[PITTSBURGH, PA, JUNE 16, 2009] — The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes will be represented at the 2009 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado June 19-21, 2009 as students from The Art Institute of Jacksonville (a branch of Miami International University of Art & Design) and The Art Institute of Seattle embark on the unique opportunity to work with many high profile chefs from throughout the United States. The Classic is one of the country’s most celebrated culinary events in the food industry. Thousands of food and wine enthusiasts travel from all over to learn techniques, tips and secrets from an illustrious line up of culinary experts. 

The students selected to attend this year’s Food and Wine Classic will be assigned to assist a celebrity chef during a variety of cooking demonstrations and lectures over several days.  The student team will also have the opportunity to work closely with several of Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs of 2009. 

The team from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Jacksonville is made up of five students including Lacey Boon, Veronica Ohler, Travis Bosche, Vattanak ‘Nak’ Kang and William Mink.  The two students from The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Seattle include Harvey Wolf and Anna Alonzo.  These seven students were selected for this exciting opportunity based on their academic and culinary achievements.

“We are very proud of our students’ accomplishments,” says Michael F. Nenes, Assistant Vice President of Culinary Arts at The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes.  “To have the chance to participate in an event of this magnitude is an honor.  By being presented with this opportunity, our students will be able to take away a powerful experience that will follow with them throughout the rest of their college career and into their life’s endeavors.”

To learn more about The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/culinary.