Carolyn and I are now the parents of two college graduates. Last Thursday Cody Ambrose Needham graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and an Associates degree in Culinary Arts.
Cody showed an interest in cooking long before he started planning for college, when he was very young. He always said that he wanted to go to “cooking school” rather than college. When he got serious about college, we told him to find a school with a bachelors program, and we’d agree. He came up with CIA and we were on board.
CIA has a program called Journey for Juniors, for high-schools students to get a feel for what life would be on campus, and I took Cody up for that between his junior and senior years of HS. That sealed the deal. Cody never even looked at another college.
So after three years as full-time student, one semester spent in an award-winning kitchen at The Herbfarm Restaurant in Woodinville WA, and one semester spent in Barcelona studying the cuisine of the Mediterranean, Cody now joins his brother John Bailey as a degreed professional.
Cody will be returning to Naples, FL where he will join the team of Chef Todd Johnson later this month at Nosh at Naples Bay.
We can't wait for Cody to join us back in Naples.
John P. Needham
August 7, 2023, 630AM
Naples, FL