CNM Chef Wins Chef of the Year from New Mexico Restaurant Association
Chef Carmine Russo of Central New Mexico Community College has been named Chef of the Year by the New Mexico Restaurant Association.
Chef Russo received the award in part for contributing to the advancement and prestige of the food service industry. Russo was chosen for the annual award over chefs from such restaurants as The Bullring, Inn of the Anasazi, Pranzo Italian Grill, La Casa Sena, Hyatt Tamaya Resort, Chamisa Hills Country Club and The Range Café.
Russo has cooked professionally for 27 years. He has worked in several positions ranging from pastry chef to head chef before entering the culinary teaching profession at CNM, then called TVI, in 1991. Russo was head chef at Marriott Management Services before joining CNM.
“It runs in the family,” Russo said of cooking. “I have a grandfather who was a chef, a great grandfather who was a chef and aunts and uncles who work in the food service industry.”
Russo is a graduate of the then-TVI culinary arts program. He also has a master’s degree in management and human resources development.
Russo teaches several classes in CNM’s highly regarded Culinary Arts program, educating students on cooking technique and theory. Last year two of his students won national prestige by earning gold medals at the national SkillsUSA competition. Russo has been known to work at restaurants between CNM’s academic terms to keep up with the food industry.
