Flavor! Napa Valley™ to Support the Scholarship Fund at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone

NAPA, Calif., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Flavor! Napa Valley™, a four-day celebration of wine, food & fun, being held November 17 - 20, 2011 in the legendary Napa Valley, will benefit The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone in St. Helena. Flavor! Napa Valley™ offers something for every fan of world-class food and wine, including wine & food pairing classes, culinary demonstrations, wine tastings, winemaker dinners and the incredible Appellation Trail tasting, offering over 100 Napa Valley wineries paired with dozens of culinary stars.

This inaugural celebration features a wide variety of gastronomic events held at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, and at The CIA at Greystone in St. Helena and is led by some of the world's premiere food and wine stars, including CIA alumni chefs Michael Chiarello, Richard Blais, and Scott Conant, CIA Trustee Thomas Keller, chefs Masaharu Morimoto, Tyler Florence, Cindy Pawlcyn, Christopher Kostow, Ken Frank and more. Wine luminaries and sommeliers include Andrea Robinson, Ray Isle, Fred Dame, and Karen MacNeil, creator and chairman of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

Net proceeds from Flavor! Napa Valley™ will benefit the scholarship fund at The Culinary Institute of America and will be awarded to deserving students interested in pursuing their dream of a degree in culinary arts, baking and pastry or a certificate in professional wine studies.

CIA alum, Chef Michael Chiarello says, "The Culinary Institute of America gave me the foundation and confidence to accomplish ventures in and around the culinary and media worlds that never would have been possible without them."

"I chose to attend The Culinary Institute of America because I wanted to go to a high caliber school," says culinary student Ruth Selby, recipient of a CIA scholarship.  "In today's industry, it is required that you be connected to sources of food, and that you know how to pair beverages with your dishes.  Attending the CIA at Greystone Napa Valley is the perfect place to learn those skills."

Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor and associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts as well as certificate programs in culinary arts and wine and beverage studies.

Today's CIA faculty is comprised of more than 140 chefs and instructors from 16 countries around the world. They bring unrivaled industry experience from the kitchens, bakeshops, and dining rooms of famed establishments around the world.

During his lifetime, legendary New York Times food critic and celebrated food author, Craig Claiborne said, "Almost every profession has an outstanding training ground. The military has West Point, music has Juilliard, and the culinary arts has 'The Institute.'"

As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA has a network of more than 40,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as chefs Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Cat Cora, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The college has campuses in Hyde Park, NY; St. Helena, CA; San Antonio, TX; and Singapore. In addition to its degree programs, the CIA offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting services for the foodservice and hospitality industry.

With the support of the foodservice and hospitality industry, the CIA continues to lead the way, inspiring excellence the world over.

In January 2010, the CIA released Seasons in the Wine Country: Recipes from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone (Chronicle Books) by Cate Conniff. Included below are recipes for Cabernet Braised Short Ribs with Swiss Chard and Orecchiette, and Cedar Roasted Salmon with Tomato Endive Salad, and corresponding images are available upon request. For more information, visit the CIA online at www.ciachef.edu.

For more information on tickets, along with the complete Flavor! Napa Valley™ event schedule, including information on extending your stay in order to experience all that the Legendary Napa Valley has to offer, please visit www.flavornapavalley.com, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FlavorNapaValley, and follow @FlavorNV on Twitter.

Click here to view and download HD Flavor! Napa Valley™ Culinary Institute of America video, Flavor! Napa Valley™ b-roll, and recipes and hi-res photos from "Seasons in the Wine Country: Recipes from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone" (Chronicle Books) by Cate Conniff.

About Flavor! Napa Valley™

The 2011 inaugural four-day Flavor! Napa Valley™ celebration of wine, food & fun is an annual event that features world-class Napa Valley wines alongside regional chefs and/or graduates of The Culinary Institute of America's culinary education programs. Net proceeds from the event support programs and scholarships at The Culinary Institute of America's Greystone Campus in St. Helena. The event is hosted by founding sponsors Silverado Resort and Spa and Dolce Hotels and Resorts in partnership with the Napa Valley Destination Council, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, and the Napa Valley Vintners, and is produced by Karlitz & Company. For more information on visiting the Napa Valley, please go to www.legendarynapavalley.com.

SOURCE Flavor! Napa Valley