A MESSAGE FROM CIA PRESIDENT MICHIEL BAKKER

Hello,

I want to express how truly excited and honored I am to have joined the Culinary Institute of America. It is such a privilege to be a part of this remarkable community, and I’m eager to work alongside each of you.  

I have now presided over two graduations—one in New York and one in Singapore—displaying the CIA’s truly global reach. I also have participated in my first Board meeting in New York in October. I am grateful for the support and guidance you all have provided me thus far, and I look forward to continuing to learn from, and collaborate with, all of you. What has struck me most is the deep pride, passion, and commitment everyone brings to the college and to their work every day. 

Looking ahead, my priority is to engage with as many of you as possible to better understand the opportunities and challenges we face. Together, we will embark on the journey to create “Vision 2035”: our shared vision for where we want the CIA to be in the next 10 years.  

None of this would be possible, however, if not for my predecessor. Dr. Tim Ryan is the core reason the CIA is what it is today—the world’s premier culinary college. Throughout his tenure as the longest-serving president in the CIA’s history, Dr. Ryan evolved a small trade school into a global leader in culinary education, ensuring that students are exposed to the rich diversity of food traditions around the world, and laid the sturdy foundation and rich potential that I am privileged to have inherited. 

While in office, Dr. Ryan oversaw the expansion of campuses, launched new programs, expanded the influence of culinary education beyond just preparing students for fine dining, embracing a wider food ecosystem—sustainability, food ethics, health, and wellness, and, most importantly, empowered thousands of students to pursue their dreams to become leaders and innovators around the globe.  

I leave you with parting words from Dr. Ryan himself: 

I look back on the 2023-24 Fiscal Year with immense pride. We, all of you among the vast CIA community and myself, dedicated our time with passion and commitment towards the ongoing evolution of the CIA and of culinary education around the world. President Bakker inherits a community that is robust and a fiscal picture that is vibrant and strong. Know that the CIA is in good hands as I step into my new role of Chancellor, to help aid him in his succession and the CIA at-large. After 23 years, I leave knowing the future is bright, that the values we have nurtured will continue to flourish, and that the CIA will remain a beacon of excellence and innovation and the heart and soul of culinary education for generations to come. Thank you for the incredible memories, the unwavering support, and the shared vision for excellence.  

With warm regards, 

Michiel Bakker, President