IUP chefs judged state competitions hosted by partner state restaurant associations in Georgia, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wyoming, and most recently for the national competition in Maryland. The teams were talented, and the competition was rigorous!

The National ProStart Invitational, held April 19–21, 2013, at the Marriott Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, is the finale of the nationwide competition and showcased student teams from 43 states and territories. Participating teams had to impress a panel of 30 judges representing educational programs and food service corporations and businesses from across the nation.

Both state and national ProStart Invitationals require the “teams participating in the culinary competition to demonstrate their culinary knowledge, skills, and creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes.”

The Academy of Culinary Arts awards a $1,500 scholarship to all ProStart competitors at the state and national level in recognition of the professionalism and knowledge exhibited by these student competitors.

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year, industry-driven curriculum for high school students. The program teaches culinary techniques and management skills with the goal of developing “the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's industry leaders.”

Learn more about:

• Albert Wutsch
• Clifford Klinger
• Andrew Nutter

Academy of Culinary Arts

The list of students is organized alphabetically by county and city, presenting Pennsylvania counties first, followed by counties in other states.

Adams

Littlestown: Travis Zuber

Allegheny

Coraopolis: Jayme Kerr; Emily McConkey

Gisbonia: Lindsay Steen

Pittsburgh: Chelsea Jeffrie

Wexford: Nikki Sardon

Armstrong

Ford City: Shelby Lukehart

Freeport: Rhonda Fleming

Beaver

Freedom: Amy Shealy

Bedford

Everett: Nicole Sheetz

Blair

Altoona: Lisa Pruznak; Trista Thayer

Bucks

Holland: Mary Reitz

Perkasie: Kelly Morrison

Butler

Cabot: Graci Shaffer

Cranberry Township: Victoria Roenigk

Cambria

Johnstown: Rose Anderson

Carbon

Lehighton: Samantha Bowman

Chester

Berwyn: Brittany Birdsell

Coatesville: Timothy Joyner-Matz

Clarion

Fryburg: Kareena Eisenman

Knox: Katherine Hartzell

Clearfield

Brisbin: Thomas Schroeder

DuBois: Rachel Hicks

Houtzdale: Ariana Yaple

Osceola Mills: Bryan Richner

Penfield: Samantha Brown

Crawford

Conneaut Lake: Jordan Lucian

Titusville: Gianina Gionti

Delaware

Glen Mills: Kyle Woods

Erie

North East: Samantha Sprague

Wattsburg: Megan Shreve

West Springfield: Tyler Borstorff

Franklin

Chambersburg: Briana Mansberger

Green Castle: Christopher Harbaugh

Huntingdon

Alexandria: Allison Bousum

Indiana

Home: Jaimee Bellman

Jefferson

Brookville: Jonathon Hoak

Punxsutawney: Megan Kauffman; Angel Poling; Cody Van Namee

Lawrence

Ellwood City: Lindsay McCowin

New Castle: Katie Dorr

Lycoming

Hughesville: Chase Platt

Mercer

Grove City: Kelly McCarl

Jamestown: Sandra Kelly

Montgomery

Willow Grove: Elaina Leonardi

Philadelphia

Philadelphia: Daniera May; Lafon Motley

Tioga

Sabinsville: Audrey Hoppe

Tioga: Destiny Sorge

Union

Blairsville: Jessica Startari

Warren

Pittsfield: Rebecca Lindstrom

Youngsville: Kelly Cindrich

Warren: Philip Dorn

Washington

Washington: Samantha Stumpf

Westmoreland

Lower Burrell: David Guentner

York

York: Arielle Zambito

California

Imperial

Brawley: Bethany Theuret

Out-of State

Maryland

Montgomery

Damascus: Kelsey Pitman

Washington

Hagerstown: Kayla Hott

New Jersey

Passaic

Wayne: Stephanie Delorenzis

New York

Queens

Bellrose: John Mink

Ulster

Saugerties: Kaysi Hill

Ohio

Stark

Canton: Samantha Widder

Texas

El Paso

El Paso: Bradley Drake

Virginia

Fairfax

Reston: Kathryn Danaher

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’00 Culinary Arts

Dana Jennings Boozel
is the service manager for Sodexo, Inc. in Huntingdon, Pa.

’00 Culinary Arts

Courtney Violi
is the territory manager (sales representative) for US Foods located in Hilton Head, S.C.

’03 Culinary Arts

Lori Young
is the catering coordinator for Luigi’s Restaurant in DuBois, Pa.

’07 Culinary Arts

Adam Musselman

is the executive chef at Metz Culinary Management in York, Pa.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Katie Sloan Collins

is the baking and pastry arts instructor at Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School in Butler, Pa.

‘08 Culinary Arts

Mitch Gruver

is the chef de partie at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pa.

’12 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Heather Oesterling 
is a baker at Boldys Bakery in Butler, Pa. where she creats pies, turnovers, pastries, cream pies, cakes, and muffins.

The national writing meeting was charged with writing new items for ManageFirst examinations. Wygonik, who was recruited in December 2011 to serve as an author/subject matter expert for the new edition of the ManageFirst program, was invited to participate in the national meeting based upon the quality of her work and level of participation in the program.

Created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, ManageFirst is a training program that teaches students “the key competencies they need to begin or advance their management careers” in the hospitality industry.

The program curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including controlling foodservice costs, hospitality and restaurant management, human resources management and supervision, sanitation, customer service, food production, inventory and purchasing, managerial accounting, menu marketing and management, nutrition, and restaurant marketing.

Wygonik teaches computer and business courses to culinary students at the Academy of Culinary Arts. She was honored to participate in the ManageFirst writing meeting, and believes her selection is a testament to her dedication to the Culinary Arts program at IUP and the hospitality industry as a whole.

Sandra Ewing from Euclid Fish Company brought samples of this hand-chosen, hand-cleaned, and inspected salmon for culinary faculty and students to prepare and taste.

Skuna Bay Salmon is craft-raised in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, and is the highest quality salmon available.

Euclid Fish Company, a fourth-generation, family-owned business from Menter, Ohio, is one out of only four companies in the United States contracted to wholesale Skuna Bay Salmon.

With a focus on being socially responsible, Euclid Fish Company uses no chemicals in their processing and ships products in recyclable, environmentally friendly packaging.

The company has been supplying the Culinary Arts program at IUP with fresh seafood for over five years and, according to culinary faculty member Chef Gary Fitting, offer “the best fish available with the best taste I have ever had.”

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is one of three culinary programs selected by the by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to host and instruct ProStart Summer Institutes Level I, a professional-development opportunity for teachers.

The Summer Institute curriculum, developed by the NRAEF and taught by Culinary Arts faculty, has the goal of teaching cutting-edge skills to high school instructors which can be taken back to the classroom.

The program provides an overview of the restaurant and food service industry and includes instruction on kitchen and management essentials. Participants will gain in-depth knowledge of culinary basics from knife skills and mise en place to cooking methods.

Culnary Arts faculty, staff, and students are enjoying getting to know our visiting teachers who represent high schools from Alaska, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Check out the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts on Facebook for photos and updates on the workshop.

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’97 Culinary Arts

Robyn Sidlosy Maley

is currently the sous chef at Great Wolf Resorts in Scotrun, Pa.

’05 Culinary Arts

Heidi Christman

is a cook at Willow Point Country Club in Alexander City, Ala.

'07 Culinary Arts

Ross Thompson

is a sous chef at The Plains at Parish Homestead in Oneonta, N.Y. Ross recently won Riviana Foods What's in your Wok Fried Rice Competition, which was held during the 2012 American Culinary Federation (ACF) Northeast Regional Conference. He will advance to the national finals in July at the ACF National Convention in Orlando, Fla.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Laura Noll

is a baker for Mussers Markets in Columbia, Pa. Laura is responsible for the baking in two stores.

’09 Culinary Arts

Leonardo Aragao

is a private chef in New York City, N.Y. Leonardo specializes in preparing and plating haute cuisine cocktail parties, dinners, and other receptions for private families. He has also prepared meals for international diplomats in the tri-state region.

Ryan Kline

is the sous chef at Storm Bistro in Asheville, N.C.

’10 Culinary Arts

Jason Shafer

is currently working on his Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management at IUP. While completing his degree, Jason is managing a deli/bistro at Pistons in Heilwood, Pa.

’11 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Abagayle Schreck

is a pastry and prep cook at Waypoint Seafood & Grill in Williamsburg, Va. Abagayle is responsible for making all the dessertsand pastries for the restaurant, which includes ice creams and sorbets. She completed her externship at Kingsmill Resort prior to her current employment.

On Sunday, May 6, 2012, the Escoffier Club at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and IUP Dining sponsored a picnic food culinary competition designed and organized by students.

One chef, one baking student, and two culinary students made up each team. Chefs leading the teams included IUP faculty members Martha Jo Rupert and Anthony Battaglia and chef Robert Stevens from Aramark.

Inspired by the Food Network show Chopped, each team had to prepare a cold picnic lunch for four people that included chicken, yogurt, red grapes, and one mystery item in the ingredients. Teams had 30 minutes to plan their menus, one hour to cook, and 10 minutes to plate and present the finished lunches for judging. All lunches had to include a sandwich, salad or side dish, dessert, and beverage.

Four volunteer judges evaluated organization and sanitation, use of the required ingredients and mystery item, time management, communication, creativity, presentation, and taste of the finished product. They were impressed!

The meals presented for judging included:

Team A

Chef Bob Stevens and students Rebecca Florentine, Dan Jackson, and Cory Schaeffer

• Pepperoni Chicken Sandwich with Pork Rinds, Boiled Potato Salad with Balsamic Reduction, Watermelon Lemonade, Pineapple Foster

Team B

Chef Martha Jo Rupert and students Robert Gottschalk, Katie Noon, and Ryan Peters

• Chicken Salad on Homemade Pita Bread. Homemade Potato Chips, Fruit Kabobs with Tofu and Yogurt dip, Rootbeer Floats with Homemade Ice Cream, Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Team C

Chef Anthony Battaglia and students Justin Steele, Brett Ream, and Matt Schropp

• Satay Panini; Walforf Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups; Pineapple, Mango, and Kiwi Smoothie; Berry Shortcake

And the winner was…..Team B!

The event concluded with a pig roast and picnic for all in attendance, prepared by Chef Bob Stevens and Aramark. Students, faculty, and staff had a great time and are already talking about planning next year’s competition.

Executive chefs and human resource managers from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry visited the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts in April to talk about culinary careers and interview students for externship positions.

Some of the employers that students had an opportunity to interview with included:

• The Biltmore, Asheville, N.C.
• Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, Fla.
• Giant Eagle Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa.
• The Marriott, New Orleans, New Orleans, La.
• Mountain Air Country Club, Burnesville, N.C.
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.
• Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.
• Penn State Food Services, State College, Pa.
• Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, The Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Each employer was treated to a gourmet luncheon created by faculty member Martha Jo Rupert. Chef Rupert was assisted by culinary and baking students, many of whom will be completing an externship with the employer who was visiting that day.

The menus included:

• Ancho Chili Rubbed Salmon served with Hand-mashed Potato, finished with Sour Cream, Pesto, and Bacon Crumbles; Steamed Asparagus.
• Low Country Shrimp on Jalapeno Cheese Grits.
• Maryland Crab Cakes with Creamy Caper Dill Sauce.
• Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with a Tart Cherry Sauce; Sweet Potato Puree; Sauteed Green Beans with Roasted Red Peppers and Bacon.
• Chipotle Garlic Marinated Grilled Flank Steak with a Spicy Lime Chipotle Sauce; Parsnip and Pear Puree; Steamed Brussels Sprouts.
• Chicken and Corn Chowder with Goat Cheese and Black Pepper Biscuits.

The salad served almost daily was Mixed Garden Greens and Strawberries with a Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette and a piece of Stilton Bleu Cheese.

Desserts were created, plated, and served by the second-year Baking and Pastry Arts students.

Want to try a hand at making one of these menu items yourself? Check out our recipes!

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost. 

’97 Culinary Arts

Matthew Cedro
is the director of operations and head cheese maker at Firefly Farms Creamery and Market in Accident, Md. Firefly Farms produces approximately one hundred thousand pounds of handmade goat cheese each year. Matt attended classes at the University of Vermont’s Institute for Artisan Cheese in 2003. 

’98 Culinary Arts

Steven Kohlbus
is currently the executive chef at the South Congress Café in Austin, Texas.

’00 Culinary Arts

Brian Anstadt
is the culinary arts instructor at Lycoming County Career and Technology Center in Hughesville, Pa. Brian loves his job and wouldn’t change anything about his career path.

’06 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

David Burch
is the executive sous chef for Parkhurst Dining at Bucknell University. Parkhurst Dining is a division of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group. David manages the residential and catering food operations for Bucknell University, which is the company’s largest account.

’07 Culinary Arts

Thomas Barnes
is the sous chef at Nap’s Cucina Mia in Indiana, PA. Thomas works on the line and prepares desserts for the restaurant. In 2010 one of the desserts Thomas helped create with Chef Nick Karas was voted one of the "Top Five Desserts of 2010" by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. 

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Heidi Miller
is currently the head baker at Sweet Tammy’s in Pittsburgh, Pa. Heidi was the April guest speaker for the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Groundhog Chapter meeting, where she spoke about cake decorating and competitions.

’09 Culinary Arts and DCT (Switzerland)

Peter Christoffel
is currently working for Wegmans while completing his Nutrition/Dietetics degree at West Chester University.

’09 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Angela Held
is currently working as a pastry cook at the Vanilla Pastry Studio in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

’10 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Ann Colangelo 
is completing her Hospitality Management degree at IUP. While attending school she is employed as a line cook at Holiday Inn in Indiana, Pa. Ann is in charge of all prep work and specials. She also helps with banquets and manages the evening cook shift.  

Chef Besh presented “My New Orleans,” a cooking and learning demonstration featuring the fresh flavor of local ingredients at the Ocean Reef Club Cooking School (a series of culinary classes by celebrated chefs held at the Ocean Reef Club).

Named by Food & Wine magazine as one of the Top 10 Best New Chefs in America, Chef Besh owns and operates nine restaurants. His flagship restaurant, August, was featured in Gourmet magazine’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants” and “America’s Top 50 Restaurants.” He is also the author of two cookbooks, My New Orleans (Andrews McMeel Publishing, October 2009,) and the follow-up cookbook, My Family Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, November 2011).

From left: Danielle Tenfelde (IUP Culinary Arts student), Chef John Besh, Chef Todd (John Besh Restaurant Group), Caleb McNany (IUP Culinary Arts alumnus), and Daniel Le (IUP Culinary Arts student)

IUP Academy of Culinary Arts

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’97 Culinary Arts

Victoria Patalon 
is currently the retail and catering manager at AVI Foodsystems at Lakewood Hospital in Lakewood, Ohio.

’99 Culinary Arts

Thomas Seaman 
is the central kitchen production team leader for Giant Eagle in Pittsburgh, Pa. In his current position, he manages 25 team members and supplies fully cooked gourmet products for all five Market District stores in the Pittsburgh area. His numerous positions at Giant Eagle over the past seven years have given him the opportunity to work both in the front and back of the house, which he enjoys.

’05 Culinary Arts

Adam Azzato 
is the culinary supervisor at the Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa, and Casino–Hyatt Regency in Lake Tahoe, Nev. Adam manages the Sierra Café and the Cutthroat’s Saloon, two of the properties’ more casual restaurants.

Eric McHugh
recently joined the staff of the Refinery as sous chef. The Refinery is located in Tampa, Fla. The Refinery produces a new menu each week with items that are fresh and available from local farmers and suppliers.

’05 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Valerie Watt McHugh 
is the campus executive chef at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla., where she is employed through Bon Appétit Management. Valerie is responsible for three cafes and catering on campus. She has been employed with the company since 2009.

’06 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts

Bruce Baumann
is the executive sous chef at Parkhurst Dining Services at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. Along with the executive chef, Bruce oversees dining and catering operations at Lycoming College. Lycoming College has a yearly enrollment of 2,000.

’07 Culinary Arts and ’08 DCT

Jeffrey Miller
recently accepted a position as a line cook at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn. Blackberry Farm’s dining venue, the Barn, specializes in fresh on-the-farm cuisine and has been featured in Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Bon Appétit magazines. Blackberry Farm is a luxurious hotel located in the Great Smoky Mountains.

’08 Culinary Arts and ’09 DCT

Elizabeth Williams
recently accepted a position as a pastry cook at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.

’09 Culinary Arts

Ryan Kline 
is currently the demi chef at the Bistro at the Biltomore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Ryan also works with other Culinary Academy alumni at the Bistro, which includes grill demi-chef John Solomon ’09 and cook 2’s Jess Bower ’10 and Nate Elkovitch ’10. In January 2011, Ryan competed in the Les Chaine Jeunes Commis (Young Chef) Competition.

Jeremy Manners
is the culinary and nutrition director at West Haven Manor–Quality Life Services in Apollo, Pa. Jeremy recently earned the Foodservice Management Professional credential. He currently serves as the state chapter president for the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals.

’11 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Courtney Ickes
completed her baking externship at Marriott Macro Island in Florida. She is currently a cook 3 at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington, Pa.

If you would like to learn more about culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary dietetics, or culinary arts with a bachelor degree in hospitality management or nutrition, visit us at booth 17.

IUP Culinary Admissions representatives will be available to answer your questions, give you program material, and talk to you about degree options, admissions requirements, culinary careers, and more!

Fair hours are from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 8, and from 9:00 a.m. to noon on Thursday, February 9.

Students, you can save time at the fair by preregistering at the student registration website.

For additional information about the fair including driving and parking information, visit the 2012 Pittsburgh National College Fair website.

From February 4 through February 12, 2012, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, outdoor enthusiasts will be able to see hundreds of exhibiters and demonstrations related to hunting, fishing, camping, outdoor vacationing, and more.

Included among the demonstratons will be deer butchering seminars by Chef Albert Wutsch and “Secret Recipes for Cooking That Trout” presented by Virginia (Stoneberger) Lazo ’06.

An avid hunter and outdoorsman, Albert Wutsch is a certified executive chef and culinary educator who combines his mastery of cooking with his passion for the great outdoors. Chef Wutsch has cooked for professional outfitters in Montana and in many hunting camps throughout the country; he has also taught courses on game cookery in Montana, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Chef Wutsch will be presenting seminars on deer butchery each day of the show.

Virginia Lazo is a 2006 graduate of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. She will be conducting her trout cooking seminars on February 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12.

Lazo has experience working at top restaurants, including the fine dining restaurant Tavern on the Hill in Enola, Pa., and at the luxurious private mountain resort, the Yellowstone Club, in Big Sky Montana. She currently is employed at her family’s business, Central Penn Sporting Clays, where she does catering and runs a bed and breakfast.

For more information about the show and demonstration schedules, visit Eastern Sports Show.

Chef Martha Jo Rupert and a team of culinary student volunteers are once again assisting local resident, Gene “Chilipepper” Roberts, to run this appetizing community event on the eve of Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prognostication.

Guests will be able to purchase tickets to sample a wide variety of chili and wing recipes created by local and not-so-local cook-off competitors. Juding to determine the cook-off winners and a jalapeno pepper eating contest open to everyone will commence at 7:00 p.m.

Come join the fun and good eats! Doors open at 6:00 p.m. All proceeds to benefit Hog Heaven Rescue Farm Inc.

State ProStart competitions in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wyoming and the National ProStart Invitational on April 27–29 in Baltimore, Maryland, will each have an IUP judge in attendance.

The ProStart Invitational is composed of two distinct competitions: the culinary and management competitions. Teams of talented culinary students will begin both ProStart competitions at the state level this month. First-place winning teams from the state invitationals will then showcase their abilities in the national competition.

Both state and national Prostart Student Invitationals require the “teams participating in the culinary competition to demonstrate their culinary knowledge, skills and creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in only 60 minutes. Their performance during the practical session is observed and rated by judges from leading colleges and universities.”

ProStart is a “nationwide, two-year program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's industry leaders. From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStart's industry-driven curriculum provides real-world educational opportunities and builds practical skills and a foundation that will last a lifetime.”

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts offers scholarships for ProStart competitors at the state and national level.

Watch this video from the 2011 National ProStart Student Invitational to get a look at the talent and energy of ProStart students in competition.

This year marks the thirteenth year that IUP culinary students have participated in the externship program at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. This partnership between the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts and Ocean Reef has resulted in the placement of over 120 IUP culinary students and graduates in externship or permanent positions at the club.

Located at the northernmost tip of the Florida Keys on two thousand acres in a tropical paradise, Ocean Reef Club is the largest private club in the United States. With more than a dozen food and beverage outlets, as well as catering, banquet, and special event dining, the Ocean Reef Club provides culinarians of all levels the opportunity to participate in the creation and delivery of an exceptional range of high-end culinary services. 

A huge fan of the culinary program at IUP, Philippe P. Reynaud, senior director of culinary operations at the Ocean Reef Club, travels to Punxsutawney each year with his recruitment manager, Angelina Andreoni, to recruit IUP students for externship positions.

For the externship program, Chef Philippe coordinates a schedule that sees the “students participate in a weekly culinary rotation through a variety of kitchen positions, which include experience at restaurants of varying specialties and cuisines, banquet, and catering services and special culinary events.”

The club is clearly satisfied with the IUP culinary recruits. An article in the Ocean Reef Press tells members, “You might notice a strange phenomenon at your Club restaurants as you return season after season. The faces of those preparing your meals might change drastically, but the quality and culinary expertise remains top-notch. The reason is one that you might not be aware of but that is a great source of pride for our Food & Beverage Team – a great relationship with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Academy of Culinary Arts provides a great learning experience for students and a great team of passionate chefs-in-training for our Club.”

Faculty and staff at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts are also pleased with the partnership. IUP Culinary students gain professional experience in a world-class culinary operation. “Chef Philippe’s philosophy of food and people has made him one of the most outstanding professional chefs we work with,” said Albert Wutsch, department chairperson. “He brings out the best in each and every individual he works with, and he returns our students to us enthusiastic and full of passion.”

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’02 Culinary Arts

Ashley Martin

is the food and beverage coordinator at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio. Employed by Intercontinental Hotels for seven years, Ashley’s current responsibilities include booking events and assisting the food and beverage director.

’05 Culinary Arts

Travis Birck

is the kitchen manager at Casper Restaurant in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Casper Restaurant is a ski-in\ski-out restaurant located in the Teton mountain range at the base of the Jackson Hole Resort’s Casper Lift. The restaurant has been rated by Ski Magazine as one of the Top Ten Best Resort Restaurants in the country. Travis spends his summers in Alaska, where he has been using the ice carving skills he developed at IUP to sculpt stone, whale bone, mammoth ivory, and other Alaskan materials.

’06 Culinary Arts

Thomas Barnes

is the baker for Dornan’s Resort in Moose, Wyo. Dornans is a family-owned and operated resort located in the heart of the Jackson Hole valley, on the Snake River inside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. Thomas says, “It's awesome to be doing what I love in such a beautiful area.”

’07 Culinary Arts

Kirsten Church

is a supervisor for Aramark Corporation at the Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa. Kirsten has been employed there since 2007.

’07 Culinary Arts

Nicole Grover Williams

is assistant head cook at Robert Packer Hospital, a Level II Regional Trauma Center and division of Guthrie Health located in Sayre, Pa. Nicole’s department is responsible for providing food service for 1,500 patients, visitors, and staff each day. Nicole is gaining catering experience as well; her department caters hospital and medical staff events, including luncheons, elegant dinners, weddings, and everything in between.

’07 Culinary Arts

Kristofer Pierce

is a production chef for the Olive Garden.

’08 Culinary Arts

Zachary Ford

is the executive chef at the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg, Pa. He has been employed by the hotel since February 2011. His sous chef is Daniel Dillier, ’10.

’08 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Janice Benjamin

was recently promoted to pastry chef at the Giant Eagle Market District in Robinson, Pa. One of Janice’s responsibilities as pastry chef is to formulate and create recipes for the Giant Eagle Market District franchise.

’10 Culinary Arts

Ryan Troia

is currently employed at the Soergel Orchards Famiy Farm Market in Wexford, Pa., while attending classes at Robert Morris University. Ryan completed his externship at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla.

’10 Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts

Daniel Dillier

is sous chef at the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg, PA. His executive chef is Zachary Ford, ’08.

The American Cancer Society and Giant Eagle in Indiana held their twenty-first annual Grocers Fight Cancer Day on Thursday, October 6, 2011.

This one-day event featured sales, raffles, live music, and more to entice customers into the store to shop on this special day, where a percentage of sales was donated to the American Cancer Society.

A cooking demonstration by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts was part of the entertainment schedule.

Culinary students Joseph Strejcek, Harley Cook, Daniel Williams, Jesse Helm, Courtney Robison, Lavella Kirkland, and Rebecca Jarrell presented recipes and prepared samples for customers at the Giant Eagle store.

Sautéed shrimp with an asian rub and Orange Gastrique sauce, sautéed shrimp with a BBQ rub, and a Sesame BBQ sauce were among the recipes demonstrated by the students.

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts is located in Punxsutawney and offers programs in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts.

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’93

James Sones

is the purchasing chef at IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. Chef Sones is responsible for the ordering and distribution of food and supplies for the Academy of Culinary Arts. His responsibilites also include managing the purchasing budget.

’97

Nicholas Williamson

is the general manager/executive chef at Tonellis Pizza Pub in Horsham, Pa. The restaurant is on track to exceed four milliion dollars in sales this year; a second location is in the works.

’98

Zachary Dollak

is the co-owner of Milano Italian Steakhouse in Old Forge, Pa. Standouts on Milano’s menu include the sixteen-ounce Delmonico steaks with housemade glazes, the baked gnocchis, and the pan-seared scallops with wild mushroom risotto and white wine cream sauce. Read more about Chef Dollak at the Times-Tribune.

’01

Justin McComas

is a sous chef at Cedric’s Tavern at the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, N.C. Cedric’s Tavern is one of many dining locations at the Biltmore. The tavern’s cuisine pays tribute to the neighborhood pubs of Britain and Ireland.

’05

Carrie Berkey

is the chef/manager at Indian Lake Resort in Indian Lake, Pa. Indian Lake Resort is a full-function resort located in the Laurel Highlands.

’05

Alex Ochs

is the chef de cuisine at Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Desert Mountain Club is one of the world's premier private, residential communities with six championship Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses. Alex is responsible for the Mexican-Southwestern restaurant on property.

