal and diploma

Just one more photo, for fun:

“You have to taste everything during the

process of creating the dish, not just at the

end. Test, test, and test again.” Alain LeNôtre

on one of the “most important tools” at our

culinary school – the disposable spoon

Sugar Shows and Chocolate Challenges

Culinary Institute LeNôtre students and chefs to enter competition

Renee Stepp is creating an Asian garden, but not the kind you stroll in.

This garden is made of sugar.

And while Stepp may not be a gardener, she is a student at Culinary Institute LeNôtre.

“The only stressful thing is if something breaks when I’m putting it together,” said Stepp as she carefully adds fragile sugar designs to her showpiece.

Renee Stepp attaches sugar designs to her showpiece

Stepp, along with five of her classmates, will head to Conroe Wednesday Jan. 18 for an American Culinary Federation (ACF) competition.

“I’m looking forward to seeing other people’s ideas,” Stepp said.

Stepp’s instructor, Pastry Chef Philippe Richard, CEPC, will also submit a sugar showpiece.

“This is hours of love, passion…and food coloring,” he said.

Culinary Institute LeNôtre Alumna Kimberly Nguyen is entering the competition, along with four additional alumni.

Kimberly Nguyen frees a sugar design from

its mold

Nguyen, a 2011 graduate, previously brought home a bronze medal.

“You look around, see what inspires you, and make some changes,” said Nguyen about coming up with creative, new ideas for her sugar showpiece.

Kimberly Nguyen checks the status of sugar as it hardens

under heat lamps

Pastry Chef-Instructor Benjamin Estienne, along with one of his students, is entering the chocolate category.

Chefs and student chefs will compete for cash prizes and ACF medals.

Fine Wines and Fun Times

Kris Bistro & Wine Lounge hosts members of the International Wine & Food Society

The wine was described as funky, fruity or fabulous.

The food was described as delicious, delightful or divine.

Paired together, it was a match made in heaven - times three.

More than 30 guests and members from the International Wine & Food Society Houston branch recently gathered at Kris Bistro & Wine Lounge, the on-campus, fine-dining establishment of Culinary Institute LeNôtre.


Members of the International Wine & Food Society

enjoy a wine-pairing dinner at Kris Bistro & Wine Lounge

Executive Chef Kris Jakob prepared a three-course menu, beginning with appetizers of Foie Gras Torchon on Brioche, Pan-Seared Diver Scallops and Cream of Butternut Squash Soup. The main course consisted of Slow Braised Short Ribs, Pan-Roasted Duck Breast and Herb-Roasted Rack of Lamb. Dessert was the Trio of LeNôtre Classics, which includes Hazelnut Butter Cream Success Biscuit, Classic Charlotte Cecile and Raspberry Casino.

Each course was served with three wines.


“The chef hit it out of the park,” said event emcee Joe Abuso, sommelier and Culinary Institute LeNôtre adjunct faculty wine instructor. “He really understands which foods bring out the best in wine and vice versa.”

Sommelier Joe Abuso

Abuso said the general verdict on the 2004 Chateau Lascombe and Chateau Leoville Barton was “kind of tight, the fruit was kind of hard, the tannins were kind of aggressive.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” Abuso said. “It’s just that it’s a powerful vintage and still a little young. When people taste it again 10 years from now, it will have mellowed beautifully.”

Culinary Institute LeNôtre Director                              

Marie LeNôtre reaches for Bordeaux           

Culinary Institute LeNôtre Founder Alain
LeNôtre takes notes during wine tasting

The favorite wine of the night was a 1998 Chateau LaPlagnotte Bellevue.

“It was at its peak,” Abuso said. “The fruit, tannins and acids were well balanced with each other.”

Jim Storfer, president of the International Wine & Food

Society, Houston branch, visits with Alain LeNôtre

For more photos, including some of the wine decanting process, visit us on Facebook.

New Semester, New Adventure

January term underway at Culinary Institute LeNôtre

My compliments to the chef.

That’s not just the stuff movies are made of. It’s genuine praise that Cory Heavin dreams of hearing one day. “If somebody said ‘please bring the chef out so I can give compliments myself,’ that would be the best feeling in the whole world,” he said.

Cory is well on his way, as is his wife of five years Kimberly Heavin.

They are both enrolled in the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Culinary Arts program at Culinary Institute LeNôtre. The second-semester chef-students are eager to experience everything the college has to offer, and chef-instructors are eager to respond.

“Every term is new students, new personalities and new adventures,” said Baking & Pastry Chef David Berg.

The semester began Jan. 2.

Chef David understands what it’s like to have chef-in-training jitters. “The first thing I let them know,” he said, “is that everything’s going to be okay.”

Chef-Instructor David Berg

The technicalities of breads and pastries are plenty, including creaming, cutting and caramelizing, the intricacies of temperature and the interactions of ingredients.

Student-chef Justin Rosenstein can appreciate these things, especially after an accidental extra pinch of salt left his cake less than pleasing to the palate.

Justin is now a few semesters into his student career at Culinary Institute LeNôtre, but he fondly recalls one of Chef David’s first writing assignments: flour power.

“We had to write a paper on everything about flour,” Justin said. “The different kinds, the way it’s made. Chef David told us you can’t do anything without flour. If there was a natural disaster, as long as there’s flour, chefs can make bread, and we can survive on bread. When he puts it in those terms, it makes a lot of sense. And I like that. It’s real-life impact.”

