YEARBOOK ming Soon WANT MORE?
Co
your class. Be a part of your history. be a part of your Yearbook. Be a part of
Class of 2015 and beyond...
The Yearbook Club and Committee will be forming in the Fall of 2014. What to look forward to... Chef & Student Recipes Class Pictures “Best Of ” Your Year Design & Artwork Photography Student Stories
and much much more... Be a part of it and YOU can make the yearbook come to life! Please see Mrs. Snisarenko for more information on how you can get involved. Committee Chair: James Carbone
A Note From PRESIDENT LIBERATOSCIOLI The art of being a brand has never been more important for students and graduates. In this day and age it’s not just entrepreneurs and large companies who are concerned about creating (and protecting) a brand – today, anyone with an idea, proper training and drive can become a brand. So, what is a brand? Many of you will learn about the Principles of Marketing while earning your degree, but, how much will you know about branding? According to Tronvig Group, a marketing firm in New York, “Branding is not push, but pull. Branding is the expression of the essential truth or value of an organization, product, or service. A brand will help encourage someone to buy a product… it says ‘This is what I am. This why I exist. If you agree, if you like me, you can buy me, support me, and recommend me to your friends.’”1 So, will you be a successful brand? For many of you, the question is difficult to answer. Being a brand is something that takes full dedication. It requires you to know exactly who you are, what you are passionate about and being able to convey your love and enthusiasm to your customers in such a way, that ultimately they believe you…and buy into your brand of course! For this issue of the Main Dish Magazine, we spoke with Chef Brian Duffy, an accomplished TV personality, Chef, consultant, visionary and branding guru. Like Chef Duffy, each one of you has the ability to brand yourself and become a recognized name in your chosen field. With the power of social media, the internet, the exploding food and hospitality culture here in Philadelphia, and the ease of access to a worldwide audience, you too can inspire people to support YOU and recommend YOU to their friends. Marketing and branding are essential to your overall success. Creating a brand, protecting it and sticking with your vision are vital if you dream big for any profession you choose. We hope that you enjoy the interview with Chef Brian Duffy, as well as the number of alumni we spoke to for this issue, for their advice, their journey and their guidance on how all of you can benefit in your career path. I personally wish you a bright and successful voyage into both creating a brand for your product (and remember a “product” is anything that can be offered to a market to satisfy a need or a want!) as well as protecting and growing the brand that you have. And remember, our doors are always open for you to stop by and chat with any of our faculty or staff regarding your visions.
We are always here to help! 1
Danny Liberatoscioli
Issue
04
06
THE FLYING DEUTSCHMAN
Alum Spotlight On A Food Truck Venture
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Josh Winokur, CJC FPM One of two youngest recipients of the ACF National Presidential Medallion
STUDENT COMPETITIONS
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CHOPPED COMPETITION 2014 The Restaurant School at Walnut HIll College hosts a battle royale right here in our kitchens.
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THE ART OF BEING A BRAND
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STUDENT ACTIVITY REVIEW
15
HOTEL MANAGEMENT
16
HELLO SUMMER!
18
FOOD SCIENCE: FEAST ON THIS
08 NO GUTS, NO GLORY. More than 10 students compete and win medals at the ACF Competition
Lessons learned from Alum and celebrated Chef Brian Duffy Photos From Past Events & Activities
Tips and Tricks from Ms. Akita Brooks, M.S. Spring and Summer Events, Ideas & Fun! A look at festivals, events and concerts around the Philadelphia area.
What would our world be like without science?
Cover Photo Credit Paula C. Eytcheson
http://www.tronviggroup.com/the-difference-between-marketing-and-branding/
WRITERS
CHIEF EDITOR & PUBLISHER VALERY SNISARENKO Director of Marketing EDITOR & STAFF WRITER AKITA BROOKS Hospitality Instructor
DANNY ADDICE Culinary Arts
CAITLIN HARGRAVES Culinary Arts
JENNIFER BORTZ Restaurant Management
CAROLINE HATHAWAY Culinary Arts
PHOTOGRAPHY RALPH ROFOLS VALERY SNISARENKO
TYLER GLOVER Culinary Arts
HEATHER LAYMAN Restaurant Management
TAJ GRANT Culinary Arts
STEVEN SIENKEWICZ Restaurant Management
DANIEL GREGG Culinary Arts
CHEF MARIE STECHER Pastry Arts Instructor
To Submit A News Story: Contact MainDishMag@walnuthillcollege.edu
CONTRIBUTORS
ALUMNI
The Flying Deutschman By: Caitlin Hargraves Photography by: Ralph Rofols
Sail ho! There is a ship unlike any other docking in the Philadelphia area. Proudly waving the American and the German flags, this unique food service vehicle should surely be on your radar. With an interior of nearly 200 square feet, this beauty finally made its way to shore in March.
