Best Chef in the West Delivers Commencement Address

Stuart Brioza, chef and owner of the highly acclaimed State Bird Provisions in San Francisco, delivered the keynote address during commencement ceremonies at the New York campus of The Culinary Institute of America on June 12.

The 1998 CIA graduate and his wife and business partner Nicole Krasinski shared the 2015 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: West. Among his many other career accolades, Chef Brioza was named a Food & Wine magazine Best New Chef in 2003. Following its New Year’s Eve 2011 opening, State Bird Provisions won awards as the best new restaurant in America from both the James Beard Foundation and Bon Appétit magazine.

In late 2014, Brioza and Krasinski opened a second restaurant, The Progress, in the same building as State Bird Provisions. It received a Best New Restaurant nomination from the Beard Foundation earlier this year.

Chef Brioza spoke to 86 recipients of associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts.

The entire graduation ceremony can be seen online.


Photo Caption:

Stuart Brioza ’98 speaks to graduates of The Culinary Institute of America on June 12, 2015. (Photo credit: Al Nowak/CIA)

Media Contact:

Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu