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Every term we gather in our amphitheater for food, music, games and to celebrate our students achievements. In this moment of celebration, we recognize a Student of the Term from Cuisine, Pastry and Hospitality & Restaurant Management. Our Level 4 Pastry students also showcase themed cakes for all students and staff to vote for their favorite. It’s fun all around!
This month’s theme was, of course, HALLOWEEN. The student services department went all out with the decorations and the showcased cakes brought out the competitors spoooooooky sides.
Congratulations to our winners! 1st place: Larriesha Hicks, 2nd place: Isabel Andrade and 3rd place: Denise Guevara.
Houston’s food scene is a booming business, and a career in culinary arts has delicious possibilities.
One of the schools offering instruction in that career path is the Culinary Institute Lenotre, which has the education potential chefs need to get the skills, training and certifications needed to begin a culinary career.
Melinda Marie Franco, senior admissions representative, Culinary Institute Lenotre, said they are one of the only French-owned culinary schools in the United States.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported chefs and head cook job opportunities are projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026.
Getting started is easy to do, as classes begin every 10 weeks.
“Cuisine covers all fundamentals and techniques such as meat and fish fabrication, knife skills, mother sauces, Masterchef classes in the art of plating, to international cuisine covering 10 different regions of the world. Baking and pastry covers breads, French baguettes, croissants, macarons, candy making, ice cream making, dessert plating, to wedding cakes, occasion cakes, high-end sugar and chocolate showpiece work,” said Franco.
Franco said hospitality and restaurant management is an extensive study taught by professionals in the field. They also offer Sommelier classes for a deep, extensive study of wine.
When classes start, students are expected to be timely and in uniform, showing enthusiasm and passion for the industry.
“You must see food as an intimate thing. Discipline, detail, and respect are incredibly important in the kitchen,” Franco said.
Lenotre offers 14 program combinations focusing on culinary, baking, hospitality and wine. There are different electives to choose from to customize your experience.
“We have everything from 10-week sabbatical classes, one-year diplomas, and two-year degrees. We also have career placement services upon graduation,” said Franco.
Chefs can find work throughout industries such as fine dining, country clubs, hotels, cruise ships, and catering services. Some open their own restaurants, food trucks, and private chef businesses.
Culinary arts fast facts
• 2018 median pay: $48,460 per year, at $23.30 per hour
• Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent
• Work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more
Alain Lenotre Teaches The French Culinary Tradition For More Than 20 Years in the United States
Son of the famous pastry chef Gaston LeNotre, Alain LeNotre also inherited the talent of his grandmother Eleonore, one of the first French women Chefs. For over 20 years Alain, with his wife Marie, has shared his knowledge and skills at the CULINARY INSTITUTE LENOTRE (CIL) in Houston Texas. By training students and polishing chefs from all over the world to the excellence of the French cuisine and pastry, CIL ensures the LeNotre legacy lives on.
Your Institute celebrated its 20th anniversary and received a great award last year …
We were indeed delighted to receive a very nice gift from the company Niche.com – ranked #1 American Culinary College! On this occasion, we also discovered that we had already been named by the company CollegeChoice.net for Best Associate Degree in Culinary Arts in the United States.
Up to date we have around 300 students with 15 full-time chefs, 13 of which are French. Our chefs have an average of 20 years experience in the restaurant industry. CIL offers four Elite Diploma Programs and three Associate Degree programs. All employees, from pensioners to the director, are shareholders and currently own 22.7% of the capital.
What does the French know-how mean today in United States?
We teach our students that the origins of Western Fine Cuisine are from France. The vocabulary and techniques are French. France represents a civilization of well being – thanks to our land, the knowledge of our artisans and our vineyards. We are very proud of this. We also teach the French tradition of restaurant and hotel management. 15% of our students are from countries other than the United States.
What program do you offer to students?
The hands-on Cuisine program is over 40 weeks and includes 75% fundamentals of the French fine cuisine techniques as well as recipes of great chefs, plus 25% dedicated to international cuisine.
For the pastry, bakery, ice cream, chocolate and decors, from 40 to 50 weeks, the program, is 90% French. We also have a restaurant, Le Bistro, inside the Institute with a Quebec chef who welcomes the students who wish to extend their apprenticeship with an internship.
This restaurant, dedicated to the students that are going into practicum, allows us to introduce ourselves to the public and to offer a real life experience to the students. Our Institute, the only French Culinary Institute in the United States, is approved by the American Department of Education, ACCSC and TWC, which allows us to offer to our foreign students seeking a 2 years Associate Degree an F1 visa. It is interesting for our students to learn French culinary art in the English language with a lower cost than the private culinary schools in France offer.
