The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant starts out the new year with a new executive chef and general manager, as well as new menu items. In addition, the restaurant on the California campus of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) was recently awarded a 2012 Great Wine Capitals Best of Tourism Award, citing the many delicious educational opportunities the restaurant offers to guests, whether they are tourists or locals. Guests at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant get a chance to take home new culinary and wine lessons, while interacting with the up-and-coming chefs of the future.
New Executive Chef
Chef Almir Da Fonseca has been a culinary instructor at the CIA at Greystone for five years. He now steps into the role of executive chef at The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, in addition to his chef-instructor duties. This makes the restaurant not only a great place to experience world-class food and wine, but an excellent hands-on classroom for CIA students.
A native of Brazil, Da Fonseca studied culinary arts at the Senace Trade School in Rio de Janeiro. He went on to a 25-year career in the food industry—which included culinary training and apprenticeships in southern France and Italy—before coming to the CIA at Greystone. After moving to Northern California, he gained experience as executive chef at Lucas Wharf Restaurant in Bodega Bay. Chef Da Fonseca has also owned his own restaurant, ran a catering company, and developed a line of sauces. A member of the CIA at Greystone faculty since 2007, he teaches classes, participates in consulting projects, presents at CIA conferences, and regularly speaks at graduation ceremonies.
Students enrolled in the CIA’s Associate in Occupational Studies degree program spend the final 12 weeks of the 21-month curriculum wo