’06

Heather McNeil

is a barista and caterer at Dornans in Moose, Wyo. Dornans is a family-owned/operated resort located in the heart of the Jackson Hole Valley in Wyoming.

’07 Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry

Amber Kunselman

is a pastry chef at Sugar Cafe in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Dormont). Sugar Cafe offers home-style breakfast and lunch menus, as well as gourmet pastries and cakes all house-made from scratch daily. Amber is also doing some independent work and has created a website showcasing her creations. See her unique creations at Eat Cake Art.

In July 2011, the American Culinary Federation Education Foundations Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC) granted accreditation renewal for the Culinary Arts and the Baking and Pastry Arts certificate programs at IUP.

ACFEFAC is the only culinary arts accrediting body recognized by the Council of Higher Education in the United States.

Programs accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) are evaluated by a process of national standards comparison and demonstrate no areas of noncompliance within ACFEF standards.

Accreditation assures that the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs practice high levels of professionalism and maintain accountability and credibility, curriculum standards, and current educational practices.

Additionally, the ACFEF identified the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts programs as “Exemplary” by national standards.

“Exemplary” status is awarded to those programs found to be exhibiting all required areas of ACFEF standards to a substantial degree.

ACFEF standards consist of eligibility, program mission and goals, organization and administration, faculty and staff, curriculum, facilities, student services, and assessment.

Graduates of the IUP Culinary Arts and the Baking and Pastry Arts ACFEFAC-accredited programs are eligible for the American Culinary Federation Culinarian or Pastry Culinarian certification without any additional fees or exam requirements.

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’01

Greg Zaffuto

is the culinary arts instructor at Clearfield Career and Technology Center in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, where he trains youth and adults for success in the workplace and postsecondary education.

’02

Jamie Lyn McAuliffe-Jones

is executive chef at Oakwood Restaurant at Laurel View Village in Davidsville, Pennsylvania.

’05

Joshua South

is a cook III and saucier at the four diamond Boca Raton Resort and Club in Boca Raton, Florida. A few of the many ammenities there include a half-mile stretch of private beach, two eighteen-hole championship golf courses, seven swimming pools, three state-of-the-art fitness centers, and a variety of water sports.

’06

Sarah Dayton

is a registered dietician at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania.

’07

Joshua Rhodes

is a pastry cook III at The Breakers, a AAA Five Diamond oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The Breakers has nine distinctive restaurants and a banquet kitchen. Joshua is in charge of all cookie and banquet breads production. He was the the honorary guest speaker at the 2011 IUP Baking and Pastry Arts Toque ceremony.

’08

Brian Dickey

is sous chef at Marriot Pittsburgh City Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Marriot is the home of The Steelhead Brasserie and Wine Bar, which is famous for American Fusion cuisine.

Born in the village of Cercina, Italy, Chef Ricchi started his culinary training when his grandfather opened a small grocery store in 1929. Many years later, he turned that small grocery store into a successful restaurant. In 1997, he opened Cesco Trattoria in Bethesda, Maryland.

Chef Ricchi has earned dozens of awards, including Best New Restaurant in the United States, Top Twenty-Five Restaurants in North America, Chef of the Year 1998, Best Italian Restaurant, Best Newcomer, and the Zagat Award of Distinction. He is listed among the Washington Post's 50 Best Restaurants, and has been named the Favorite Restaurant in Montgomery County (Md.).

Featured on both the Discovery Channel’s television series Great Chefs of the East and on the Food Channel series Chocolate Passion, Chef Ricchi has also been highlighted in numerous cookbooks.

Culinary students attending the ceremony were inspired as Chef Ricchi shared stories about his passion for food and cooking. As he spoke about his life’s journey in the restaurant business, he emphasized the passion and dedication to the profession that is required to be a successful chef. He reminded the students to never stop learning even as they head off to externship, their final graduation requirement.

Of the ninety-three students accepting the toque, sixty-two will be doing their externships in the United States, three will be going to Switzerland for the twelve-month DCT International Hotel and Business Management School European Diploma and Externship Program, and twenty-seven will continue on to the Baking and Pastry Arts program.

Some of the properties that are anticipating the arrival of IUP culinary externs in the fall include Biltmore Estates, Asheville, N.C.; Boca Raton Resort, Boca Raton, Fl.; The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fl.; The Homestead, Hot Springs, Va.; Kiawah Island Resort, Kiawah Island, S.C.; Marriott New Orleans, New Orleans, La.; Mountain Air Country Club, Burnsville, N.C.; Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.; Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fl.; Pinehurst Resort, Asheville, N.C.; Aramark; and Penn State Food Service.

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’99

Steven Sterritt

is executive chef at Sequoia National Park in California. He works for Delaware North in the Parks and Resorts division, a global leader in hospitality and food service.

Tom Seaman

is fresh group leader at Giant Eagle Market District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the cooking school staff. Tom holds a B.A. in Hotel and Restaurant Management and has been with Giant Eagle since 2005.

’01

Chris Knightly

is a banquet chef at Omni William Penn in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is famous for its award-winning cuisine.

’05

Shelly Orozco-Marrs

is chef of the Village Summit at University of Georgia Food Services. There, she serves 4,000 or more customers a day in a modern university food service operation.

’06

Rosie Gerard

is pastry chef at Wine Cask Restaurant in Santa Barbara, California. Wine Cask specializes in great food featuring the freshest local ingredients and an extensive wine list.

’07

Kelsey Rebuck

is head baker and assistant manager at Papa J's Ristorante in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. The restaurant specializes in “beautiful food simply prepared to be shared with family and friends.”

’08

Erin Reed

is a pastry cook at the Continental Midtown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

’09

Robert Butler

is a cook II at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. Robert received the Associate of the Quarter award.

Haylie Santoro

is a pastry chef at Hilton Garden Inn- South Point in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. She makes everything from breakfast pastries and cookies to buffet-style and plated desserts for up to 1,000 people.

“I did my externship in Asheville, N.C., at the Biltmore Estate. It was a great experience, and I worked there for nearly two years! I then moved back to Pennsylvania and got a job at a Hilton Garden Inn as a pastry chef. I work for the banquet side of the kitchen and make everything from breakfast pastries and cookies to gourmet cupcakes and plated desserts for up to 1,000 people. The people I work with/for are awesome, and this is a great company to work for.”

’10

Zack Buchholz

is a cook at Stable Café at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Stable Café is located in an historic building that was transformed from a noneteenth-century stable into a fascinating restaurant where guests dine on traditional Southern fare in a comfortable setting.

“Basically, food is my passion. Just cooking every day...it’s amazing.”

Selina Gruber

is a garde manger and pastry cook at Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina. She also does weddings and banquets as part of her position there.

Alex Brown

is a cook II at Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa in Bedford, Pennsylvania. He works at the 1796 Room, an upscale signature steak and chophouse. Omni Bedford Springs is a four-diamond resort and a national historic landmark.

Kathryn Benson

is a pastry cook I at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore has a four-star inn and an award-winning winery, six restaurants, and event and meeting venues.

“I enjoy having to change the menu for the seasons because it helps me learn more about foods that I haven’t worked with very much before and how to adjust to changes and solve problems that arise.”

Culinary Arts student Alexandra Cleis was awarded the Tony and Emma Ricupero Memorial Rustic Lodge Scholarship on June 8, 2011.

Cleis was selected to receive the $1,200 scholarship based on her outstanding academic performance and her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.

A graduate of Chartiers Valley High School in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, Alexandra attended the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh prior to starting classes in the Culinary Arts program at IUP. She will be continuing into IUP’s second-year Baking and Pastry Arts program in the fall.

While studying culinary arts at IUP, Alexandra has worked as a student ambassador at culinary open houses. She is also employed as a community assistant in the Fairman Centre for IUP’s Office of Housing and Residential Life.

On July 5, 1945, Tony and Emma Ricupero opened the doors of the Rustic Lodge and created a family business that has grown into one of the most prominent and beloved institutions in Indiana and the surrounding community.

Tony and Emma Ricupero devoted their life to their family and their business. Their tireless efforts involved every aspect of the Rustic Lodge, from clearing the wooded lot for their business to making the tomato sauce, baking the breads and pastries, and sewing tablecloths.

This scholarship, which provides financial assistance to talented and deserving students enrolled at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, was established by the family to “honor Tony and Emma Ricupero, whose lives embodied the ethos of the food service industry—hard work, quality service, customer satisfaction, and service to the community.”

If you are a graduate of our program, please update your alumni information and we will include your profile in our next Class Notes newspost.

’98

Heidi May

is executive chef at Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel in Erie, Pennsylvania. She is in charge of a “small but mighty staff,” and oversees the banquet department and Victor’s Restaurant.

’00

Kelly Jack

is the catering supervisor at Parkhurst Dining Services at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania. His catering services offer the highest quality, freshest ingredients with an emphasis on using food from local farms and artisans.

