Chef Nils Noren to Step Down at French Culinary Institute

As of January 1, Nils Noren the Vice President of Culinary and Pastry Arts—basically one of the guys who runs the show—will relinquish his current duties at the French Culinary Institute and the International Culinary Center. Word on the street is Noren—a creative chef known for his high tech experimenting with Dave Arnold and for his stint at Aquavit—was pushed out of the job to make room for a more corporate chef to take the reins, but reps say that the move simply gives the chef the time to pursue "one of his lifelong dreams," to write a book. He will also continue to be involved with the school as a Culinary Advisor and Consultant "during this intense growth period."

Replacing Noren is Kevin Stuessi, who takes a newly titled position, the Vice-President of Culinary Operations. According to reps, "This role was designed to help them with their growth and give attention to their core culinary goals in NY and in California" (the school recently announced plans to expand to San Jose). Stuessi is a former chef, consultant, and recently held management positions at the Wynn, the Mirage, and The Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Update: PR wants to reiterate that the decision came from Nils, that he was not pushed out. As mentioned above, that's just a rumor we heard.
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