The International Culinary Center Announces Larry Stone and Scott Carney as Deans of Wine Studies

NEW YORK and CAMPBELL, Calif., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Culinary Center (www.internationalculinarycenter.com), founded as The French Culinary Institute, the world's leading culinary center for education, today announced the appointments of Larry Stone, one of America's most influential sommeliers, and Scott Carney, master sommelier and restaurant entrepreneur, as its Deans of Wine Studies. Stone has more than 30 years of experience in the wine industry, running some of the country's best wine programs at restaurants including Rubicon in San Francisco and Charlie Trotter's in Chicago. Carney is one of the very few sommeliers who also holds an MBA. In addition running the Gotham Bar & Grill for over 10 years, Carney has spent more than 15 years with a number of Manhattan's leading restaurant companies, including The Glazier Group, Jean-Georges Management, and Les Halles Group.

"We are delighted to announce Larry Stone and Scott Carney as our Deans of Wine Studies. Larry and Scott both bring their own special qualities to our expanding and evolving wine program: Larry is renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of wine and his excellence in service, while Scott brings strong commercial acumen and experience creating great businesses in the restaurant industry," said Dorothy Cann Hamilton, CEO and Founder of The International Culinary Center. "Their combined knowledge will further enrich our wine and beverage program for the benefit of aspiring chefs, restaurateurs and serious amateurs across the country."

Stone was the first American to win the prestigious Grand Prix de Sopexa, being awarded the title of the Best International Sommelier in French Wines in Paris. He was also president of Evening Land Vineyards. Stone will oversee the Wine Program at The International Culinary Center's Campbell, California campus, bringing his unparalleled knowledge of New World wines and of the Californian wine industry to students in the Silicon Valley. He will also focus on leveraging his considerable experience delivering exquisite service for the benefit of both culinary and wine students.

"I am delighted to be appointed Dean of Wine Studies at The International Culinary Center and am honored to be in the company of esteemed fellow Deans including Jacques Pepin, Jose Andres and Jacques Torres. I have spent my life sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm for food and wine, so I'm excited to continue to do this with aspiring sommeliers and wine enthusiasts at the world's most respected center for culinary education," added Stone.

Carney, who has been the Director of Wine Education at The International Culinary Center in New York since 2011 will continue to oversee the program on the East Coast. He has proven commercial experience working with leading restaurant groups, receiving critical acclaim by earning three consecutive three-star reviews from The New York Times for Gotham Bar & Grill as well as delivering considerable commercial success. Carney holds an MBA in finance from New York University, which has enabled him to develop a keen understanding of the business side of wine across both in the restaurant and retail industries.

"Larry and I have known each other for years and I'm happy that we're able to join together at The International Culinary Center to help educate the next generation of sommeliers and entrepreneurs. My goal is to help students gain a deeper appreciation of wine and beverages as well as understanding the commercial side of the industry, making them eminently more employable in the process," said Carney.

"Larry and Scott together bring to our wine program a dimension we think is so important: a recognition that culinary and wine professionals today have to be trained to look beyond the four walls of the restaurant or retail outlet.  Today's professionals need to have the mindset of the entrepreneur," said Dorothy Hamilton. "In the case of the wine program, that means understanding the entire ecosystem of the wine business: from the selection of clones in the vineyard, to the consumer's selection of one wine over another, to the revenue contribution expected from wine and beverages."

These appointments continue the recent growth at that The International Culinary Center. Most recently the Center announced the launch of a Spanish Studies curriculum under the auspices of Chef Jose Andres; a groundbreaking Farm-to-Table program in New York led by Dan Barber, executive chef and co-owner of Blue Hill New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; and a Farm-to-Table curriculum in Campbell that takes students out of the kitchen and on field trips to the farms, vineyards and food producers across California. L'Ecole, The International Culinary Center's Manhattan-based restaurant, was also awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the 25^th consecutive year.

The next Intensive Sommelier training at The International Culinary Center in New York starts on January 10, 2013 and the next day program at the Campbell campus starts on January 7, 2013.

For more information, please visit www.internationalculinarycenter.com.

About The International Culinary Center 
The International Culinary Center, founded as The French Culinary Institute by Dorothy Cann Hamilton in 1984, is the world's leading culinary center for education. With locations in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area and Parma, Italy, the Center is a culinary incubator with cutting edge curriculums producing world-class graduates that advance the industry. Its state-of-the-art multi-million dollar kitchens and classrooms provide the very best environments for aspiring chefs and culinary enthusiasts to learn and develop successful careers – from an unmatched six-month career program to serious amateur and recreational classes. The Center boasts some of the most world-renowned chefs as its deans including Jacques Pepin, Jacques Torres, Andre Soltner, Alain Sailhac, David Kinch, Emily Luchetti, Alan Richman, and Cesare Casella with Jose Andres joining most recently. In addition to its premier culinary education, The International Culinary Center is the leading destination for culinary events, catered and produced exclusively by FCI Catering & Events. The Center is home to the Michelin-recommended restaurant L'Ecole in New York City and the Monte Bello Dining Room in California and has published three cookbooks, most recently The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking and the James Beard award-winning books, The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine and The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts. For additional information, visit www.internationalculinarycenter.com.

Media Contact: 
Agnes Hansdorfer
The International Culinary Center
[email protected] 
(646) 254-7547

Paul Brady
Consort Partners
[email protected] 
(646) 491-2777

SOURCE The International Culinary Center