‘05

Eric McHugh

is the private events chef for Chef Daniel Stern’s restaurant R2L in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

’07

Bryan Gorton

is a sous chef at the French four-star, four-diamond restaurant Chez Phillippe at the Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee. Bryan received his bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from IUP.

’08

Jessica Connerby

is a teacher’s assistant in the Pastry Arts department at Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Pete Tolman

is a gourmet chef at Market District, a Giant Eagle corporation. Market District offers a unique culinary, dining, and shopping experience featuring food from around the world, live cooking demonstrations, and celebrity chef appearances.

Heidi Miller

is head baker at Sweet Tammy’s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Sweet Tammy’s is a kosher/non-dairy bakery located in Squirrel Hill.

’10

Daniel Diller

is a sous chef and pastry chef at U.S. Hotel and Tavern in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. The hotel dates back to 1835 and offers four beautifully restored restaurants.

Jillian MacPherson

is a pastry cook II at the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore is a four-star resort and ranks in the top ten of America’s Favorite Architecture.

Kelly Rainey

is a cook II at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. Kelly works at the Galley Restaurant, a fun restaurant with a nautical atmosphere. The Galley is open for dinner only. Specialties include fresh fish, delicious pasta dishes, and pizzas cooked in the wood-burning oven.

Jason Shafer

is a cook II at Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Conference Center in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Ryan Troia

is a cook at the upscale Andora Restaurant in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The menu features a twist on the food of Andorra, a country in southwest Europe.

Hatheway was selected as the scholarship winner based on her exemplary service to the culinary profession, the community, and the university.

A graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Jessica attended culinary classes at A.W. Beattie Career Center and was an active participant in FCCLA and SkillsUSA prior to starting classes at IUP.

While studying culinary arts at IUP, Jessica has worked as a student ambassador at culinary open houses, assisted culinary faculty with cookoffs and fund-raisers, and participated on the setup and cleanup crews for student club events.

She is a member of the American Culinary Federation and has been accepted into the Baking and Pastry Arts program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts for Fall 2011.

Jillian MacPherson, a 2010 graduate of the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, was the featured speaker on June 8, 2011, at the American Culinary Federation Groundhog Chapter in Punxsutwney, Pa.

MacPherson’s presentation, entitled, “Plated and Whole Desserts,” was a multimedia presentation and demonstration of a desert preparation called Chocolate Cask Cake.

During the presentation, she also talked to the students in the audience about what to expect on the job and how to prepare for the externship experience.

After completing her coursework in Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts in May 2010, MacPherson was hired as an extern at Kings Mill in Williamsburg, Virgina.

She has accepted a position at the Biltmore, in Asheville, N.C., and will begin her employment at the four-star, four-diamond resort property in July.

The Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., held the annual Culinary Student Dinner on April 13, 2011. On this day, the menu featured gourmet appetizers, entrees, and desserts prepared by Ocean Reef culinary students, including eight from IUP, for the club’s board of directors.

This event celebrates the end of the club season and gives the club members an opportunity to recognize the hard work and accomplishments of the Ocean Reef Club culinary students.

IUP culinary externship students Daniel Thomas, Brooke Pellegrine, Shane Burrell, Kelly Rainey, Ryan Troia, Tyler Wood, John Miller, and Jeremy Reach represented eight out of the twelve culinary students selected by the club to prepare this gala dinner.

Chef Philippe Reynaud, senior director of culinary operation at the Ocean Reef Club, reported, “The dinner went very well. Students were asked to introduce themselves and describe their dish. They all received a certificate of appreciation in front of a standing ovation. They are the future of American culinary!”

The Ocean Reef Club is located at the northern tip of the northernmost island in the Florida Keys. It is ranked the number-two private club in the United States.

Chef Reynaud is responsible for the culinary operations of twelve restaurants, conference banquets, members’ catering, and special culinary events within the club. He manages more than 120 culinary associates and chefs in season. Reynaud has traveled to the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts for the past twelve years to recruit culinary externs for the Ocean Reef Club.

See the full menu presented by the Ocean Reef Club culinary students. 

Culinary and Baking students from the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts canvassed downtown Punxsutawney on March 26, 2011, to raise funds for the Clearfield-Jefferson chapter of the American Red Cross.

Twenty-eight students participated in the fund-raiser along with chef instructors Martha Jo Rupert and Anthony Battaglia. The students collected $1,640 for the Red Cross.

Photo courtesy of Larry McGuire/Punxsutawney Spirit

This fun and fast-paced program will introduce you to the culinary arts, baking and pastry arts, culinary dietetics, and culinary/hospitality management majors at IUP.

Tour our culinary teaching and residential facilities, listen to a presentation about career opportunities and degree options, watch demonstrations, and sample delicious treats from our food stations.

Sign up today, and see how a culinary major at IUP could work for you!

IUP Academy of Culinary Arts

From March 28 through April 18, 2011, executive chefs from some of the most prestigious employers in the hospitality industry are traveling to the Academy to interview students for externship positions.

The following employers are participating in the 2011 IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair:

• The Biltmore Company, Asheville, N.C.
• Boca Raton Resort and Club, Boca Raton, Fla.
• The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
• The Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va.
• The Marriott, Marco Island, Marco Island, Fla.
• The Marriott, New Orleans, New Orleans, La.
• Mountain Air Country Club, Burnesville, N.C.
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.
• Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Mi.
• Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.
• Penn State Food Services, State College, Pa.
• Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, The Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Each of these food industry employers generously devotes an entire day to the students. Chefs begin their visit with a presentation about the properties that they represent. Students learn about the culinary operations, employment requirements, and benefits offered at each site. They also have an opportunity to hear the chefs talk about their personal careers and how the decisions they made as young culinarians shaped their professional development.

Our visiting chefs spend the remainder of their day interviewing students for culinary and baking externship positions.

This event provides an exceptional opportunity for IUP culinary students to meet and interview on campus with some of the most successful chefs in the culinary industry. The presentations and interviews leave students energized and focused on their long-term goals of gaining quality placement and employment. The majority of students who interview at the Sponsor Fair will have a job offer in hand within a few weeks after the conclusion of the fair!

Watch Joshua Rhodes ’07 as he assists the Breakers’ executive chef of banquets, Jeff Simms, demonstrate the creation of the Grand Marnier Chocolate Mousse Tower with Raspberry Sorbet dessert.

This dessert was the delicious finale for the 2011 Muse Awards dinner on February 10, 2011, in Palm Beach, Fla.

The Breakers is a AAA Five Diamond oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Fla., and was a sponsor of the Muse Awards, an annual cultural event that honors outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions to arts and culture throughout Palm Beach County.

A graduate of the Culinary Arts and Baking and Pastry Arts program at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, Joshua Rhodes first arrived at the Breakers in the summer of 2007, when he began his culinary and baking externship. After graduating from the academy, he was offered a permanent position at the Breakers. He has been at the luxury property ever since. Joshua is currently a pastry cook at the property, which has nine distinctive restaurants and a banquet kitchen. He enjoys using his technical and design skills to create artistic cakes, pastries, and desserts.

Rhodes will be the guest speaker at the 2011 IUP Baking and Pastry Arts Toque Ceremony. This graduation ceremony, at which culinary students are presented with the toque (tall chef hat), recognizes the students’ successful completion of the Baking and Pastry Arts on-campus coursework and celebrates the industry externships to which they will be reporting shortly.

“Slow Cooking, One Pot Pleasers” will be presented by Chefs Pike and Kapusta on the Flavors of Pittsburgh Stage at 11:00 a.m. Learn to slowcook unconventional foods, and get tips on how to save precious time in the kitchen without sacrificing full flavor and nutrition!

Good Taste Pittsburgh is western Pennsylvania’s largest food show and cooking demonstration event. Enjoy food samplings, wine tastings and sales, cooking demonstrations, celebrity book signings, and more.

For complete schedule of events and ticket information, see the Good Taste Pittsburgh webpage.

Drawing from his extensive background, Chef Wertz talked about his professional experiences in the food service industry, and shared career and life advice with the students. He enthusiastically told the students that “there are unlimited possibilities in today’s culinary world” and “there is no better catalyst for success than curiosity.” Chef Wertz commended students for their work ethic, and confided that he enjoys recruiting at IUP because he finds motivated culinarians willing to give 110 percent.

At Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Chef Brent Wertz oversees the culinary operations of fourteen food and beverage outlets, including the Five Star, Five Diamond Lautrec. Chef Wertz is a certified executive chef and member of the prestigious American Academy of Chefs in the American Culinary Federation. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1987 with high honors. In addition, he currently serves as the president of the elite Resort Food Executive Committee.

Prior to joining Nemacolin in March of 2010, Chef Wertz was vice president of Food and Beverage at Kingsmill Resort and Spa in Williamsburg, Virginia, for eight years. His culinary resume chronicles over two decades of experience at four- and five-star resorts across the country. In addition to Nemacolin and Kingsmill, his employers include Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California; the Arizona Biltmore; the Boulders Resort in Carefree, Arizona; the Equinox Resort and Spa in Manchester, Vermont; the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland; the Tidewater Inn in eastern Maryland; and Mohonk Mountain House in New York.

