U.S. Army Seeks out SUNY Delhi Culinary Arts for its Training with Industry Program

DELHI, NY (11/09/2011)(readMedia)-- SUNY Delhi is raising the United States Army's culinary talents to new heights as a participant in the Armed Forces' Training with Industry (TWI) program. The college is working with military personnel to increase their knowledge in culinary procedures and practices that are not available through existing military or advanced civilian training programs.

The SUNY Delhi-U.S. Army partnership dates back to 2009. That's the first year

Associate Professor Tom Recinella and his students were invited to Fort Lee, Va. to help prepare chefs for the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition, the largest event of its type in North America.

According to Chef Recinella, the U.S. Army immediately recognized SUNY Delhi's high level of excellence in the culinary arts. "They realized that Delhi students could play an integral part in the training of their chefs for competition." After building that relationship, SUNY Delhi was invited to participate in the TWI program.

The TWI program provides competitively selected non-commissioned officers (NCOs) with extensive work exposure throughout the U.S. Staff Sergeant Anica Long was assigned to SUNY Delhi and is the first female to be accepted into the TWI program. A South Carolina native, she will serve 12 months as an adjunct instructor for Delhi's culinary arts program.

"It's a real honor to serve and teach at SUNY Delhi. It's a dream come true," said Staff Sergeant Long. "The program selection process was very competitive. Not too many NCOs are awarded the opportunity, and since I'm the first female to serve in the program, it makes it even more of an honor for me."

Staff Sergeant Long competed professionally prior to her TWI appointment. She was a member of the Army's German culinary team and won two gold medals in 2005 and a bronze medal in 2008 at the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition.

Staff Sergeant Long hopes to one day work in Washington, D.C., a common goal of most Armed Forces chefs. Her goal is to work at the Pentagon. "I feel extremely lucky. I have the privilege of working alongside Delhi's four executive chefs. I know it will give me the tools I need to become successful," Staff Sergeant Long said.

This is the second year SUNY Delhi has participated in the TWI program and will look for another candidate next year. "This partnership affords our students the opportunity to learn from highly disciplined Army chefs," said Chef Recinella. "While the chefs are training in advanced techniques and developing their own teaching methodologies, they add a depth and diversity to our faculty that enriches the learning experience for our students."

SUNY Delhi's culinary arts program is regarded as one of the best in the country. The program offers students a firm foundation in which to start their careers as culinary professionals. It progresses through basic skills dealing with Garde Manger, baking, sauces, stocks, etc., to the capstone course, Signatures by Candlelight, a full service fine dining restaurant that is open to the public and operated by SUNY Delhi students. In addition to the core classes, there are numerous culinary electives offered to help each student customize their portfolio of education. Depending on their interest or direction in the field, students can choose from electives such as advanced meat cutting, culinary competition, advanced pastries and confections and culinary sculpting, which uses 300 pound ice blocks made on campus by culinary students in the college's own ice sculpting lab.

For more information about SUNY Delhi's Culinary Arts program, contact Enrollment Services at 1-800-96-DELHI or visit www.delhi.edu.