Virginia Marti Merging With Culinary School: ICYMI

LAKEWOOD, OH — The Virginia Marti College of Art & Design (VMCAD) will merge with the New England Culinary Institute (NECI). The merger will be finalized in June 2017. The new college will be the first, degree-granting culinary institute west of Cleveland.

Both schools are led by Milan Milasinovic. NECI is located in Montpelier, Vermont. As the two schools merge into one, a restaurant will be opened at the Lakewood campus.

The NECI opened in 1980 with seven students and has grown into a large culinary institute with 5,000 alumni. The school's alumni include Food Network Chef/Host Alton Brown and other prominent chefs. A list of alumni is available at the bottom of this article.

Both colleges will keep their names. The two schools will share IT, finance, and accounting services, according to Seven Days. Students will also be able to take online courses at both schools.

Virginia Marti was founded in 1966 by fashion design expert Virginia Marti. The college focuses on bringing together design and business.

Degrees offered by NECI include:

• Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Arts in Baking and Pastry Arts
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Baking and Pastry Arts
• Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
• Online Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
• Associate of Occupational Studies in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
• Certificate in Professional Cooking
• Certificate in Professional Baking & Pastry

NECI's alumni include:

• St. Regis Hotel and Starwood Luxury Collection Manager—Matthew Gabree,
• London Whole Foods Team Leader—Gerry Beck,
• Head Chef, The Chopping Block, Chicago—Hugh Amano, Owner,
• Porterhouse Steakhouse in Hong Kong—James Fortier,
• Allechante Pastry Chef—Carmen Allen, and Owner,
• Spoon and Stable—Gavin Kaysen.

Photo from Google Earth