Chef Wertz’s inspirational address was the perfect send-off to IUP culinary arts students as they begin their own professional experiences at properties all across the U.S. and in Switzerland. The employers that have hired IUP culinary arts students for externship positions in 2010 are listed below:

ARAMARK, Indiana, Pa.

Biltmore, Asheville, N.C.

Butler Country Club, Butler, Pa.

Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.

Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Orlando Fl.

The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V.

Holiday Inn Johnstown, Johnstown, Pa.

Hollywood Casino at Penn National, Grantville, Pa.

Jean Bonnett Tavern, Bedford Springs, Pa.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort Kiawah Island SC

Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Va.

Lento Restaurant, Rochester, N.Y.

Marco Island Marriott, Marco Island, Fl.

Mountain Air Country Club, Burnsville, N.C.

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.

New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, La.

Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fl.

The Peabody Orlando Hotel, Orlando, Fl.

Penn State Food Services, University Park, Pa.

Perona Farms, Andover, N.J.

Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, N.C.

Primier Caterers, Camphill, Pa.

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Three students have choosen to continue their culinary education at the DCT University Center in Lucerne, Switzerland. These students will complete their externships in Switzerland in 2011.

In an effort to support local growers and to increase community awareness of healthy cooking and eating choices, chef instructors Martha Rupert, Lynn Pike, and Anthony Battaglia and a team of Culinary Arts students are sharing recipes and cooking tips at the farmers’ market. Demonstrations include how to prepare and serve fresh produce and will feature different local products and recipes at each market.

The Punxsutawney Farmers’ Market is held on South Findley Street in the downtown area every Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and will continue through the last Friday of September. The farmers’ market is sponsored by PRIDE, Punxsutawney’s downtown revitalization organization.

Read more about the recipes, and try them for youself!

Miller submitted an entry for her employer, Vanilla Pastry Studio of Pittsburgh. Her cake, “Let It Grow,” received the award for Best Overall Professional Decorated Cake. Heidi’s entry also received the Judges’ Award for Best Artistic Design and Overall Structure and the Judges’ Award for Best Use of Decorative Elements.

This is the second year that Heidi has participated in the competition. In 2009, her creation titled “Green Apples” won awards for Best Professionally Decorated Cake and Best Cake Overall.

“Let Them Eat Cake” is an annual fund-raising event that benefits the Midwife Center for Birth and Women’s Health, which assists underinsured women in the Pittsburgh area.

Read more about the “Let Them Eat Cake” event in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and in the summer issue of Pittsburgh’s Table Magazine.

Over the course of three weeks, we will host a different property each day. The impressive list of employers attending the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Sponsor Fair this year includes:

• The Biltmore Company, Asheville, N.C.
• The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
• Hershey Resorts, Hershey, Pa.
• Kingsmill Resort and Spa, Williamsburg, Va.
• The Marriott, Marco Island, Marco Island, Fla.
• The Marriott, New Orleans, New Orleans, La.
• Mountain Air Country Club, Burnesville, N.C.
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pa.
• Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, Fla.
• Penn State Food Services, State College, Pa.
• Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, The Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Each of these food industry employers generously devotes an entire day to the Academy of Culinary Arts. Chefs talk to students about the properties that they represent and also about their own careers and how the decisions they made as young culinarians shaped their professional development. Human resource staff follow with an overview of the employment requirements and benefits offered by the sites.

Our visiting chefs and human resource personnel spend the remainder of their day interviewing students for culinary and baking externship positions.

This event provides an exceptional opportunity for IUP culinary students to meet and interview on campus with some of the most successful chefs in the culinary industry.

The presentations and interviews leave students energized and focused on their long-term goals of gaining quality placement and employment. The majority of students who interview at the Sponsor Far will have a job offer in hand within a few weeks after the conslusion of the fair! Read more about these properties and additional externship opportunities for culinary students at IUP.

IUP faculty member Chef Clifford Klinger is a featured presenter at the 2010 Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Tourism and Lodging Association.

Scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport, Pittsburgh Culinary Career Day features culinary demonstrations and speakers from the hospitality industry. High school students and teachers from all over western Pennsylvania will have the opportunity to watch food preparation techniques, learn about culinary careers, network with chefs, and get information about postsecondary culinary school opportunities.

Clifford Klinger has been a chef instructor at the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts for fourteen years. He is certified by the American Culinary Federation as an executive chef (CEC) and as a certified culinary educator (CEC). A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he served in the armed services for four years. His industry experience includes working for Americana Hotels, Sheraton Corporation, and as the executive chef at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center for twenty-three years.

In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Chef Klinger serves on the academic advisory boards for Jefferson County Technology Center, Indiana County Technology Center, Lenape Vocational Technical School, Clearfield County Technology Center, and Mercer County Career Center. He is also a strong supporter of student culinary competition and has judged the following events: 2007 Pennsylvania SkillsUSA State Competition and ProStart Student Invitational competitions in Wyoming 2008 and 2009 and Ohio in 2009.

Get a preview of Chef Klinger's Culinary Career Day presentation by watching the video, Learn to make Crêpes Suzette.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts is recognized nationwide for its quality. We offer a student-to-instructor ratio of only 14-to-1, world-class chefs for instructors, and job placement that is among the best in the nation. The academy is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation.

“Six more weeks of winter.” And the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club approves!

On Monday, February 1, 2010, the Academy of Culinary Arts hosted Punxsutawney’s sixth annual Chili and Wing Cook-off. In honor of this event and Groundhog Day, culinary students who are members of the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club spent two Saturdays working on special carvings to display in and around the academy and downtown Punxsutawney. Created from multiple blocks of ice, these carvings looked spectacular when finally assembled.

An icy display of top hats and canes held high on a celebration wave was placed downtown in front of IUP’s Fairman Centre. A “hot chili pepper” carving graced the inside of the academy building while serving as a fun mascot for a jalapeno pepper eating contest held during the cook-off event.

Outside the academy, the main display featured Punxsutawney Phil emerging from Gobbler’s Knob to greet his visitors. On Phil’s right side, representing six more weeks of winter, are six ice pillars holding finely detailed snowflakes. To Phil’s left, six daisy-topped ice pillars represent an early spring prognostication.

The Ice Carving Club is a student organization sponsored by the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. Culinary students carve ice monthly during the school year. IUP provides all equipment and ice; Culinary Arts faculty member Martha J. Rupert serves as the Ice Carving Club advisor. The club was first organized in 1992 by Culinary Arts alumnus Jeremy Critchfield ’93. The academy is one of a limited number of culinary schools to offer ice carving instruction.

The IUP Academy of Culinary Arts was opened in 1989 and is fully accredited by the American Culinary Federation. The academy’s programs are recognized nationally for high quality, and graduates are working in four- and five-diamond resorts and restaurants all across the nation.

Come visit Punxsutawney soon, and look around town for the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts Ice Carving Club’s next carving demonstration and display for Valentine’s weekend!

Culinary Arts department chairperson Albert Wutsch is listed in the National Culinary Review’s “Toast to the Outstanding Contributors of the Culinary World and Beyond.”

Chef Wutsch is recognized in the January 2010 edition of the American Culinary Federation’s official magazine for his participation as a judge at the 2009 National ProStart Invitational (pictured at left). This prestigious culinary completion for high school students took place in San Diego and was recently featured in a Food Network special, Top of the Class.

Author Suzanne Hall talked to faculty members, students, and alumni from several U.S. and international cooking schools. Among those interviewed were IUP faculty member Gary Fitting and director and chef instructor Patrick Diethelm from DCT University Center in Vitznau, Switzerland, the host of IUP’s international study program in Switzerland.

Also interviewed were IUP Culinary Academy alumni Jeffrey Miller ’08 and Elizabeth Williams ’09. Miller and Williams participated in IUP’s Swiss study tour and the year-long international culinary program and externship in Switzerland at DCT.

Here is a sample from the article:

“Culinary school teaches the basics, but working with foreign chefs provides the passion. Swiss chefs, for instance, can talk about food all day and all night,” says Gary Fitting, CEC, CCE, CCA, AAC, chef instructor at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Patrick Diethelm, director and head chef instructor at the Hospitality Leadership and European Culinary Arts Center at DCT University Center in Vitznau, Switzerland, believes that students who study a cuisine at its origins benefit from a more complete understanding of the overall culture and “are better equipped to make their personal variations to the dish.”

For one week each March, about two dozen students from IUP take in the cuisine and culture of Switzerland. They attend classes at DCT, visit a producer of Switzerland’s famed Emmentaler cheese, and travel to other culinary and historic sites throughout the country. For program alumnus Jeff Miller, the brief introduction to Switzerland encouraged him to go back for a full year, studying at DCT and externing at a hotel in the area. He believes that the knowledge and experience he gained gave him a leg up when it came to landing his current position as a cook at Patrick O’Connell’s The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Virginia. There, Miller put his Swiss training to work, starting as the overnight baker and then becoming the butcher.