SPOTLIGHT
If you enjoy authentic German food then you have truly hit the motherload. The extensive menu offers up German classics: schnitzels, assorted wursts, kraut salad, and various other dishes. As I eagerly approached The Flying Deutschman for the first time, the aroma coming from the kitchen left me in a daze. It became clear that I would not be satisfied unless I could consume as many of the menu items as humanly possible. By recommendation, I first ordered the currywurst and kraut salad; both did not disappoint. The wurst, imported from Wisconsin, exploded with flavor and was incredibly juicy on it’s own but when smothered with the house-made curry sauce it skyrocketed to a whole new level of deliciousness.Soaked in the chef ’s specialty brine, the kraut salad followed suit with another burst of flavor. Afterward I downed a classic German Bratwurst with mustard. Yes, another wurst, you will understand the second once you have your first! Then came the jaeger schnitzel; boy did they break out the cannons for this one! The pork tenderloin was fried to perfection and married beautifully with the rich, creamy mushroom sauce. I can’t even fathom a way to accurately explain how much I enjoyed that dish.What I can say is that it was by far the best schnitzel I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Lastly I grabbed a cup of Hungarian Goulash which was being featured as the soup special and just so happens is one of my favorites from childhood. The broth was as aromatic as it was tasty. After finishing, I found myself with a full tummy and an empty cup wishing I could have yet another helping. Growing up with German in my blood, my expectations were very high and Stirling’s food, as well as his down-to-earth personality, did not fail to exceed them. This venture is quite a change in pace for the captain of the ship, Stirling Sowerby. The man behind the wheel packs as much punch as the dishes he’s putting out. Back in Germany, Sowerby’s endeavors included owning a bar, a pennylane, and even a pizzeria. Through these experiences, Stirling learned a very important
Sowerby, an Alum of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College has hired several current student from the College, namely, Bridgit Kessler (above). lesson about the business, “You must listen to those around you,” Stirling shared, “even if sometimes what they say is wrong, a lot of times they will be right.” Needless to say he was ahead of the game. Upon arriving in America 18 years ago, he enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. Although many years have come and gone since then, Sowerby still holds fond memories of his days in Chef Everrett’s class. After completing the program, Sowerby went on to work at the Dilworthtown Inn in West Chester, Pennsylvania where he stayed for many years and later received a Bachelor of Science in hospitality from Widener University. After adding all of these accomplishments to his belt, it was time for a change. As it came time for Sowerby to make his next step, it was clear that he must make one that would be best for not only himself, but for his family as well. When tossing around ideas, his sister-in-law said, “You could be the flying deutschman!” Sowerby said that the image of a real-life pirate ship immediately popped into his head. Ten months ago, that idea sprouted into reality. Sowerby successfully created a one of a kind restaurant on wheels. Unlike many food trucks, The Flying Deutschman is dishing out fullfledged meals without sacrificing quality. “If we want to do chateaubriand with hollandaise and haricot verts, we can do that. We can even cater large dinner parties with glassware and
china,” Sowerby explained. With his many years of experience, Chef Sowerby is undoubtedly changing the food truck world as we know it. He claims the biggest difference from working in a traditional kitchen is the amount of space. “Everything must be tied down and very organized” Sowerby adds. Needless to say he is running a tight ship. Currently you can find him in the Navy Yard on Tuesdays, Love Park, and our very own Clark Park in University City on Saturdays and Sundays. Keep your eye out for a day The Flying Deutschman sails your way!
