In cooperation with Pheasants Forever, the Culinary Institute of Michigan is pleased to announce the availability of two scholarships for Associate Culinary Arts and Bachelor Food and Beverage Management students. These awards can be applied to the 2012 academic year.

Download the application form here.

All applications must be received no later than 5:00 pm Friday, January 20, 2012. Return completed forms to Jamie Leroux or Chef Justin Kinziger.

Scholarship recipients will be notified of awards Friday, January 29, 2012.

Please address any questions to Jamie Leroux or Chef Justin Kinziger.

In celebration of its 100-year anniversary, Baker College of Muskegon will host an open house on Thursday, November 3, from 3 p.m. until 5:30 p.m., in its student center, 1903 Marquette Ave., Muskegon. The general public, media, community leaders and dignitaries are invited.

“We look forward to sharing this important milestone and invite all area individuals and families to visit our campus and help us celebrate,” said Lee Coggin, JD, Baker College of Muskegon president.

Refreshments will be served, including a centennial cake created by Chef Luis Amado, baking and pastry arts department chair at the Baker College of Muskegon Culinary Institute of Michigan. In addition, guided tours of the campus will be available.

For more information about the centennial celebration at Baker College of Muskegon, please call 1.800.937.0337.

On February 25, of this year, the CIM student hot food competition team competed in Novi, Michigan, receiving a silver medal for their work. The team cooked for the state title and the chance to represent Michigan at the upcoming American Culinary Federation Central Regional Conference in New Orleans. The event was hosted by the Art Institute of Michigan, who also competed and Oakland Community College was represented as well.

Team members included team captain Edward Jobin CC, Heather Karr, Zachary Vanderwall, Lindsay Yzenas and Brandon Grzegorczyk.

The competition consisted of a timed skills portion and a timed cooking portion. The skills included fabrication of flat fish and poultry, a pastry element, and basic knife skills. The cooking portion entailed a four course meal for four centered on the classic Escoffier dish Poulet Sauté à la Catalane. Detailed recipes, photos of each dish and nutritional information were also required.

Coaches, Chef John Lakatos and Chef Trevor Bethke, CEC, along with the faculty and staff at The Culinary Institute of Michigan, would like to congratulate and thank the hot food team for a job well done. Their selfless dedication of time and effort has set the bar high for future teams at the CIM.

Over the past year, the CIM Knowledge Bowl Team has been working hard to absorb every piece of information dictated by the ACF Knowledge Bowl Committee. The team spends roughly 25 hours a week in preparation for competitions and scrimmages. The team members are: captain Michael Meador, Jacqui Happley, Penny Cook, Jordan Freeze, and Harmany Alkema.

The proof of all the students’ hard work came in February, when they traveled to Joliet, Illinois, for a Central Regional Knowledge Bowl Scrimmage hosted by the local ACF chapter. This was the team’s first scrimmage and a great opportunity for the students to acclimate themselves, as to how an ACF Knowledge Bowl Competition would work. In the first round the students hit a learning curve, but after warming up, the team dominated each board. After winning four rounds against various other teams from our region, the team then paired up against Kendall College from Chicago, IL. The Kendall College team is an ever present force in these competitions and is definitely the team to beat. Once the round started, CIM had the upper hand on almost every category. Then, as the last category started, Kendall buzzed in just a bit faster on each question and subsequently won the round. Overall, the CIM Knowledge Bowl Team placed a valiant 2nd in this scrimmage.

Since returning from this exhibition, the CIM Knowledge Bowl Team has become even more focused on the competition, realizing they have a real chance at victory in the ACF Regional Conference. The scheduled date of the competition is set for April 19th in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Students from the Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) at Baker College of Muskegon have garnered top honors for their mouth-watering chocolate creations at the recent 22nd annual MSU Museum Chocolate Party Benefit competition.

The winners, who created culinary masterpieces surrounding a “Masks through time from around the globe” theme, included:

• The duo team of Shelli Halman (from Grant) and Laura Alvarez (from Grant) won first prize for an Oriental-influenced piece that featured a Chinese warrior mask and two dragons; it included an orange spiced chocolate mousse torte;
• The duo team of Joseph Gonzalez (from Lapeer) and Chad Starr (Howard City) won third place for their Aztec-influenced piece that featured an Aztec warrior’s mask and the “Game of the Ball,” a traditional Aztec game;
• The duo team of Ashleigh Hile (from North Branch) and Elizabeth Adamson (from Grand Rapids) won the Premier Chocolatier Choice award for their Chai tea-flavored chocolate showpiece that featured Tanzania and a mask of a Tanzanian tribal warrior.

“Over the past 10 years, our baking and pastry students have taken top honors every time they’ve entered the competition,” said Lee Coggin, JD, Baker College of Muskegon president. “This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both our faculty and our students. We couldn’t be more proud of their creativity, professionalism and accomplishments.”

Competitors included professional pastry chefs from throughout Michigan as well as six teams from other Michigan culinary arts schools.

