The International Culinary Center Announces Brooke Schwartz as President of New Branch Campus

CAMPBELL, Calif., Nov. 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Culinary Center has announced the appointment of Brooke Schwartz as President of its new San Francisco Bay Area campus, as well as several new scholarship opportunities. Schwartz's appointment marks an important milestone for the highly regarded culinary organization and its latest expansion through the acquisition of California's Professional Culinary Institute (PCI), which is now a branch campus of The International Culinary Center's French Culinary Institute.

"I am delighted to appoint Brooke Schwartz to the position of President for the new campus in California," said Dorothy Cann Hamilton, CEO and founder of The International Culinary Center, home of the world-renowned French Culinary Institute and the Italian Culinary Academy. "With her food, agriculture, and international experience, as well as her leadership skills and enthusiasm for our strategic vision, Schwartz was the ideal candidate and clear choice."

A native Californian, Schwartz brings 20 years of executive leadership experience  in the food and agricultural arenas, as well as management of growth businesses in South America, Europe, and Asia.

Most recently, she served as business segment leader for food and environmental testing at Life Technologies. Prior to this she led life science innovation and growth strategy engagements for Deloitte Consulting. Schwartz also formerly served as an international trade policy negotiator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She received her M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, holds an M.S. in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida and earned her B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

In addition to Schwartz's business roles, she has served on the board of Girls Incorporated, a national organization providing educational enrichment to underserved girls, as well as pro-bono consultant and advisor for a number of Bay Area education-focused non-profit organizations.

"I was honored to be asked to serve as President of the new branch campus of The International Culinary Center," Schwartz stated. "The Center's outstanding reputation and Dorothy Cann Hamilton's leadership and pioneering vision in creating a professional institution that has had a truly transformational effect on the culinary industry are an inspiration. I look forward to building a thriving, world-class campus with a unique California perspective."

In addition to the appointment of Schwartz as President, The International Culinary Center has announced the establishment of $5,000 scholarships. The scholarships, currently under the Professional Culinary Institute auspices, will be awarded to selected students in Culinary Day Programs in 2010, Culinary Evening Programs in January 2011, and Baking and Pastry Evening Programs in January 2011. To apply for a scholarship, students will need to submit an application and brief essay for consideration. The application deadline for the Culinary Day Program is 11/23/10, with awards announced on 11/24/10 and the deadlines for the Culinary Evening Program and Baking and Pastry Programs is 12/29/10, with awards announced 1/4/11.

For more information, about The International Culinary Center, please visit www.InternationalCulinaryCenter.com or call (888) 324-CHEF. For additional information on scholarships to be awarded for Professional Culinary Institute programs, visit www.ProfessionalCulinaryInstitute.com.

About The International Culinary Center

Located in New York and California, The International Culinary Center is home to the French Culinary Institute and the Italian Culinary Academy in New York City, and The International Culinary Center in Campbell, CA. Its schools offer a wide variety of intensive courses designed for cooks and food enthusiasts of all skill levels: from those already in the business and those aspiring to be, to the serious amateur. Its state-of-the-art kitchens and classrooms house courses of all lengths in classic culinary arts, pastry arts, Italian studies, bread baking, culinary technology, wine studies, food writing and restaurant management. More than just world-class culinary facilities, The International Culinary Center locations also serve as a base for frequent visits from the top talents in every culinary discipline from around the globe to hone, discuss, and teach their craft to the next generation of elite chefs, food professionals and consumers. For more information, please visit www.InternationalCulinaryCenter.com.

SOURCE The International Culinary Center