Where to find: The Flying Deutschman Food Truck Clark Park Navy Yard Special Event Locations Check out the Facebook page for updates on locations! Please check Facebook For Schedule.
www.FlyingDeutschman.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/flyingdeutschman SUMMER 2014
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RESTAURANT
Passion Leads To Drive “I have a quote at the bottom of my email signature that says ‘Passion Leads To Drive’ - that is my motto in work and life,” says Josh Winokur. Winokur has just achieved what some Chef ’s would call an Award of a Lifetime; the ACF National Presidential Medallion.
With a confident and determined look on his face, minutes before this months’ American Culinary Federation (ACF) meeting, being held at the International Bistro at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, alum Josh Winokur sits down to tell me about his recent accomplishment in the world of culinary excellence. Josh Winokur has recently become one of the two youngest chefs to ever receive the ACF National Presidential Medallion. “There are some chefs who have been in the industry for 50 years and do not have this honor,” he says with an air of confidence and genuine pride. Bravo Chef. The National Award was given out at the President’s Ball on March 10, 2014 at the White Manor Country Club in front of National, Philadelphia, and South Jersey Chapters of the American Culinary Federation (ACF). The Presidential Medallion is given out annually to a certified and active member of the ACF who epitomizes the utmost professionalism and dedication to the culinary arts profession. Winokur knows this is more than just an honor; this is now a challenge and a commitment to his future. He knows that to exhibit pride, respect, and appreciation for this award, Winokur must exemplify the medal in all its glory for a lifetime.
The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), a professional, organization for chefs and cooks, was founded in 1929 in New York City by three chefs’ organizations: the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club and the Chefs de Cuisine Association of America. Since our inception, little has changed in our principal goals. We are an organization based on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education of culinarians at all levels. (from www.acfchefs.org) 6 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
All Photos courtesy of Michael Kocher Photography
Winokur is young; at 22 years of age, he has just graduated (2013) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Arts from The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. But, don’t let his age fool you; his demeanor and professionalism reflect a much more sophisticated and mature Chef who has been a member of the ACF since the ripe age of 16 - a time when most teenagers are worried about everything but their future profession. Josh doesn’t credit fate or luck in his success - he shares with us his wisdom and strategy for getting to where he is today.
ALUMNI
josh winokur
By:
Valery Snisarenko
, CJC, FPM
a young alum chef is recognized by the american culinary fedaration (ACF) The National President of the ACF, Thomas J. Macrina, CEC, CCA, HGT, AAC has watched Josh Winokur grow up both as a member within the ACF as well as an active member within the culinary community. Enough so, that along with the awards committee, he selected Winokur as the recipient of the coveted ACF National Presidential Medallion. Post award, Winokur enjoys recognition from other chefs, including Master Chefs, who he may see at regional, national or local chapter meetings. They now congratulate him on the award, show respect, and more importantly know his name. Currently, Josh Winokur works as a Rounds Chef at the Foulkeways at Gwynedd, a 500+ senior living community where he has enjoyed working for over 7 months. Josh says that he prefers working in the corporate world because it provides him with a much more stable schedule and the benefits of having a “normal” lifestyle. As a current or prospective student, you may be wondering how Josh Winokur has been able to achieve so much during his school years and post graduation. “I have a quote at the bottom of my email signature that says ‘Passion Leads To Drive’ - that is my motto in work and life,” says Josh. “When getting into the industry everyone says you need to have passion, well, if you have the passion then the drive (the want) to continue will come along...because the greater your passion, the greater your drive to succeed.” Josh’s approach to success is rather methodical and strategic. He explains to us that there are certain steps that he has taken before and during college that have allowed him to receive accolades from the industry and his fellow chefs. Here, he shares some of the fundamental guidelines that have helped him and continue to aid in the pursuit of his goal.
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Keep pushing, don’t give up as hard as it is and follow your dream. Follow it. Have a goal because that will get you further.
PUT SCHOOL FIRST
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Please emphasize that, please! I know there are people who are working insane hours and are fulltime students. Just put school first. Employers may not look at your GPA when you graduate, but they will look to see that you completed school. College is where you learn your fundamentals. People don’t want to know if you can sous-vide a chicken breast or put together a cold food platter; they look for your
knife skills. They look to see if you can sear a piece of meat or sear a scallop perfectly. Put that molecular gastronomy aside, they don’t care about all of that. Employers just care about your fundamentals. If you put your job ahead of school, you will always learn the shortcuts and not the correct technique or basic skills. When I am looking to hire someone, I look to see if they have their basic skills perfected. In a restaurant setting, they won’t have the time to teach you the basics: how to hold a knife or what knife goes with what job, how to sharpen your knife or even how to keep your things organized. These things are all basics. When you go for a job, just know that they will test you on your basic skills.