Is a graduate of an Executive MBA from CPA * Paris in 1981. He worked for twenty years in the family business created in Paris in 1957 by his parents;Gaston and Colette. Pastry , cuisine, catering director, founder of LeNotre School, then deputy general manager of LeNotre Paris, particularly in charge of the development of LeNotre franchises in the world. In charge of LeNotre subsidiary in Dallas and Houston, he left the family business, sold to Accor in 1984, to found with his wife Marie in Houston a French chain of pastry-cafe-caterers, then in 1998 has diversified it by creating Culinary Institute Lenotre Ranked # 1 in USA.
Early on the morning of August 2nd, Chef Jimmy Bedard and Cuisine student (and Army Veteran) Armando Llanes showed up to the Fox 26 Newsroom for an interview about their inventive and delicious menu for Houston Restaurant Weeks 2019. Chef Bedard was contacted Thursday night for the segment and jumped on it, knowing what an amazing opportunity being LIVE on Houston local news talking about Le Bistro and Culinary Institute LENOTRE would be!
Chef and Sous Chef started prepping for the segment the night before and brought all ingredients to the station that morning for the final plating: three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts. During the live interview, Chef Bedard talked about the menus being served during Houston Restaurant Weeks 2019 and how a percentage of the proceeds from those meals will be donated to the Houston Food Bank.
Bedard discussed the Culinary Institute and introduced his Sous Chef for the day Armando Llanes – a current student in the Cuisine department and Army Veteran who works in Le Bistro.
It was my wife who told me about CIL and encouraged me to attend after my tours with the Army. It was hard to assimilate back to civilian life but the school has given me a feeling of purpose again. I love the team environment, the rush of working on the line, and making people feel good about what they’re eating.
Armando Llanes
These words from Llanes hit an emotional chord with the staff at Fox 26 and with Chef Bedard – it is this “feeling of purpose” that CIL sees in all of its students. The #LenotreLegacy of tradition, quality and respect encourages a lifetime of leaning into your purpose. For the team in Le Bistro, this means teaching future chefs how to nurture their creativity and put their best selves forward on the plate.
What is so special about Le Bistro (at Culinary School LENOTRE) is that the students are in the kitchen and they are proud of what they are doing and learning.
Every few months, the team at Le Bistro at Culinary School LeNotre chooses a different non profit organization to share profits with. For the month of June that organization was Icing Smiles, serving kids in all 50 states through a network of over 10,500 volunteer bakers and more than 50 volunteer administrative staff, Icing Smiles operates almost entirely on volunteer resources and works with over 200 partner organizations.
Le Bistro generously donated $1600 to the Icing Smiles organization through profit shares for the month of June. These much needed funds will help their volunteers buy supplies and travel necessities.
Icing Smiles is a nonprofit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child.
We understand that the simple things, like a birthday cake, are luxuries to a family battling illness. Our goal is to create a custom cake for the ill child, or their sibling, that provides a temporary escape from worry and creates a positive memory during a difficult time.
Icing Smiles
At Culinary Institute LENOTRE, we believe in the magic of food and the power it has to make moments last a life-time. Our Chefs and students would not be with us if they didn’t think that food can bring people together and build common ground.
Memories have magical powers. Long after the cake is gone, the memories linger – memories of the kindness of a stranger, of the art of the design, of the sweet smells of a special treat, of the smiles and laughs, of a normal childhood experience so often stolen from these children. These memories are why we say, “It is so much more than a cake.”
Icing Smiles
It was a joy for us to partner with such an amazing group of people!
Culinary Institute LENOTRE Alums celebrated with a bang – and formed a new CIL Alumni Association!
Last Saturday night a group of our alumni and staff from the Admissions and Career Services departments gathered for a night of networking, great food and a little bit of dancing! Alumni from the past 20 years of Culinary Institute LENOTRE history were invited for this inaugural meeting and they showed up in style!
Sherwin Laday and Willie Mike introduced the Culinary Institute LeNotre Alumni Association to guests and invited them to sign up for Board positions. Each one of our attendees showed interest in playing a key role in the board!
After some great hors d’oeuvre, announcements of the raffle winners (pictured above), and some words of wisdom from Alumni we wrapped up the evening and scheduled a meeting of the newly formed CILAA Board.
Our alumni are excited to hear this association is coming together and are already networking to create future events in and outside of campus!
