"People who choose a career in the culinary arts are almost always driven by their passion. For most of us, this is a calling of the highest order, and one that can only be answered by spending every day doing what we love."
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An entrepreneur and gastronomic visionary, Dorothy Cann Hamilton is one of the most influential forces shaping the American culinary landscape today. Her lifelong passion and relentless pursuit of culinary excellence across the globe inspired the creation of The International Culinary Center, launching more than 22,000 careers, including many of America’s most prominent chefs.
Inspired by the premier vocational schools in Europe she visited in the early 1980s, Hamilton founded The French Culinary Institute (FCI) in 1984. Since then, the school has evolved from a small, well-respected French cooking school to the highly acclaimed International Culinary Center with campuses in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area and Parma, Italy. The New York and California schools reside in state-of-the art cooking and educational facilities, providing the ultimate setting for the rigorous education that guides the curriculum. Additionally, students who attend The Italian Culinary Experience spend a portion of their studies at the school’s Parma, Italy campus, learning about regional products, traditional cooking methods and the Italian language. Over the years, Hamilton’s keen instincts also led to several curriculum additions, including an Estate Management Studies division, Intensive Sommelier Training, and Restaurant Management. In May 2012, Hamilton announced José Andrés, world-renowned Spanish chef and culinary innovator, as dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center. Together with Andrés and Colman Andrews, one of the world’s leading experts on Spanish cuisine and co-founder of Saveur, The International Culinary Center will develop a curriculum in traditional and modern Spanish cuisine.
Hamilton’s distinguished career in vocational education and her outstanding reputation for creating innovative programs in gastronomy has earned her numerous awards including the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation; a Silver Spoon award from Food Arts magazine; the 2006, 2010 and 2012 IACP Award of Excellence for Vocational Cooking School; United States representative at Seoul’s 2010 C20 Summit of cultural and political dignitaries; Chevalier du Mérite Agricole (Agricultural Merit Knighthood) from the French government; a knighting by the Association Internationale de Maîtres Conseil dans la Gastronomie Française; the Outstanding American Educator award from Madrid Fusion; the Diplôme d’Honneur of the Vatel Club des Etats-Unis; and Dame de l’Anée of the Académie Culinaire de France in 2006. In 2001, Hamilton also received the prestigious Ordre National du Mérite (National Order of Merit Award) from the French government.
Hamilton has served as Chairman of the Board of the James Beard Foundation and holds the title of Chair Emeritus of the American Institute of Food and Wine. She is a trustee of the Pomfret School in Connecticut and is active in many non-profit organizations targeting delicious and nutritious eating in primary and secondary schools.
Hamilton was the creator and host of Chef’s Story, a 26-part television series, which debuted on PBS in April 2007, and the author of the companion book, Chef’s Story. Starting May 9, 2012, Hamilton will host a weekly radio program, “Chef’s Story” on www.heritageradionetwork.com, where she will interview today’s leading chefs (Wednesdays at 12pm EST). She also conceived textbooks for the school—The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine, The Fundamental Techniques of Pastry Arts, and The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking—the first two of which received James Beard Foundation Awards for best professional cookbook; the pastry book was also acknowledged by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her book on culinary careers, Love What You Do: Building a Career in the Culinary Industry was published in the fall of 2009.
After graduating with a B.A. honors degree from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, Hamilton spent three years in the Peace Corps in Thailand where she was first introduced to Asian cuisine and fine French dining. She earned an M.B.A. from New York University.
Hamilton currently resides with her daughter in New York City and Litchfield County.
Inspired by the premier vocational schools in Europe she visited in the early 1980s, Hamilton founded The French Culinary Institute (FCI) in 1984. Since then, the school has evolved from a small, well-respected French cooking school to the highly acclaimed International Culinary Center with campuses in New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area and Parma, Italy. The New York and California schools reside in state-of-the art cooking and educational facilities, providing the ultimate setting for the rigorous education that guides the curriculum. Additionally, students who attend The Italian Culinary Experience spend a portion of their studies at the school’s Parma, Italy campus, learning about regional products, traditional cooking methods and the Italian language. Over the years, Hamilton’s keen instincts also led to several curriculum additions, including an Estate Management Studies division, Intensive Sommelier Training, and Restaurant Management. In May 2012, Hamilton announced José Andrés, world-renowned Spanish chef and culinary innovator, as dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center. Together with Andrés and Colman Andrews, one of the world’s leading experts on Spanish cuisine and co-founder of Saveur, The International Culinary Center will develop a curriculum in traditional and modern Spanish cuisine.
Hamilton’s distinguished career in vocational education and her outstanding reputation for creating innovative programs in gastronomy has earned her numerous awards including the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America by the James Beard Foundation; a Silver Spoon award from Food Arts magazine; the 2006, 2010 and 2012 IACP Award of Excellence for Vocational Cooking School; United States representative at Seoul’s 2010 C20 Summit of cultural and political dignitaries; Chevalier du Mérite Agricole (Agricultural Merit Knighthood) from the French government; a knighting by the Association Internationale de Maîtres Conseil dans la Gastronomie Française; the Outstanding American Educator award from Madrid Fusion; the Diplôme d’Honneur of the Vatel Club des Etats-Unis; and Dame de l’Anée of the Académie Culinaire de France in 2006. In 2001, Hamilton also received the prestigious Ordre National du Mérite (National Order of Merit Award) from the French government.
Hamilton has served as Chairman of the Board of the James Beard Foundation and holds the title of Chair Emeritus of the American Institute of Food and Wine. She is a trustee of the Pomfret School in Connecticut and is active in many non-profit organizations targeting delicious and nutritious eating in primary and secondary schools.
Hamilton was the creator and host of Chef’s Story, a 26-part television series, which debuted on PBS in April 2007, and the author of the companion book, Chef’s Story. Starting May 9, 2012, Hamilton will host a weekly radio program, “Chef’s Story” on www.heritageradionetwork.com, where she will interview today’s leading chefs (Wednesdays at 12pm EST). She also conceived textbooks for the school—The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine, The Fundamental Techniques of Pastry Arts, and The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking—the first two of which received James Beard Foundation Awards for best professional cookbook; the pastry book was also acknowledged by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her book on culinary careers, Love What You Do: Building a Career in the Culinary Industry was published in the fall of 2009.
After graduating with a B.A. honors degree from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, Hamilton spent three years in the Peace Corps in Thailand where she was first introduced to Asian cuisine and fine French dining. She earned an M.B.A. from New York University.
Hamilton currently resides with her daughter in New York City and Litchfield County.