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It’s an award of a lifetime. Once others [in the culinary community] see that you have the medal, it says something.
changing; they are not the pressed white jackets, with creases so fine that you can brunoise a carrot. Now, they wear bandanas, jeans, t-shirt and kitchen clogs - that is the image now. My image is still a clean, white, pressed jacket, black pants; I am traditional. I have every tool laid out in front of me and my mise en place is perfect, that’s my image. I spent my time in college finding out who I am and where I want to be. I worked in restaurants, country clubs, bars, fine dining, and then I jumped into corporate where I don’t work later than 7:30 at night. I have many holidays and weekends off and that’s what I like. So, its all about finding who you are and branding it.
BE A SPONGE
Put all of the skills that you use in culinary school to use and never stay in any place for too long. Get a year or so under your belt until you can’t learn much more, or until you’re not being challenged. Drop it and move on. That was one of the best pieces of advice a chef has ever given me. Be like a sponge; soak up all you can and move on. Try new things as much as possible until you find you. Find a job that matchGet out into the community. Get your name out. es what you want and learn as much as possible. Get into the ACF. Participate anywhere you can to get your name out - do it and help out - volunteer Also, use your connections and social media to stay programs, networking events, community service, up to date on what others are doing. For example, etc. People in the culinary world see my face, they see Ross Scofield (alum of TRSatWHC and owner of The me compete; the more they see you, the more recog- Farmacy), posted a picture of a plate he did at “The nition you are going to get. You just have to show up. Farm” and I got inspired. It got my creative juices The ACF encourages its members to network with flowing. Don’t ever stop learning! Don’t think that other great chefs through programming and events. just because you are out of school that you are done learning. Always stay on top of trends in the industry Also, stay connected through social meand become a part of organizations and associations. dia and especially LinkedIn. I use these forms of media to stay in touch with people in my community, keep on top of trends, and follow companies that I respect, like Sodexo, Compass, US Foods, etc. I’ve connected with chefs on LinkedIn that I didn’t even know and now they know me possibly from my medal or my work, but the point is that we are now “linked.” The chef world is a small world and you need to connect.
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GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY
FIND YOURSELF & BRAND YOURSELF
Since hashtags are a big deal now in the world of social media, I came up with my own hashtag; #ChefImage. Every chef has their “image” whether you are a back of the house chef, a corporate chef, a pastry chef, you have tattoos or you wear a clean, pressed chef jacket. I read an article that said that chef images are
Winokur is not your ordinary young chef; at his young age, he has already accomplished what some veteran chefs can only dream of and he is still hungry for more. He is on a mission.
SUMMER 2014
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ACF
The 2014 ACF Competition The American Culinary Federation, Inc. (ACF), a professional, organization for chefs and cooks, was founded in 1929 in New York City by three chefs’ organizations: the Société Culinaire Philanthropique, the Vatel Club and the Chefs de Cuisine Association of America. Since our inception, little has changed in our principal goals. We are an organization based on promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education of culinarians at all levels. In 1976, ACF forever changed the culinary industry by elevating the position of the executive chef from service status to the professional category in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Dictionary of Official Titles. Since this change, the culinary industry and our organization have grown tremendously. Today, ACF is the largest professional chefs organization in North America. We are made up of more than 20,000 members who belong to more than 200 chapters in four regions across the United States1.
Competitors & Medals Chef Ferretti | Bronze Medal | Diploma Brianna Pellegrino | Bronze Medal Giovanni Pirraglia | Diploma Olivia Moretti | Bronze Medal Malika Sharpe | Bronze Medal Nick Raggio | Bronze Medal Dave Anthony | Diploma Camari Mick | Silver Medal Adam Sosnowik | Bronze Medal Seamus Nealon | Diploma Alexis Tellez | Bronze Medal Lauren Dattlo | Bronze Medal Bridget Keesler | Silver Medal
Story By: Caitlin Hargraves Photography: Ralph Rafols Cover Photo: http://www.acfchefsdecuisinestlouis.org/
8 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
No Guts, No Glory.