Patricia Lopez, Career Services Manager
Stay tuned for more great news from our amazing CIL Alumni!
If you are a CIL Alumni and are interested in joining the association, please email Patricia Lopez at [email protected].
Flag Ceremony is organized to honor our International Students and display their flags in the school
Here at CIL we honor our International students and present them with the flag from their Country. After a few pictures, a few words and laughs, and a celebratory glass of Champagne we display those flags in front of the school building for as long as that student attends.
It’s our way of including and appreciating students from all over the world who study with our Chefs. Thank you again and welcome!
Thank you all for attending our Flag Ceremony this afternoon. CIL is honored that you have chosen our school to pursue your dream in the hospitality industry. Our school is nationally recognized because of students such as yourselves. On behalf of our school President and myself, I would like to wish you all a memorable student experience at CIL and a prosperous career.
Simply delicious. Wholesome Kitchen and Wholesome Pies bring a unique flavor to Generation Park and Lake Houston.
HOUSTON — The amazing amenities of Generation Park just keep getting better and better, and that most certainly includes the unique restaurants that are helping to put one of the Houston area’s fastest growing communities on the map.
Wholesome Kitchen and Wholesome Pies, Lake Houston’s newest joint-restaurant concept, announces its grand opening date of Thursday, June 6, 2019, at 250 Assay Street at Generation Park.
The grand opening celebration is open to the public from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. On opening day, Wholesome Pies will offer half off pizza’s, half off appetizers, and drink specials at both restaurants.
Michael Collins, the name behind several popular establishments in the inner loop, including The Fish in Midtown, is the owner and operator of both Wholesome Kitchen and Wholesome Pies under the restaurant group name Wholesome Restaurant Group.
“We are excited and proud to provide two new unique restaurant concepts serving quality food and beverages in a comfortable environment,”
said Collins.
Chef Theyen Hoang is the Creator and Executive Chef of both concepts. Chef Hoang, a graduate of the Culinary Institute Lenotre in Houston, worked as a line cook at Café Annie, learning from Chef Robert Del Grande and perfected the intricacies of Neapolitan pizza in Brooklyn, NY.
“Both concepts offer something for every taste. From Citrus Kale Salad to Beet Hummus or my personal favorite, bone-in ribeye at Wholesome Kitchen, our concepts are focused on bringing people together for any occasion,”
said Hoang.
You will want to bring your appetite to Wholesome Kitchen and Wholesome Pies at Generation Park (Images: Wholesome Kitchen + Wholesome Pies)
Wholesome Kitchen, Lake Houston’s go-to brunch spot, the perfect choice for a girl’s night out, business lunches, or simply a great weekday dinner spot, offers an intimate and approachable dining experience to the Lake Houston area and surrounding communities.
Diners will be able to choose from dishes made scratch daily with locally sourced and whole ingredients with entrees like Pan Seared Salmon, Grilled Pork Chops, Spaghetti Carbonara, appetizers including Asian Sticky Ribs and Fresh Burrata, as well as gluten free options, vegetarian dishes, and seasonal soups and salads.
The bar program will include both classic and inventive cocktails including a Moscow Mule, Cucumber Collins, Manhattan and Passion Fruit Mojito. A broad selection of wine and beer will also be available.
The 4,000 square foot space seats up to 180 guests and has a modern, bright feel with marble and brass accents used throughout.
Wholesome Pies, a neighborhood pizzeria, serves made-to-order thin crust Neapolitan pizzas in a custom-made wood fired 900-degree oven. Similar to Wholesome Kitchen, Wholesome Pies offers a seasonal menu using the freshest ingredients available.
Wholesome Pies, which has already had its soft opening, is perfect for family pizza night, happy hour with co-workers, birthday parties, post-game little league celebrations and everything in between.
The restaurant has a mix of community-table seating, individual tables and bar seating, where patrons can watch the pizza being made.
The menu will include a rotating selection of seasonal pizzas and specialty pizzas, including pies like: Margherita made with house made Mozzarella, Basil, Olive Oil, Tomato Sauce; the Honey Bee, made with Honey, Chili Oil, Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato Sauce; the Meaty Pie, featuring house made Pork Sausage, house made Meatballs, Sopressata, Pecorino, Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce; and classic Pepperoni, made with Mozzarella, Cheddar, and Tomato Sauce.
The Wholesome Pies bar menu will include a selection of rotating local craft beer favorites, wine, and cocktails including a Wood-Fired Strawberry Margarita, New World Negroni, Watermelon Fresca and more.
