Episode 27 - ACF Certified Master Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt

What a great start to the Fall season & Oktoberfest at 2 Barstools and a Knife! This week, we speak with a true legend in the world of culinary education. Similar to what Associate Dean, Rocco Angelo, means to us at FIU and in the world of hospitality education, ACF Certified Master Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt shares that same legendary status in the world of culinary education. We start our discussion with Chef’s culinary training in the traditional European apprenticeship, where he studied under a master chef who just happened to be female. Chef shares how travel has influenced both his palate and acceptance of other cultures, having worked internationally at various hotels and restaurants including time in Pakistan, Sweden, India, and England before settling in New York. While in New York, Chef worked at a premiere kosher caterer and various hotels, highlighted by his Executive Chef role at the Sheraton Hotel, before he found his home at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Chef shares what it was like to teach thousands of young culinarians the Art of Classic Garde Manger (cold buffet preparation) over his 30+ years at the CIA as well as leading the school in various administrative roles, including serving as the school’s Culinary Dean. Chef has written several cookbooks, and he has earned gold medals from his time in the Olympics. Chef clarified for us that “Olympics” was the 1976 Culinary Olympics, not the athletic Olympics! Chef Sonnenschmidt gives us all some inspiring advice by his sharing stories that are both insightful and brought us all to tears of laughter. Please join us for a show that left us all smiling. Cheers to a great Fall! Enjoy this episode!