Culinary Cornucopia cooks up real-life lessons for students

Students, teachers give up a Sunday to assist with fund-raiser for Living Resources
You could almost feel the tension in the air at Career & Tech as the Capital Region's top professional chefs vied to be the best in an American Culinary Federation (ACF) competition held at Albany campus on November 5. The competition was part of the 16th annual Culinary Cornucopia, A Taste of Upstate New York, which raised much-needed funds for Living Resources. Career & Tech's own a Culinary Arts & Hospitality teacher Chef Paul Rother, CEC, won a bronze medal in the competition, where he was ably assisted by Culinary Arts Tech Prep student and Mohonasen senior Erica Schaninger.

Erica Schaninger assists Chef Rother

Joining their teachers in giving up a Sunday to assist with the event, several Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology students watched as the chefs competed in the Career & Tech kitchens and cafe, putting into real-life action concepts and lessons they'd previously learned. Following the ACF competition, the students traveled to the Albany Marriott Hotel, where they assisted throughout the evening with the Culinary Cornucopia reception, banquet, awards and auction.

The Career & Tech students included Tom Masse and Kim Van Buskirk, who also attend Cohoes High School); Rebecca Shaw (Colonie Central H.S.); Maggie O'Mara and Miguel Roldan (Guilderland High School); Matt Savoy and Erica Schaninger (Mohonasen H.S.); Catherine Bisio (Niskayuna H.S.); Larissa Townley, Lauren LaQuire and Karmen Smith (Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk H.S.); Jessica Murphy and Michele Youngs (Scotia-Glenville H.S.); and Ryan McLoughlin (Schalmont H.S.).

"It was truly a coup for our school to host such a prestigious competition and an exciting way for our students to observe our region's best chefs in action and under pressure," said Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology teacher Chef Mark Brucker, CEC, CCE. "We are proud to have met standards required to become an ACF-approved test site and, as a neutral location, our school was more than happy to help out."

Chef Brucker said the ACF competition was a "real eye-opener" for the students, because they could witness firsthand what we've spoken about in the classroom." Besides being an invaluable educational opportunity, the Culinary Cornucopia competition and evening event earned the students who assisted credit for community service.

Culinary Arts & Hospitality Technology teacher Chef Paul Dolan, CEC, CCE, added, "The students had a great opportunity to see exactly how difficult it is to compete at the ACF level."

"The Culinary Cornucopia event opened up our program to a plethora of culinarians from the Capital District," noted Career & Tech Food Services teacher Chef Jim Haas.

"I would like to thank my team for supporting me at this competition," stressed Chef Rother.

Chef Rother, assisted by Erica Schaninger, won a bronze medal in the ACF competition

Chefs Dolan, Haas, Rother (with his bronze medal) and Brucker at the Cornucopia awards ceremony

The Culinary Cornucopia roster read like a Who's Who of the area's top chefs and restaurants, including ACF Certified Master Chef Dale Miller, CMC, AAC, of Jack's Oyster House in Albany, who served as event chairman and guest chef. Chef Miller thanked the staff and students of Career & Tech for their "hospitality, attention to detail and professionalism. I know this was a valuable learning experience for the students, and I was truly inspired by their enthusiasm and passion for knowledge."

The students watched competing teams representing the Edison Club and Chef A.J. Jayapal; Blue Water Bistro and Chef Rother; the Albany Marriott Market and Chef Rebecca Pustolka; Cabernet Café and Chef Jim Burton; The Epicurean at Sterup Square and Chef Dominique Brialy; Glen Sanders Mansion and Chef Peter Nichols; Jack's Oyster House and Chef Sean Pehrsson; Real Seafood Company and Chef Luca Brunelle, CEC; and Saratoga Polo/Springwater Bistro and Chef Stephen Topper.

The students also observed a Career & Tech alumnus: Don Rogers of the Albany Marriott Market, who assisted Chef Pustolka, is a 2006 alumni of the Culinary Arts & Hospitality program.

Living Resources, the beneficiary of the annual Culinary Cornucopia fund-raiser, is a local agency that provides care and services for people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism and those challenged by head trauma. In the printed Culinary Cornucopia program, Living Resources CEO Fredrick Erlich formally thanked Career & Tech's Culinary Arts & Hospitality program and the Capital Region BOCES for their support.

The Albany Marriott Market team included Career & Tech alumnus Don Rogers (far right)

Team Career & Tech at the evening Culinary Cornucopia event

Note: CEC is Certified Executive Chef, CCE is Certified Chef Educator. Both certifications are earned by meeting standards and requirements set by the American Culinary Federation (ACF)

[11/06]