News about Baking, Pastry & Culinary Arts

Local ABC affiliate WNEP-TV visited campus Monday to talk with a few of the Penn College students who have been hired by Levy Restaurants to serve Kentucky Derby internships at Churchill Downs. Chris Keating interviewed Chef Charles R. Niedermyer, instructor of baking and pastry arts/culinary arts, who will accompany business and hospitality students to the Derby for the 13th time, along with students Madison Y. Cooper, of Harrisburg, who will be making her second trip to the Derby; Moira A Smith, of Aaronsburg; and Caleb J. Stemler, of Jersey Shore. The students will leave for Kentucky on May 2 and prepare food for the events that happen throughout the week, including the iconic “Run for the Roses” on May 7.

On the 52nd annual Earth Day, Pennsylvania College of Technology hailed a phenomenon only slightly younger: the Schneebeli Earth Science Center, home to memories, marvels and the makers of a million tomorrows. Observing the milestone golden anniversary of the Allenwood area campus on a beautiful spring afternoon, attendees reveled in “this special place” known as the ESC.

“It is more than a place or a building, though,” said alumnus Justin W. Beishline, assistant dean of diesel technology and natural resources. “This is a place where you were possibly introduced to your career passion. This is a place where you met mentors who fostered your talent and helped you to become a professional. This is a place where, after you left high school, you met people with similar career aspirations and built lifelong friendships. If you came here right from high school, you left a home of 18 years to forge a new life, and the people at the ESC became your new family for two years.”

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A crew of students in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s hospitality majors is set to help feed the tens of thousands expected to attend the 148th running of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 7.

The Kentucky Derby, often called “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” is the longest continually held sporting event in the United States and typically draws about 155,000 guests.

Penn College students, pursuing degrees in culinary and baking and pastry arts, will help prepare the fine food that is served throughout Churchill Downs’ premium dining areas: the venues that host celebrities and other VIPs. Last year, that included several students being selected to work in the brand-new, state-of-the-art kitchen for the sixth-floor Matt Winn’s Steakhouse.

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Twenty-six Penn College business and hospitality students trekked to Hershey on April 8 to tour facilities and learn more about working for the world-famous Pennsylvania chocolate company’s related tourist attractions. Six students are interning for the company in summer 2022, and the company welcomed the group with an eye for recruiting more employees. The field trip was arranged by Chef Victoria Kostecki, who earned Penn College degrees in baking and pastry arts in 2014 and applied management in 2016. It included a tour of Hersheypark Stadium, where the group was led by food and beverage warehouse manager Brandon Snook; three food stands within Hersheypark; lunch at Coaster Café, where Rob Gordon, director of food and beverage, spoke briefly about season-to-season menu changes at the park and at the company’s Giant Center; and tours of Chocolatier, Milton’s and Sweeterie, where Chef Ben King ’14 (culinary arts and systems) spoke to students about menu planning, including how he worked with supervisors and other managers. King and Kostecki are sous chefs with the company. Coaster Café is run by Hailey Brunk, who earned degrees in hospitality management in 2008 and technology management in 2014.
Photo by Brian D. Walton, assistant dean of business and hospitality

From the Spring 2022 edition of Penn College Magazine: Despite choosing “the worst time ever” to open his first solo venture, Michelin-trained Chef Dean Yasharian ’03 demonstrates resilience at Perle Restaurant in Pasadena, California. Read the story.

Student Affairs’ Culture Cafe, held Thursday evening in the Capitol Eatery, allowed the campus community to “Eat, Drink and Travel!” – exploring global learning opportunities while indulging in a Spanish-themed fest. On hand to preview imminent trips, and to whet students’ appetite for enlightening travel in future semesters, were faculty members leading excursions to various destinations: a human services and restorative justice trip to Anchorage, working with YWCA Alaska; immersion into Italy’s sumptuous cuisine; a tour among the iconic automakers of France and Italy; and a firsthand appreciation of the architecture of Spain.

