Johnson & Wales University Honors
Three Distinguished Visiting Chefs®
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — June 27, 2005 — Johnson & Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts recently honored three Distinguished Visiting Chefs®: Barry Correia, executive chef at the Shelter Harbor Golf Club, Westerly, R.I.; Daniel Scannell, C.M.C, executive chef, Cherry Hill Country Club, Cherry Hill Village, Colo.; and Michael Joy, author, mold maker and sculptor, Chicago School of Mold Making and Casting for the Arts, Inc., Oak Park, Ill.
Correia and Scannell are no strangers to Johnson & Wales. Correia earned his associate degree from the Providence Campus in 1981, while Scannell earned two degrees from the University — an associate degree in Baking and Pastry Arts in 1996 and a bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management in 1998.
Correia’s culinary stylings have placed him at the forefront of the healthful gourmet cuisine movement in the United States. Originally from Fairhaven, Mass., he made a name for himself as executive chef of the Canyon Ranch Health Resort in the Berkshires in Lenox, Mass. There, he oversaw the entire Food & Beverage operation, supervising more than 110 employees and developing healthful recipes. During his tenure, Canyon Ranch was named “Best Spa” and “Best Spa Cuisine” by Conde Nast Traveler. Canyon Ranch has become world-renowned as a leader in the healthy gourmet cuisine movement.
Correia has incorporated the lessons he learned at Canyon Ranch into his general food philosophy. “Working with nutritionists forced creativity,” he said. “It kept me up on trends.” He told the current J&W students that a bachelor’s degree in culinary nutrition will give them an advantage that he did not have, as they will be much better versed in nutrition when entering the workforce. Correia served on the advisory board which developed the College of Culinary Arts’ Culinary Nutrition degree program.
Scannell began his journey in the foodservice industry in 1972 at a neighborhood butcher shop in White Plains, N.Y. From 1977 to 1985, he worked in three of Florida’s finest seafood houses, becoming one of the best line cooks in the area with an extensive knowledge of local seafood. In the 1990’s — while a student at J&W — Scannell was introduced to the thrill of competing in culinary competitions. His most recent accomplishment, being selected as a member of the American Culinary Federation Culinary Team USA 2000 and 2004 has been the pinnacle thus far in his career.
Scannell and members of Team USA have won many international cold food competitions including an Olympic Sieger — the highest recognition a team can receive. They placed third in the world in the 2004 IKA Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, and won two gold and two silver medals.
“I have a very competitive spirit,” Scannell told the students. “I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel,” he said of the dishes he prepared for the Culinary Olympics. “I just brought food to the table that I’d been cooking my whole life. You’re better off spending time buying good product and cooking it properly.” Scannell impressed upon his audience that, as J&W students, they were being given all the tools they needed to become good, solid cooks.
Joy, author of “Confectionery Art Casting; Silicone Mold Making for the Pastry Chef,” has accumulated a wealth of technical skills encompassing several industries — including industrial mold-making techniques used for casting ceramic, resin, bronze, ornamental plaster, architectural restoration, photographic models/props, confectionery and other food-related mediums.
Joy’s mold-making skills found a new expression when he began working with pastry chefs. Having become aware of the many creative possibilities of using molding techniques in the food industry, he sought to broaden this awareness through the establishment of a school where pastry chefs and others could learn these skills and take them back to their kitchens. Joy founded the Chicago School of Mold Making and Casting for the Arts Inc. in 2002.
Joy stressed the marketability of having mold-making skills as a pastry chef. “Executive chefs get it,” he said. “But they don’t have time to deal with it. They are looking for employees who know about the materials and can do the work. The more you can put in your arsenal of skills, the more you are in front.”
In 2003, Joy was invited to teach at the World Pastry Forum and has since assisted chefs/teams win awards in numerous competitions around the world including the U.S. and World Pastry Team Championships, Coupe de Monde, Patis France, National Dessert Championship, and the prestigious M.O.F. He has been featured on the cover of Pastry Art and Design, and appeared on the TV Food Network.
Johnson & Wales — America’s Career University® — was founded in 1914. It is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, food service, education, hospitality and technology. Preparing students for successful careers is the cornerstone of the University’s educational philosophy. A benchmark of the University has been its 27 consecutive year employment record - within 60 days of graduation, 98 percent of its students from the 50 states have jobs in their chosen career field. With an enrollment of nearly 16,000 students, Johnson & Wales maintains campuses in Providence, R.I., Charleston, S.C., Norfolk, Va., North Miami, Fla., and Denver, Colo. In September 2004, it opened its newest campus in Charlotte, N.C. For more information about Johnson & Wales University, visit www.jwu.edu.
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Chef2Chef News Desk