The restaurant can seat up to 80 diners and features a Houston-themed mural by local graffiti artist Mario E. Figueroa, Jr. better known as Gonzo, with images of the downtown skyline, NASA astronauts, the Houston Texans, and more. Both restaurants share a patio that can seat up to 72 guests.
“Today the Gaston LENOTRE Scholarship committee awarded $24,000 to nine students including a $7,000 award to Kevin Avery. Since its creation in 2001, this is the first time that our committee decided to go that high in awarding. Qualified GLS students at the CULINARY INSTITUTE LENOTRE can aspire now for more aid.“The Culinary Institute Lenotre students listed below recently applied to the Gaston LENOTRE Scholarship and were awarded the following:
Kevin Avery | $7,000.00
Alisha Swain | $3,000.00
Melissa Howell | $3,000.00
Sparkle McPherson | $2,500.00
Gabrielle Acosta | $2,500.00
Katie Prince | $2,000.00
Mary Brewton | $2,000.00
Vanessa Tristan | $1,600.00
Orlando Santiago | $600.00
We encourage you to apply to the Gaston Lenotre Scholarship as it is a great opportunity!”
Arnaud Acaries n’est pas né dans la pâtisserie.
Paradoxalement, c’est au Texas que ce Rochelais a découvert l’art des douceurs
sucrées. Il ouvre dans quelques jours une pâtisserie
française « Bonjour Café » à Katy.
Cette nouvelle enseigne française offrira à sa clientèle
une large palette de gâteaux traditionnels mais aussi des compositions très
modernes réalisées par Arnaud Acaries. Ce jeune homme de 31 ans a fait ses
classes à l’institut Le Nôtre à Houston avant de devenir le chef pâtissier sous
les ordres du chef Bruno Gallou au restaurant La Villa. Avec lui, il apprend
comment mettre en assiette, approfondir les goûts ou les saveurs dans une
cuisine traditionnelle.
L’arrivée à La Villa d’un nouveau chef, Kevin d’Andrea,
va bouleverser ses méthodes. Les nouvelles technologies et les siphons font
leur entrée dans l’univers de sa cuisine. « L’introduction à une
cuisine moderne m’a permis de me lancer dans des constructions d’entremets avec
des nouvelles saveurs. Cela m’a libéré et certainement ouvert de nouveaux
horizons », explique Arnaud Acaries.
A dix-huit ans, c’était déjà l’envie de nouveaux horizons
qui l’avait décidé à quitter La Rochelle en s’enrôlant sur un coup de tête dans
l’armée pour trois ans. L’appel du large et l’envie de découvrir le monde
l’emmènent à Saint Martin dans les Caraïbes où il rencontre sa femme texane qui
arrive à le convaincre de la suivre. « De petits boulots en petits
boulots, j’ai découvert la pâtisserie et ce fût comme un déclic. J’ai
envie de partager cet art culinaire qui raconte notre histoire. D’une
réalisation classique à une création contemporaine, j’offre de l’émotion. Je me
suis moi-même découvert », explique-t-il. Sa vision de la restauration
le pousse ainsi à se lancer et à devenir son propre patron. « A
Houston, il y a la possibilité pour un jeune chef français de se dévoiler. Les
Américains ont une grande capacité d’adaptation» souligne-t-il.
Le nouvel établissement servira une
trentaine de couverts au petit déjeuner et au déjeuner. Outre les éclairs, les
tartes et les entremets, la carte proposera deux desserts à l’assiette,
c’est-à-dire des gourmandises plus travaillées à base de fruits exotiques ou de
pétale de rose. Mais Arnaud Acaries veut aller plus loin en lançant un
concept de restauration à domicile salé et sucré. « La
créativité dans l’activité traiteur me permettra de m’exprimer au niveau
cuisine avec des plats classiques mais avec une toucheexpérimentale et moderne.
C’est aussi une manière pour m’exprimer de façon artistique »,
renchérit ce cuisinier passionné de gastronomie.
Si le succès est au rendez-vous, d’ici cinq ans, Arnaud
Acaries envisage d’ouvrir une seconde pâtisserie-salon de thé, mais cette
fois-ci à Houston, plus luxueuse et haut de gamme pour une clientèle plus
exigeante. D’ici là, et pour rester créatif, le jeune chef pâtissier entend
bien continuer à s’éduquer culinairement avec des stages proposés par des
grands chefs spécialisés en chocolat, en pâtisseries et en sauces. «Je
continuerai à me renouveler et à partir à travers le monde pour apprendre et à
découvrir de nouvelles sensations».
