Baking an Impact: Small Changes for More Sustainable Baking, written by Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Chef Genevieve Meli, with a foreword by renowned Chef Eric Ripert, has hit the shelves. The title is Chef Meli’s second work, and the first book to be published by CIA Press, the college’s own publishing imprint. The book showcases an incredible array of mouthwatering desserts, savory baked goods, and more, with an eye toward reducing food waste; utilizing alternative ingredients, grains, and pantry staples; and seasonality in the baking and pastry realm. Baking an Impact is available now at all CIA locations and Amazon. It’s an ideal gift for the sustainably minded baker on your list or for anyone looking to level up their baking skills.
“People don’t often consider sustainability when it comes to baking, in part, because the staples in many of our favorite baked goods—dairy, eggs, and refined flours—are inherently not sustainable because of sourcing and heavy processing,” said Meli. “My purpose behind Baking an Impact is to show how the smallest of changes can make a larger impact than you might expect,” according to Chef Meli.
Baking an Impact includes both sweet and savory recipes. Some of Chef Meli’s favorite recipes from the book are Coffee Coffee Cake, Wildflower Lollipops, Koginut Squash Gourds, and Blue Spirulina Oat Mint Truffles.
Meli is a CIA alum and an associate professor of baking and pastry arts at CIA and was the youngest chef to earn the Certified Master Baker title. Her resume features various Michelin-starred New York, including Le Bernardin, Restaurant Daniel, and Café Boulud. Chef Meli will showcase some of the recipes from the book during a hands-on baking class at CIA’s New York campus in Hyde Park, NY, in 2025. Be the first to find out more.
About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world’s premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of nearly 55,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu.
