Fall Food Show Winners Announced at Penn College

Pennsylvania College of Technology announced winners of its Fall Food Show, held Dec. 1 at the college.

Earning the Chef Eugene Mattucci Best of Show Award was the student duo of Ashley R. Potrzebowski, of Williamsport, and Kelsie F. Thomas, of Darby, for their “Beer & Pub Style Christmas” platter and charcuterie board. Their entry, completed as a final project for the Advanced Garde Manger course, included a salad of kale, dried cranberries and pecans with orange vinaigrette; haymarket pate en croute with sage-infused aspic; cured and smoked turkey breast; onion chutney; and beer cheese dip with garlic-butter pretzel bites. Both students are pursuing degrees in culinary arts technology.



The Food Show is hosted by the college’s School of Business & Hospitality to showcase the talents of its students, who presented final projects in the Advanced Garde Manger, Classical and Specialty Desserts Presentation, and Principles of Chocolate Works courses. In all, 37 entries were judged.

In addition, culinary arts students provided live cooking demonstrations, and students in the Hospitality Beverage Management Service and Controls course gave a mixology demonstration with a nonalcoholic coffee drink.

Judges for the event were Chef James Fry, Chef Heather Luse and Chef Kris Patterson. Luse and Patterson work for the Penn State Bakery. All three are members of the college’s Hospitality Advisory Committee.

Winners in each class and their hometowns are:

Advanced Garde Manger – First place: Thomas and Potrzebowski (who also received Best in Show); second place: Alyssa L. Casler, of Barnesville, and Kiesha M. Sheffer, of Eldred; third place: Jacob W. Parobek, of Seltzer, and Erik L. Perry Jr., of Waldorf, Maryland.

Classical and Specialty Dessert Presentation – First place: Somer A. Safford, of Port Allegany; second place: Sarah A. Waclo, of York; third place: Bethany R. Taylor, of Moosic; honorable mention: Amber A. Kreitzer, of Port Trevorton.

Principles of Chocolate Works – First place: Erica L. Breski, of Harrisburg; second place: Rachel A. Henninger, of Bellefonte; third place: Amber A. Kreitzer, of Port Trevorton; honorable mention: Kiesha M. Sheffer, of Eldred.

Penn College offers hospitality-related associate degrees in baking and pastry arts, culinary arts technology and hospitality management. Its bachelor’s degree offerings include culinary arts and systems, business administration: sport and event management, and applied management.

To learn more about hospitality majors at Penn College, call 570-327-4505.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

– Photos by Jennifer A. Cline, writer/magazine editor

 

Garnering first place in the Classical and Specialty Dessert Presentation course is a Japanese wagashi with dark chocolate strawberry truffle, paired with a white chocolate water lily, tuile lily pad, a pond of clear caramel, and koi, also made from wagashi. The dessert was made by Somer A. Safford, of Port Allegany.

Amber A. Kreitzer, of Port Trevorton, received honorable mention in Classical and Specialty Dessert Presentation for a white chocolate mousse with jaconde, topped with a strawberry gelee, dark chocolate curl and fresh strawberry.

The second-place dessert, made by Sarah A. Waclo, of York, is a red velvet cake layered with cream cheese frosting and topped with a “chocolate cigarette” and fresh raspberry.

Bethany R. Taylor, of Moosic, took third place with white cake, topped with peanut butter, ganache, and peanut praline, and decorated with a white chocolate snowflake.

A chocolate sculpture by Kiesha M. Sheffer, of Edred, receives honorable mention in Principles of Chocolate Works.

Rudolph makes an appearance on a chocolate centerpiece.

Erica L. Breski’s masterpiece – with delicate chocolate holly leaves – takes first place in Principles of Chocolate Works. Breski is from Harrisburg.

Chocolate cardinals by Rachel A. Henninger, of Bellefonte, earn a second-place prize.

A wintry chocolate scene by Amber A. Kreitzer, of Port Trevorton, receives third place from judges.

A “Sugar & Spice” cold platter by Jacob W. Parobek, of Seitzer, and Erik L. Perry Jr., of Waldorf, Md., takes third place in Advanced Garde Manger.

Their accompanying charcuterie board shows off the contents of their entry: German mixed salad with mustard vinaigrette, haymarket pate en croute, duck ham (cured duck breast marinated in seasonings then smoked), apple chutney, chorizo sausage and pimento cheese.

The “Best of Show” charcuterie board by Potrzebowski and Thomas (as well as the accompanying cold platter shown above) features a “Beer & Pub Style Christmas.”

The second-place Advanced Garde Manger entry was prepared by Alyssa L. Casler, of Barnesville, and Kiesha M. Sheffer, of Eldred.

Their spread includes a curly endive salad, haymarket pate en croute with spicy chili relish, cured and smoked salmon with a spicy mango chutney, and fondue served with roasted pear slices.

Sharing their time and expertise (from left) are Fall Food Show judges – all members of the college’s Hospitality Advisory Committee: Chefs James Fry, Heather Luse and Kris Patterson.

Chef Paul Mach, assistant professor of hospitality management/culinary arts, leads students Jacob W. Parobek and Ashley R. Potrzebowski in a live demonstration of osso buco for Food Show visitors.

Hospitality management students Jacob D. Sandfort, of Wyalusing, and Heather L. Croft, of Sayre, mix a coffee-based “mocktail” for guests. They are in the Hospitality Beverage Management Service and Controls course.