  Contemporary Latin Chef Shares Experiences with NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – March 23, 2007 – When Edgar Leal, executive chef of Cacao in Coral Gables, visited Johnson & Wales University, the knowledge he shared with students went beyond his cutting edge skill and techniques for preparing gourmet dishes at his acclaimed restaurant. During his March 15-16 visit as a Distinguished Visiting Chef, Leal also talked to students about how to be successful in the industry—something Leal has become quite familiar with. Starting his culinary arts career at age 17, Leal has worked in several notable restaurants in Europe and South and North America, including Bulli and Daniel. He was invited as a guest chef at Marriott Hotel, Santiago de Chile and Le Café de Paris in Monte Carlo, Monaco. In 2003, he was the first Venezuelan to present a dinner at the James Beard Foundation House in New York, and in 2006, he was commissioned as a consultant chef by the architect and owner of the first fine dining Latin restaurant in China. During Leal's classroom demonstrations, he told students that upon graduation they should travel the world and gain new knowledge. Leal worked in France and Spain for some time, learning new skills that he brought back home with him. "You should be able to get a job anywhere in the world," Leal said. "Come back, but come back with new knowledge." Leal also talked about making it in the restaurant business. For Leal, it was a dream of his to own his own restaurant. He told students that if they want to start their own restaurant, it takes a lot of sacrifice and financial loss before you see the success. Students learned more from Leal outside of class when they worked alongside him and his wife Mariana, a pastry chef at Cacao, to prepare a public dinner for 60 guests. The dinner marked Leal's official honoring as Distinguished Visiting Chef. Culinary Arts student Julie Southern, from Plantation, Fla., was awarded with a $2,000 scholarship from the university's culinary arts scholarship fund. Leal's visit to the university occurred after a visit by his restaurant's wine expert Richard DiGiacomo, who was honored as a Distinguished Visiting Sommelier. DiGiacomo spoke to students in a dining room service class about what he does as a sommelier and the challenges he faces in the industry. DiGiacomo told students about how he helps restaurant patrons select wines. He first talks to his customers about the types of wines they like and then helps bridge what they like with something they've never tried before. For instance, DiGiacomo said he might suggest a rosé for someone who likes white wine but needs a good complement to a specific dish. DiGiacomo also talked to students about selecting and ordering wines and working with distributors. DiGiacomo discussed the importance of varying the type of wine distributors you order from. Doing so will help increase the variety you offer. Sometimes DiGiacomo said he uses smaller companies that offer unique and particular types of wines. "Don't be afraid not to use a small distributor," DiGiacomo said. "The big ones don't always have every wine you like." about the Distinguished Visiting Chef Series Johnson & Wales University, founded in 1914, is a nonprofit, private institution. A recognized leader in career education, we offer accredited degrees in business, hospitality, culinary arts, technology and education. With a diverse student body of more than 16,000 graduate and undergraduate students, representing all 50 states and 89 countries, JWU prepares students for personal and professional success by integrating rigorous academics and professional skills, community leadership opportunities and our unique career education model. The university is committed to urban revitalization and thoughtful historic renovation. Through active civic participation and by offering unique learning opportunities, JWU improves the quality of life in its campus communities in Providence, R.I., North Miami, Fla., Denver, Colo., and Charlotte, N.C. For more information visit www.jwu.edu.
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