The Baker College of Muskegon Culinary Institute of Michigan competition entries, which were made entirely of chocolate, were created at the CIM chocolate lab in Muskegon and carefully transported to Lansing. No metal or plastic was used to support the structures.

Luis Amado, CIM baking and pastry arts department chair, and CIM instructors Diana Perez and Justin Raha, coached the three teams. All the students expect to graduate this summer.

The Twelfth annual Cheers and Chocolate sponsored by Meijer to benefit Every Woman’s Place/Webster House Youth Services, will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2011 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, at The Culinary Institute of Michigan.

The event features wine, beer and will highlight Michigan Wines in an expanded area. A majority of the wines are offered at Meijer stores along the lakeshore and in Meijer’s signature store in Cascade.

Cooking and wine demonstrations will take place in the state-of-the-art classrooms throughout the evening starting at 5:00 pm. Chefs and wine experts from Meijer, Kent Beverage and area wineries will work together and teach about cooking techniques, new wines, and pairings.

Tickets are $50 each and include a commemorative wine glass, as well as, wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres, and dessert tastings. To purchase tickets online, visit http://www.everywomansplace.org or for cash and check purchases, visit Sweet Spot or Courses Restaurant at The Culinary Institute located on the corner of Clay and 3rd in Muskegon. Tickets sell fast and are limited to the first 650 guests. Last year the event sold out.

A limited number of tickets will be available for special seminars called “Pairings” from 4:00 – 5:00 pm. These seminars are an additional $25 and guests can choose to attend one of three seminars:

1. Sausage and Beer featuring chef Trevor Bethke in the Charcuterie.
2. Wine and Chocolate with Chef Justin Raha and wine experts from Meijer and Kent Beverage.
3. Special Interactive Cooking Class with Chef Robb White, Dean of The Culinary Institute of Michigan, with various Michigan Wineries will pair up their wines with the meal you create!

A silent auction will feature gifts from area businesses and individual donors. As always, a wine refrigerator filled with wine from the Board of Every Woman’s Place/Webster House Youth Services will be raffled off that evening.
Michigan wineries include, L. Mawby, Black Star Farms, Leelanau Cellars, St. Julian, Lemon Creek, Clay Avenue Cellars, Lake Effect, and Bower’s Harbor to name a few. Representatives from these wineries will be available to talk about their wines.

The Beer Garden will feature Michigan micro brews paired with great food and sausages made in the charcuterie at the institute.

Sponsorships are still available for this event by calling the Development Department at Every Woman’s Place/Webster House Youth Services at 231-759-7909.

Competing against more than 35 professional chefs and other culinary arts students, four students from the Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College of Muskegon garnered four medals at the recent 7th Annual Great Culinary Classic. The event, sponsored by Tri Mark SS in partnership with the American Culinary Federation (ACF), was held in Cleveland, Ohio.

“The CIM faculty and staff are very proud of these students,” said Robb White, CEC, CCA, AAC, dean of culinary at the Baker College of Muskegon Culinary Institute of Michigan. “The students spent more than 150 hours of their free time preparing for this hot food competition, and the results are outstanding.”

The competition winners are:

• Zach Vanderwall, of Fremont, won a gold medal for preparation of quail
• Heather Carr, of Grand Haven, won a silver medal for a red snapper dish
• Ed Jobin, of Chicago, won a silver medal for preparation of a bone-in pork loin
• Lindsay Yzenas, of Gary, Indiana, won a silver medal for preparation of sole

The CIM students used the event as a practice session for the upcoming ACF student state competition in February, where they will compete against culinary arts students from three other Michigan schools. The winner of the state competition will represent Michigan at the 2011 ACF Central Regional competition, to be held next April in New Orleans.

Robb White, CEC, CCA, AAC, Dean of Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) at Baker College of Muskegon, has been inducted into the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the prestigious honor society of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The AAC recognizes individuals whose outstanding achievements in the culinary profession and involvement in the ACF deserve acknowledgement.

“Robb is a culinary artist and teacher who selflessly shares his skills and expertise with Baker’s CIM students and faculty,” said Lee Coggin, JD, Baker College of Muskegon president. “We are thrilled that he has been inducted into the AAC, and offer our heartfelt congratulations for this well-deserved honor.”

The mission of the AAC is to promote education and growth among future culinary professionals. AAC Fellows guide the development of future chefs, are leaders in their local chapters, assume responsibility for spearheading various chapter functions, and serve as advisors and career mentors for other chefs.

Induction into the AAC involves a rigorous process that includes careful scrutiny and verification of the application and a chef’s credentials by the National Board of the AAC. A list of current inductees is posted in the National Culinary Review for two months. If no ACF member protests the nomination, AAC gives its final approval and the chef is notified of his or her acceptance as an AAC Fellow.

“Induction into the AAC is the biggest honor of my culinary career,” said White. “I will do my utmost to uphold the tenets of this wonderful organization.”