The latest edition of Penn College Magazine – on its way to mailboxes and available at magazine.pct.edu – takes a look at the hands-on presidency of Davie Jane Gilmour and celebrates the work of alumni who are pursuing their passions in Major League Soccer (Christian Peters ’20, assistant team administrator for Real Salt Lake), nonprofits (Todd Fox ’98, organizational development consultant for Habitat for Humanity International) and high-end restaurants (Dean Yasharian ’03, chef/owner of Perle Restaurant).

The Location-Based Catering class recently gained dual experience in planning and preparing buffets and brunches when they catered a memorial for Chef Judy Shimp.

Shimp, who died in 2021, was a faculty member in the college’s culinary arts majors from 1984 until her retirement in 2011 and taught a breakfast and brunch buffet course.

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Penn College culinary arts and systems graduate Rob Wood, ’17, executive chef for JBJ Soul Kitchen, was among those interviewed for an episode of “To Dine For With Kate Sullivan” that aired recently on PBS. The public-television series, in its fourth season, features stories of creators and dreamers who have reached uncommon success through ingenuity and innovation. Their favorite restaurant becomes the backdrop for conversation about life, success and what it takes to achieve the “American dream.”

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Chef Shawn L. Hanlin has been named executive chef of Le Jeune Chef Restaurant at Pennsylvania College of Technology.

Hanlin, who began his duties Jan. 4, comes to Penn College with 40 years of experience in the culinary field – 12 of them in culinary education. He will oversee both students and professional staff in the kitchens of Le Jeune Chef, a casual fine-dining restaurant operated by the college’s School of Business, Arts & Sciences as a training site for students in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts majors.

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When Laney E. Heller graduated from Pennsylvania College of Technology on Dec. 18, the 20-year-old added baking and pastry arts graduate to a growing list of achievements that already includes 10-year cancer survivor and tireless fundraiser for children with cancer through the Delaney Heller Foundation.

The foundation was established in 2011 by family and friends when Heller, of Cogan Station, was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an aggressive brain tumor that is difficult to treat.

“The purpose was to help me and my family with food, travel expenses and hospital costs until we got our finances figured out and what medical assistance we needed,” Heller explained.

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The first cohort of culinary arts students completing a three-semester associate degree at Pennsylvania College of Technology recently put their skills to the test as each developed a full dinner menu – and served as chef de cuisine – in the college’s Le Jeune Chef Restaurant.

“I wanted the focus of this class to be preparing for what they’re going to do when they leave here, as opposed to what they’ve already done here,” said Chef Christopher R. Grove, executive chef of Le Jeune Chef and instructor of the Culinary Capstone course.

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As Le Jeune Chef Restaurant rounds out the fall semester with its annual holiday buffet offerings, students in Chef Frank M. Suchwala’s Applications of Professional Cooking course – which regularly includes live learning opportunities during the restaurant’s lunch hour – contributed to the delectable display during Finals Week. Suchwala’s photos show a sampling of the offerings his students prepared. The lunch buffet continues Thursday, Dec. 9, as well as Dec. 13-16. Reservations are required (570-320-CHEF). Suchwala is an associate professor of hospitality management/culinary arts.

Students in Penn College’s Hospitality Connections Club made a trip to Penn State’s Beaver Stadium to help serve fans in the facility’s skyboxes during the Nittany Lions’ Nov. 13 battle with University of Michigan.

“The students got to see the president’s box and others,” said Chef Michael J. Ditchfield.

In addition, before joining the rest of the crew at the stadium, two students in the group of six worked a “tailgate” brunch at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, which hosts visiting teams and families.

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Students in the Beverage Management and Service class recently made a field trip to Oregon Hill Winery in Morris, where they were shown the wine-making process and bottling operations. They also learned about the history of the property and development of the wine business. The winery was established in 1983 by the late Eric Swendrowski, then the youngest winemaker in Pennsylvania, and is now owned and operated by Karon Swendrowski. The winemaker is Kayla Hosterman.