Like Miller, Liz Williams also decided to take a year to study at DCT in Switzerland and complete her externship. She advises students planning to study abroad to talk with someone who has been there. That person could be a resource as the student packs and prepares for the time away from home. “Also you should try to learn as much of the language as you can. That’s especially important when you move from the classroom to the workplace,” Williams said, noting that she learned a lot during her sojourn in Switzerland. Among the most important was how to work with a wide variety of people and to have confidence in herself.

Fast Recipes, the on line culinary arts publication and cooking community, recently interviewed Chef Albert Wutsch, chairperson of the Department of Culinary Arts, about the advantages offered by the culinary program at IUP.

The academy is currently the featured cooking school on the Fast Recipes website.

Here is a sample:

Fast Recipes: What makes the IUP Academy of Culinary Arts special?

Chef Wutsch: We are more career-driven and outcome-based as evidenced by our strong record of job placements at four- and five-diamond properties each year. We also are very competitively priced, with a total program cost that is under $25,000.

See the Fast Recipes website for the full interview. Fast Recipes covers news and trends in the culinary world and also offers readers recipes, cooking guides, and food history.

The award recognizes consistent service to and involvement in PASFAA and is one of four awards given out to PASFAA members at the group’s annual conference.

As executive chef for Levy Restaurants at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh, Culinary Arts alumna Dominique Metcalfe is creating the cuisine that feeds the leaders, staff, and media from countries around the world who are attending the G-20 economic summit.

Metcalfe and her culinary team, which includes chefs on loan from Levy properties in Chicago, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh’s own PNC Park, will serve approximately four thousand guests a day in a variety of venues from casual box lunches to formal buffets.

Passionate about using the freshest ingredients possible, Chef Metcalfe will feature local produce, meats, and dairy items as well as items grown in the convention center’s rooftop garden in her G-20 menus.

Read the full article on the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review website: “Pittsburgh Chefs Set Table for Leaders of the World.”

Culinary Arts faculty member Gary Fitting, C.E.C., C.C.E., C.C.A., A.A.C., received the ACF President’s Medallion at the 2009 ACF National Convention in Orlando, Florida, where he was one of twenty-three people recognized for service to the American Culinary Federation and the culinary profession.

Chef Fitting is an active member of the American Culinary Federation. He assisted in the development of the ACF requirements for the Culinary Administrator certification. Chef also dedicates time to scholarship development for culinary students through his local ACF chapter and through the American Academy of Chefs.

The American Culinary Federation (ACF) is an organization based on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education of culinarians at all levels. As the largest professional chefs’ organization in North America, the ACF is made up of more than 22,000 members that belong to more than 230 chapters in four regions across the U.S.

The ACF President’s Medallion was introduced in 1991 to honor individuals who contribute significantly to the culinary profession.

Chef Michael Herr, 1997 Culinary Arts graduate and 2003 graduate of the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management program, will be the honorary guest speaker at the Culinary Arts graduation ceremony on August 8, 2009.

Herr, age thirty-one, is currently executive chef at The Country Club of St. Albans, a prestigious Platinum Club of America in the scenic village of St. Albans, Missouri. A full-service, private country club, CCSA currently has a membership of seven hundred, who enjoy championship golf courses, luxurious club facilities, and an extensive variety of social events. The Country Club of St. Albans is regarded as a club of distinction and was ranked in 2007 as seventy-fourth in the nation out of six thousand private clubs. Herr oversees all food outlets on the property as well as all banquets, member carry-out dining, off-site catering, and club special events including social, golf, swim, children’s camp, and tennis events.

Chef Herr began his professional career in 1997 as an extern at the prestigious Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh. He apprenticed with renowned Executive Chef Keith Coughenour. Within two years, Michael achieved the position of P.M. senior saucier and P.M rotisserie chef. He remained at the Duquesne Club one more year before he decided, after encouragement by Chef Coughenour, to return to IUP to complete his bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management.

After graduation from HRIM in 2003, Herr was hired as a saucier at Pinehurst Golf Resort and Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C. He was promoted to senior sous chef three months after he started at the property. Chef Herr’s next career move was to sous chef at the award-winning, AAA Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. After a brief but successful tenure at the Georgetown property, he was promoted to chef de cuisine of Century Restaurant at Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2004. Chef Herr joined St. Albans in late 2005 to take on the position of executive sous chef. He was promoted to executive chef in 2007.

In addition to his successful culinary career, Chef Herr has also attained many professional awards of distinction, including several gold and silver medals and best of show titles from the American Culinary Federation. Most recently, Chef Herr competed in the Fall 2006 Chef de Cuisine Culinary Competition (St. Louis ACF Chapter) and earned a gold medal and best of show.

On Toque Day (so named because culinary graduates will receive their chef hats, or toques), Chef Herr promises to share many of his experiences with this year’s graduating class and to encourage the class to maintain the personal goal of excellence that has distinguished so many previous IUP Culinary Arts graduates.

Miller submitted an entry for her employer, Vanilla Pastry Studio of Pittsburgh, and received awards for Best Professionally Decorated Cake and Best Cake Overall. Her creation was titled “Green Apples.”

The theme for this year's black-tie event was “Going Green is a Piece of Cake.” Besides cake judging, the event featured “green” baking demonstrations, environmentally friendly silent auction items, music, cake tasting, and refreshments. Proceeds benefited the Midwife Center for Birth and Women’s Health, which assists underinsured women in the Pittsburgh area.

Heidi and her award-winning cake are also featured in the summer issue of Pittsburgh’s Table Magazine.

Guest speaker Chef Andrea Carros-Schrenk, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Culinary Federation, gave the recognition address and began with the statement that “Pastry chefs are a special breed of food service professional. They are artisans and leaders.” Chef then commended the students on their “phenomenal education” and for having met the “challenge of being asked to go the extra mile by their instructors.” She reminded them of what an honor it was to have been selected to extern at such “high-level establishments all over the country.”

The audience also enjoyed speakers Dean Carleen Zoni, Chef Hilary DeMane, and class valedictorian Lisa Merrill. Baking and Pastry students in the class of 2009 are currently completing their externships in industry sites across the country:

• Sara Bintrim, The Nittany Lion Inn, State College, PA
• Kristie Breyer, Oakhurst Tea Room, Somerset, Pa
• Jessica Brown, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Jeffrey Brunermer, Jericho National Golf Club, New Hope, PA
• Ralph Bunch, The Biltmore, Asheville, NC
• Taryn Challenger, Hotel Hershey, Hershey PA
• Katlyn Davanzati, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Reva Douglas, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Michael Flynn, Mountain Air Country Club, Bumsville, NC
• Cathryn Frank, Gemelli Bakers, State College, PA
• Vanessa Gangewere, The Biltmore, Asheville, NC
• Angela Held, Vanilla Pastry Studio, Pittsburgh, PA
• John Henderson, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Aaron Hepfner, Pinehurst Hotel and Country Club, Pinehurst, NC
• Brooke Jordan, Bleeding Heart Bakery, Chicago, IL
• Ellen Lubowicki, Green Gables, Jennerstown, PA
• Tyler Manko, Bedford Springs, Bedford, PA
• Lisa Merrill, Nemacolin Woodlands Spa and Resort, Farmington, PA
• Rachel Musser, Nemacolin Woodlands Spa and Resort, Farmington, PA
• Kate Petrewski, Westin Hilton Head Island Resort and Spa, Hilton Head, SC
• Anita Pollock, Kingsmill, Williamsburg, VA
• Gabrielle Rahn, Marco Island Marriott, Marco Island, FL
• William Raupach, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Haylie Santoro, The Biltmore, Asheville, NC
• Kayla Shriane, Kingsmill, Williamsburg, VA
• Alexsandra Snyder, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
• Jennifer Vasquez, The Bake House, Aberdeen, NC
• Kimberly Walton, The Biltmore, Asheville, NC
  

All guests were treated to an amazing brunch which included cheese and fruit displays, a shrimp and crab raw bar, grilled vegetables, salads, bacon, sausage, and ham as well as Eggs Benedict, cheese blintzes, pecan trout, garlic rotisserie chicken, prime rib, and many other side dishes and desserts.

Jeremy Critchfield ’93, executive chef and director of Food and Beverage Operations at Nemacolin and four of his chefs, including Sean Eckman ’01 and Dan Mungeer ’02, gave students a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour. One of the most impressive stops was at Nemacolin’s premier French restaurant, Lautrec. Lautrec received the coveted Mobil Travel award of Five Stars this year, placing it among a group of only twenty properties in the United States to receive the ranking.

The visit concluded with an open question and answer session. Each chef gave the audience a brief overview of their personal background and experience. They also shared their advice to students for achieving future success in the industry. Students then had a chance to ask questions of the chefs. Having a chance get career advice from Chef Critchfield and his staff after a day spent tasting gourmet food in a luxurious resort environment made the trip an experience that the students will likely never forget.