White began his Baker College of Muskegon career in 2001 as a part-time instructor and was subsequently named culinary arts department chair. In 2010, he was promoted to dean of culinary arts. Before joining Baker’s Muskegon campus, White was the executive chef at Spring Lake County Club.

A Grand Haven resident, White is a member of the National Ice Carving Association, Foodservice Educators Learning Community, Foodservice Educators Network International, World Association of Chefs Society, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. He holds an associate degree in culinary arts from the Lake Buena Vista Culinary Academy in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and a Bachelor of Business Leadership (BBL) degree from Baker College of Muskegon.

Coggin was most recently vice president for academics at Baker’s Muskegon campus. He began his Baker College of Muskegon career in 1999 as an instructor and was subsequently appointed dean of General Education, a position he held for five years before being named vice president for Academics in 2009. Prior to joining Baker College of Muskegon, Coggin was a prosecuting attorney in Ohio’s Athens and Erie counties.

“In this challenging economy, innovation and leadership are critical,” said F. James Cummins, Baker College president and CEO. “We believe Lee has the skills necessary to carry forward the goals set by our previous leadership at the Muskegon campus, while bringing his own unique ideas and expertise to the president’s position.”

A Norton Shores resident, Coggin holds a Bachelor degree from Samford University, Birmingham, Ala., and a law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio.

“This is a perfect venue for the individual who is interested in learning basic and specialized culinary arts principles, but doesn’t want to become a full-time student,” said Robb White, dean of culinary, The Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College of Muskegon.

The classes will be held on Friday and Saturday, are limited to 12 students and cost $95 each, unless otherwise noted. Class schedule is as follows:

• Mid Summer Steak House – Friday, August 27 – 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
• Good Morning Sunshine – Saturday, August 28 – 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
• Appetizers and Hors d’oeuvres – Friday, September 3 – 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
• Salmon: Big Fish, Big Flavor – Friday, September 10 – 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
• Cooking 101 Skills Development – Saturday, September 11 – 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. – Note: charge for this class is $125
• Regional Italian Cuisine – Friday, September 17 – 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
• Good Morning Sunshine – Saturday, September 18 – 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

“After the instructional part of the class, the real fun begins,” said White. “That’s when participants sit down and enjoy their creations. We envision an educational and entertaining event.”

To register for a class, call Brandi Zoll at 231.777.6644.

The culinary arts associate degree program at The Culinary Institute of Michigan (CIM) at Baker College of Muskegon has been granted renewed accreditation with Exemplary status by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (EFAC). Approximately 2 percent of ACF-accredited programs receive exemplary status. The renewed accreditation is valid for seven years.

“Exemplary accreditation status is an incredible accomplishment for our campus and the culinary arts department,” said Mary Ann Herbst, Ph.D., Baker College of Muskegon president. “Achieving Exemplary status required an enormous amount of hard work and dedication, and dean Robb White, and the entire CIM faculty and staff, deserve our heartfelt thanks and congratulations for making this happen.”

According to ACF, a program is considered Exemplary if that program has had an on-site visit and the team has found no areas of noncompliance to the established ACFEFAC Standards at the time of the site visit.

“It is unbelievably tough to get through a site visit and have the evaluators find your program flawless,” said Robb White, dean of culinary, The Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College of Muskegon. “The evaluators described our program as the ‘model’ for all culinary programs in the United States, and said we set the standard to which all others should aspire.”

At a special ceremony during the recent ACF National Conference in Anaheim, CIM was recognized for achieving Exemplary status. White accepted the renewed accreditation and Exemplary status certificates on behalf of The Culinary Institute of Michigan at Baker College of Muskegon.

“This accomplishment puts CIM in the spotlight as one of the finest ACF-accredited culinary programs in the United States,” said White. “Our students can be assured that our faculty, curriculum, teaching methods, facility and placement rate upon graduation far exceed the requirements set forth by the ACFEFAC.”

Whitney is a strong student who believes in generously volunteering her time. Her willingness to serve has demonstrated her appreciation and respect for her new career field. She maintains a spirit and attitude of thankfulness toward her instructors and fellow students, who have helped nurture her passion for culinary arts.

Outside of the classroom, Whitney currently holds the Education Chair of the American Culinary Federation West Michigan Lakeshore Student Chef Association. As part of the board, she was closely involved with the planning and execution of Cheers and Chocolate 2010, a charity event held at the CIM each year.

In addition to her school work, Whitney has worked at Bareman’s Dairy for the last nine years. Her newly earned degree and work experience will serve her well as she enters the culinary field as a professional.


Congratulations, Whitney, on receiving the Applied Science Award.

CIM also announced new extended hours for the school’s coffee and pastry shop.

For more information about these organizations, please visit:

• Every Woman’s Place
• Webster House Youth Services

• December 24th – 27th
• December 31st – January 3rd

During the holidays, Courses Restaurant will be open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the following days:

• December 14th – 16th
• December 21st – 23rd
• December 28th – 30th
• January 4th – 6th

Courses will be closed January 7th – 17th. Lunch service will resume January 18th with expanded hours.