Dorothy Cann Hamilton facts for kids
Dorothy Cann Hamilton (born August 25, 1949 – died September 16, 2016) was an amazing leader in the world of food and cooking. She was the founder and CEO of the International Culinary Center, a famous cooking school. She started this school in 1984, first calling it The French Culinary Institute. Many people said she was one of the most important people shaping how Americans cook and eat today.
Her Early Life and Learning
Dorothy was born in New York City in 1949. She first discovered delicious French food when she was studying in England. She took many trips to France and fell in love with its cuisine.
After college, she joined the Peace Corps for three years in Thailand. The Peace Corps is a group where Americans volunteer to help people in other countries. While in Thailand, she learned a lot about Asian cooking. Later, she earned a business degree from New York University.
Dorothy lived with her daughter, splitting their time between New York City and Litchfield County, Connecticut. She sadly passed away at 67 years old in 2016, after a car accident in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Amazing Achievements and Awards
Dorothy Cann Hamilton received many special awards for her work in food and education. Here are some of them:
- Legion of Honor: In 2015, the government of France gave her this very high award. It's one of the most important honors a person can receive from France.
- Entrepreneur of the Year: In 2013, she was named Entrepreneur of the Year. This was for her great career in teaching cooking and creating new programs in food.
- Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America: The James Beard Foundation recognized her as one of the most important people in American food.
- Silver Spoon Award: Food Arts magazine gave her this award for being a top leader in the American restaurant world.
- Chevalier du Mérite Agricole: This is another special award from the French government, recognizing her contributions to agriculture and food.
- Outstanding American Educator: She received this award from Madrid Fusion, a big food conference.
Dorothy was also a past Chairman of the Board for the James Beard Foundation, which celebrates American food. She also hosted a weekly radio show called Chef’s Story. This show later became a 26-part TV series on PBS, where she talked about famous chefs. She even co-wrote a book for the TV series.
She helped create important textbooks for her cooking school. These books, like The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine, taught students how to cook. Some of these books won awards from the James Beard Foundation for being the best professional cookbooks. She also wrote a book called Love What You Do: Building a Career in the Culinary Industry, which helps people find jobs in the food world.