But the real reward for Justin is the end result, the day he too is a professional chef.

“Chef’s are very passionate,” said Justin, a Baking & Pastry Arts Diploma student. “You have to be, because you go in there and work really hard to make a product other people will enjoy, something that makes them happy. It takes dedication and hard work.”

By the time students progress to Head Cuisine Chef-Instructor Pierre-Yves LeBihan’s class, they’ve already put in 30 hours of dedication, hard work and instruction.

“Now is the time,” he said, “that everything is put into practice.”

This is also the time when chef-students fully realize that all of the French techniques they’ve been studying - sautéing, glace and fricassee, for example - can be applied to any cuisine, including Italian, Asian or American.

Chef-Instructor Pierre-Yves LeBihan

stands next to a rack of home-made pasta

as it dries out in preparation for cutting

Whatever culinary route his students decide to follow, Chef Pierre reminds them of one thing.

 “You have to be very careful about what you see on TV,” he said. “In real life, there’s not quite that much glamour in the kitchen.”

Chef-student Cory Heavin is hungry for it anyway.

“I want to have my own restaurant,” Cory said. “I want to be able to say ‘yes, I’m the one that started this. Yes, I’m the one that made this happen.’”

Husband and wife team Cory and Kimberly Heavin are

second-semester students 

Congratulations go to Culinary Institute LeNôtre pastry students Cherie Bergeron, Jenna Caho and Patty Reyes for taking first, second and third place at this year’s Great Texas Cookie Decorating Competition at the Ice Cutters Christmas in Conroe, Texas.

The 11th annual competition is open to professionals, non-professionals and students. Participants must submit a decorated cookie that fits within an 8”x8”x8” box. All cookie decorations must be edible and points are awarded based on craftsmanship, creativity and expression of theme.

Cherie Bergeron’s winning design cleverly depicts a scene from Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Jenna Caho’s cookie shows a small child waiting for Santa Claus to come down the chimney. And Patty Reyes’s design shows Santa with his sleigh at the North Pole.

Under the direction of Chef Philippe Richard C.E.P.C., the Culinary Institute LeNôtre student participants included:

Cherie BERGERON, 1st place
Jenna CAHO, 2nd place
Patty REYES, 3rd place

Becka KRUEGER, medal
Raymond ZADROWSKI, medal
Laura SMITH JOYCE, medal

Vanessa SINCLAIR, blue ribbon
Ana MENJIVAR, blue ribbon
Lauren GONZALEZ, blue ribbon
Adam LONGORIA, blue ribbon

(To see more photos, go to our Facebook page.)

Culinary Institute LeNôtre Board of Trustees President, Chef Charles Carroll, Recognized for Operation H.O.T.

This month’s National Culinary Review, the magazine of the American Culinary Federation, features an article about the extraordinary efforts of Culinary Institute LeNôtre board president, Chef Charles Carroll, CEC, AAC.  The River Oaks Country Club executive chef created, organized and promoted Operation H.O. T. (Honoring Our Troops). 

The event included many chefs from Houston and around the nation who served home-style Cajun food to more than 4000 troops at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan in June 2011.  The massive effort included more than 30 volunteers, 27 pallets of equipment, two tons of gifts, two pallets of food and a whole lot of heart.  

The event included an “Iron Chef”-style competition between chefs Rick Moonen and Rick Tramonto using the contents of a Meals-Ready-To-Eat (MRE) packet (see video). 

The troops were entertained by an interview with Houstonian Joanne King Herring, whose life was portrayed in the movie, “Charlie Wilson’s War.”  The seven-hour show included musical acts and video tributes from all past living U. S. presidents.

Chef Carroll’s goal was to bring the troops a taste of home.  “It’s all about home.  It’s not just a show or something we want to do.  Our full intent is to touch the hearts of everyone here,” he said.  “That’s why we have taste from home, that’s why we have food from home, and that’s why we have talent from home.”

Chefs Love the French Flat Top Stove

What sounds like it could be a trendy new haircut is actually one of the most useful appliances in the professional kitchen.  The French flat top stove is a favorite of professional chefs.  If a chef is given the chance to design his/her own restaurant kitchen, chances are it will include a French flat top.

At Culinary Institute LeNôtre, our students here in Houston learn the value of the French flat top first hand in their cuisine lab classes.  The technique used is different than a conventional gas range where you adjust the temperature using a knob.  With a flat top, a central flame is covered by a cast iron cooking plate.  The center of the unit is hotter than the perimeter; so the temperature is controlled by moving the pan around the unit.

The cook plate can be removed and pans can be placed directly over the gas flame, like a wok.  In this case, the temperature can reach 1200°F.  Chef Matthew Lynn says, “It’s like standing next to the sun.”  Conversely, to keep soups warm, a pot can be placed on the very edge of the flat top.

Many chefs love the French flat top because its heat is more directly focused on the bottom of a pot and not the sides.  This is incredibly helpful when making sauces.  With a gas stove, the flames can surround the side of a pan and produce unwanted crystallization.  This is not a problem when using the flat top stove.

Most stove tops have anywhere from four to six burners.  Because the flat top is one continuous flat surface, a chef can have up to ten pots going at one time.  Those in the center would cook more quickly and the ones on the edges would be warming or cooking slowly.

For all these reasons and more, the French flat top is considered a marvel in the commercial kitchen and a go-to appliance for professional chefs.