Pennsylvania Avenue Restaurateur is Next Visiting Chef

Pennsylvania College of Technology will host a renowned Washington, D.C., chef and restaurateur in February as part of its Visiting Chef Series.

The series invites accomplished chefs to the college's campus to mentor and work alongside students in the college's School of Hospitality over several days, culminating in the elaborate Visiting Chef dinner to benefit scholarship funds.



Chef Robert Kinkead, chef and owner of Kinkead's: An American Brasserie, will visit the college Feb. 25-27. The Visiting Chef Dinner, which is open to the public, will be served in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant on Feb. 27.

A self-trained chef, Kinkead's first culinary experience came as a teenager, when he worked summers in Cape Cod's restaurants. He continued to gain experience in some of New England's finer restaurants and hotels.

In 1983, Kinkead was named to Food and Wine magazine's Honor Roll of 60 of the nation's most promising culinary talents. In 1985, he became a consulting chef for 21 Federal in Nantucket, Mass., where he later became executive chef and partner. By 1986, he moved to Washington, D.C., to supervise the planning, construction and start-up of Twenty-One Federal.

In 1993, he opened Kinkead's where he specializes in fresh seafood just a few blocks from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Kinkead's accolades include four James Beard Award nominations for "Best American Chef, Mid-Atlantic Region." He won the title in 1995. Since then, Kinkead and his restaurant have received the Restaurants and Institutions "Ivy Award," Food Art's "Silver Spoon" and Nation's Restaurant News' "Fine Dining Hall of Fame Award."

With his younger brother David, Kinkead opened Sibling Rivalry in 2004. The Boston restaurant showcases the cuisine of both chefs. His first cookbook, "Kinkead's Cookbook," was published in 2005.

Tickets for the Visiting Chef dinner, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., are $140. Net proceeds will be used for annual scholarships and other scholarship funds. To reserve seats, call the Special Events Office at Penn College at (570) 320-5229.

The menu and wines for Kinkead's Visiting Chef Dinner:

Chesapeake chowder with oysters, corn, bass and Virginia ham

Dr. Konstantin Frank, Blanc de Noir, 2000, Sparkling Wine, Finger Lakes, N.Y.

Lobster with roasted peppers, pan-seared gnocchi, sherry-lobster cream and basil

Au Bon Climat, Chardonnay, 2006, Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Mustard crème fraiche-glazed salmon paillard with tomato tarragon butter and fried leeks

Henry Fessy, 2007, Moulin à Vent, Beaujolais, France

Peppered roast loin of venison with a port-green peppercorn-currant sauce, celeriac puree and butternut squash spoon bread

Eola Hills, Pinot Noir, 2006, Reserve La Creole, Willamette Valley, Ore.

Pineapple tart Tatin, coconut-rum ice cream

Hunt Country, Vignoles, 2007, Late Harvest, Finger Lakes, N.Y.

To learn more about the School of Hospitality at Penn College, visit on the Web or call (570) 327-4505. For information about Penn College, visit online, e-mail or call toll-free (800) 367-9222.