IUP Academy of Culinary Arts

At IUP we have multiple program options in culinary, baking, hospitality, nutrition, and dietetics. Visit us and get the facts. Culinary admissions programs will treat you to good food, good talk, and lots of information. Meet our faculty and students and see for yourself what our nationally recognized programs are all about. Register for a visit on line or check out Visit Us for more details.

An IUP alumnus, Jeremy Critchfield ’93 is the executive chef and food and beverage director for Nemacolin and the architect of the award-winning culinary team in Lautrec. Asked to comment about Lautrec’s amazing achievement, Chef Critchfield says the vision for Lautrec was to “create a unique and unparalleled dining experience.” He believes the ratings signify the success of the vision and “recognize the remarkable efforts” of his staff."

Chef Critchfield has been the executive chef at Nemacolin since 2003. During his tenure, in addition to receiving the highest ratings from Mobil and AAA, the nation’s most rigorous hospitality evaluators, the resort’s restaurants have been regularly ranked among Pittsburgh’s best. Named to Pittsburgh’s Top 25 list every year since 2004, Nemacolin restaurants have also received multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards from Pittsburgh Magazine.

Congratulations Chef Critchfield!

The students will be loading up the van with the necessary ingredients and tools and heading to the Farm Show Complex, located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, bright and early on Friday morning. Once they arrive, they will spend the day prepping all the recipes that they will cook on stage Saturday with the featured celebrity chefs.

Saturday is “Pork Day” at the Farm Show and kicks off with IUP culinary students demonstrating Pork Medallion Calvados. Throughout the day, the students will be working with different celebrity chefs doing demonstrations, cooking challenges and even dishing out samples!

The first celebrity the students will share the stage with is the Food Network’s Chris Cognac who will be cooking up Cuban Pork. Later on the students will assist Richard Blais, a contestant from the TV Show “Top Chef,” with a Pork Belly recipe.

The very last event of the day is always the students’ favorite. IUP students will compete in an iron-chef-style cooking challenge where two teams are given ingredients on stage that they are not prepared to work with! The competition is going to be a great learning experience for the students and a lot of fun for the audience!

If you love to watch celebrity chefs in action, would like to learn some new cooking techniques and enjoy tasting great food, think about coming out to the Farm Show this year!

"Dickens of a Christmas" is held annally in Ebensburg, Pa. This family-oriented celebration is presented in a nineteenth-century setting based on Charles Dickens. The town of Ebensburg transforms into Victorian England where vendors, entertainers, and other participants are clad in period costumes.

The Ice Carving Club from the Academy of Culinary Arts at IUP has done a demonstration at the festival for the past three years.

Enjoy your own private bedroom (or a larger bedroom for two) and share a bathroom with only one other person. Bedroom amenities include bed, desk, dresser, and a large closet for each student. In addition, each bedroom has an individual lock for your security as well as high-speed Internet and cable. Bring your computer and television and you are ready to go!

No community bathrooms here! Each suite has two full bathrooms with separate sink and storage areas. Brush your teeth while your suitemate is taking a shower.

Like to hang out with your friends and suitemates? No problem. Each suite has a “living room” with couch, armchair, TV stand, end table, and coffee table along with cable and Internet access. The common area also includes a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator, a microwave, and a pantry. What’s more, all of the suites have individually-controlled air conditioning and heating units. No need to worry about window or floor coverings either as every suite includes miniblinds and carpeting.

Living on campus brings countless opportunities to your doorstep. With a new world of neighbors, you can form close, lasting friendships with fellow students who share your interests. Our on-campus residences are designed to make gathering, studying, and socializing convenient. Everything you need is nearby.

Reservations for on-campus living will open soon for deposited Culinary Arts students. Be among the first to reserve a room in our Living Center on the Punxsutawney campus or in our brand new Fairman Centre (opening Fall 2009). Reservations will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited to sixty students.

Don’t MISS OUT on reserving space for on-campus living. Apply to Culinary Arts NOW!

Recently Chef Zaffuto was selected for the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award at the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center. Congratulations Chef Zaffuto!

Chef completed his externship at USA Gourmet in Pittsburgh and then worked for several years in the industry before he decided to try his hand at teaching. He has been at Clearfield County Career and Technology Center for five years and loves working with students.

In addition to his classroom teaching responsibilities, Chef Zaffuto instructs ServSafe certification courses and also teaches some adult courses in basic cooking. He is currently working on getting American Culinary Federation accreditation for the culinary arts program at Clearfield.

French-born and classically trained, Chef Philippe graduated at the top of his class from the esteemed Culinary Academy of Nice in 1979. Following his graduation, he worked in several French provinces under reputable chefs to learn their cooking styles, techniques, and knowledge of regional cooking. In 1981, he began his professional life in the United States serving as executive chef at the award-winning Westwood Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles. He later opened and ran the kitchens of the renowned Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks California and the luxurious Stein Ericksen Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah. In 1991, Chef Philippe returned to Los Angeles and dedicated eight years to running the culinary operations at the exclusive Jonathan Club.

Since June 2000, Chef Philippe has been a member of the Ocean Reef Club elite managing team. He is responsible for the culinary operations of twelve restaurants, conference banquets, member’s catering, and special culinary events within the club. Chef Philippe oversees all menu development, hosts many visiting celebrity chefs, oversees and mentors extern students from top U.S. culinary schools, and manages over 120 culinary associates and chefs in season.

Chef Philippe is a member of the American Culinary Federation, The Euro-Toques, La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and the James Beard Foundation.

The students attending theToque Day ceremony were congratulated and inspired by Chef Philippe! Culinary graduates heard of Chef’s youth in France and how he developed his own passion for food and cooking. His realistic yet enthusiastic depiction of the challenges and rewards of being a chef served to remind our new culinarians of the tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth that lie ahead.

The Ocean Reef Club and Chef Philippe are strong supporters of the Culinary Arts program at IUP. Chef regularly makes the annual trip to the Academy Sponsor Fair to recruit IUP culinary and baking students for externship positions at the club. The Ocean Reef Club and its members are also the sponsors of a $1,500 scholarship dedicated to incoming IUP culinary students called the Ocean Reef Recruiting Scholarship.

This year, eight IUP Academy of Culinary Arts students are headed to the Ocean Reef Club for externship positions!

 Biographical information and photo is courtesy of the Ocean Reef Club.

With breathtaking views of the lake and mountains, the property has restaurants which feature national and international cooking. Jeffrey is working in the restaurant for gourmets called Chrüztrichter, which specializes in seafood and French cuisine. Chrüztrichter has been awarded 15 points by Gault Millau, one of the most influential French restaurant guides. Gault Millau is most famous for its rating system, which evaluates restaurants on a scale of 1 to 20. Restaurants below 10 points are rarely listed. Points are awarded strictly based on the quality of the food, with any comments about service, price, or the atmosphere of the restaurant given separately.

Jeffery is working hard and performing well in Switzerland. He will return to the United States in the fall with impressive international experience to enhance his resume!

 Link to Restaurant Menu

Below: A tuna dish prepared by IUP Culinary Arts extern Jeff Miller at Chrüztrichter in Lucerne, Switzerland

The Academy offers a first-rate culinary education at a surprisingly affordable price. Our comprehensive program, with its multiple degree options and world-class chef instructors, can bring you one step closer to your future career as a professional in the food industry. 

Don’t put your dreams on hold any longer! Apply on line or call us at 800-438-6424 or e-mail us at culinary-arts@iup.edu. Don’t delay! Fall 2008 classes begin August 25.

Teachers and Counselors: join us for complimentary gourmet dining this summer!

We have one table per day reserved especially for educators. Bring up to three guests or come by yourself and we will seat you with other teachers and counselors. This is a great way to see the Academy of Culinary Arts for yourself and learn more about the food-related majors that IUP can offer your students.

Request a reservation on line or contact us by e-mail at culinary-arts@iup.edu or by phone at 800-438-6424.

We look forward to serving you this summer!

A truly gourmet experience awaits you at the academy. Because of time and facility restrictions, reservations are required, and café seating will be used. That means you may be seated with other guests to allow us to accommodate more reservations.

Our toll-free number is 877-645-7910. Please do not respond by e-mail. Your dining experience will take longer than one hour. Reservations are available for noon and 12:30 p.m. on the following dates:

• May 29, 30
• June 2-6, 9, 12, 13, 16-20, 23, 26, 27, 30
• July 1-3, 7, 8, 11, 14-18, 21, 22, 25, 28-31
• August 1, 4, 5

Because this experience is educationally valuable to our students, friends of the academy are welcome as our guests at no charge. Your server will, however, present a complimentary guest check, and donations are greatly appreciated. A portion of this year’s contributions will be used for student scholarships.

We appreciate your support of the academy and look forward to seeing you.

Albert Wutsch
Department Chair

Check out Culinary Events for tour dates or register online now.