Two ICC Alumni Win at the 2019 World Bread Awards!

The Awards include 13 categories, from sourdough to baguettes and bagels. The bakers in this year’s competition were judged by 36 industry professionals from around the country, including ICC’s very own Director of Pastry, Chef Jansen Chan and ICC alumni Melissa Weller (Highstreet on Hudson) and Rhonda Crosson (Meyers USA).

ICC is proud to recognize two alumni who took home awards this year in the categories of bagels, focaccia and the TipTree Showstopper. Clémence Danko’s bakery, Choc O Pain French Bakery in Jersey City, brought home the focaccia award for their focaccia baguette. Clémence is a 2010 graduate of ICC’s Art of International Bread Baking program and hires many ICC graduates to work at her bakery. David Shalam, 2011 graduate of ICC’s Professional Pastry Arts program and Founder/Head Baker of Heritage Bakers in Glen Cove, NY, took home the Bagel Award for his everything bagel, as well as the award for the TipTree Showstopper! For this award, he submitted his signature popovers and incorporated TipTree’s Little Scarlet strawberry jam into the recipe.

Congratulations to all of the evenings winners! Check out the full list of awards here.

About The Art of International Bread Baking Program:

Our Art of International Bread Baking program was created 20+ years ago to create the future bakers of tomorrow. In this program, students learn 85+ breads and learn the art of bread baking. In eight weeks, you’ll travel the world through bread baking in our pristine New York City kitchens. Develop a fundamental understanding of the science, ingredients and techniques you need to master artisanal hand-crafted breads.

About the Event Partners:

Tiptree has always had strong links with the USA. Scott Goodfellow, Wilkin & Sons Joint Managing Director commented, “C. J. Wilkin, the son of our founder, toured several states back in the 1890s, to learn about fruit growing and jam making. New York City has a global reputation for excellent food, so it makes the perfect spot for the inaugural overseas Tiptree World Bread Awards. We are very much looking forward to discovering the world of artisan bread that is available across the USA.”

The Food is GREAT campaign is a government initiative to support UK food and drink exports and to increase positive public perception and demand of UK food and drink around the world. www.great.gov.uk

The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 1,000 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, cookies, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. ABA works to grow and enhance the industry through public policy advocacy, education and networking. ABA brings together industry leaders to share ideas, develop industry solutions and network with industry colleagues.  Follow ABA with #AmericanBakers www.americanbakers.org

Photographs by Henry Kenyon

This blog post was originally published by the International Culinary Center (ICC), founded as The French Culinary Institute (FCI). In 2020, ICE and ICC came together on one strong and dynamic national platform at ICE's campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Explore your bread education where the legacy lives on.