Eleven students and one Chef Instructor from Walnut Hill College compete in the annual ACF Spring Food Competition... and win big!
On a busy night, stepping foot into a professional kitchen may send someone spiraling into an epic universe all its own. It’s like a theater production; everyone’s actions flow into a larger picture causing onlookers to stare in awe. When something does happen to fall out of place, it is quickly corrected and everyone moves right along. And as you may have heard, not all aspects of working the frenzied line are glamorous - urgency takes precedent over all else.
crème de la crème of the culinary world. Upon signing up, competitors must chose from a small list of recipes, which they must expertly execute on game day. Since there are only 10 minutes to set up, 1 hour to cook, 10 minutes to plate, and 10 minutes to clean, it is vital to have a plan of action set in place long before they step foot on to the competition floor.
“Practice is very important! You can easily make adjustments in the kitchen, but not in competition” says Chef Christopher Ferretti, a Chef Instructor at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. Some Things will inevitably be dropped or burned and competitors realized this a bit too late at the recent choice words will be tossed around. There most cer- competition sponsored by The Restaurant School at tainly is heat; and it only source isn’t the cooking Walnut Hill College. elements. Through all of the hustle and bustle, one thing is sure to remain static: the ever-present hu- On the sunny morning of May 17, 2014, Allison man nature of survival of the fittest. After all, we live Mansion was full of eager, uniformed men and in a dog-eat-dog society and in the underbelly of the women, armed, and ready for action. There was an eerie silence cast over each kitchen as the competiculinary world, chefs are often insatiable. tors “mise’d” their ingredients and began to enter the Thus, the natural desire to compete lies within the zone; this was indeed the calm before the storm. soul of nearly every professional; especially the Chef. With a seemingly never-ending list of adversaries, Blades were sharpened. Recipes were double and triple checked. The clock was on. words of reassurance never hurt the ego or your resume. Chefs must skillfully build up their network with fellow culinarians who have the same mind- All that was left to do was sit in anticipation… and set and quality standards in order to set themselves avoid the girl who was interviewing them for the Main Dish magazine. Of course, once the agonizing above the rest. hour and a half was over, the mood shifted entirely. The American Culinary Federation (ACF) was Some of our very own students who were competing founded in 1929 to make it possible for chefs across for the first time could finally breathe a sigh of relief. America to make these vital connections. To this day, No matter what the results would be, medal or no the organization remains number one among profes- medal, they had done it. “Competing equals success; sional chefs’ organizations in North America with a no matter what the results on paper may show” says whopping 20, 000 members and counting2. Being in Chef Timothy McLean, the organizer of today’s ACF close company with some of the most elite chefs in Competition. When opening yourself to the crithe country is only one perk of the ACF; in an effort tique of gold medal winners, you are sure to grow in to ensure that members’ knives aren’t the only things knowledge time and time again. sharp in the kitchen, regular competitions are held Nick Raggio, a first term sophomore in the Culinary for various skill levels. Arts program, competed in the culinary division By competing, novice students and experienced with his “Rabbit Fricassee.” He chose to challenge chefs alike have a chance to receive critique from the himself by working with a game protein that was
unfamiliar to him. “The cook times came naturally but keeping everything timed right for the plating window and staying organized remained a constant struggle throughout the competition”, stated Raggio. After playing around with just about every aspect of the dish during his practices, the end result looked spectacular. Although tasting was left for the ACF judges, Raggio’s plating alone stimulated onlooker’s taste buds. A lot of sleep was lost and hours upon hours were dedicated to training alongside Chef McLean, but Nick could honestly say that it was all worth it. When asked what aspect of the competition he valued most Raggio added, “Anytime you can get input from chefs you aren’t familiar with on a daily basis, it helps you excel because they notice things that you might not get criticized for by others [with whom] you work on a regular basis.” A humble man, Raggio came into the competition expecting to leave with a certificate of participation and a list of things to improve on, but left with a bronze medal and a smile from ear to ear instead.
Nick Raggio, Culinary Arts
Malika Sharpe, also a first term sophomore studying Culinary Arts, competed in the “Rabbit Fricassee” culinary division as well. Sharpe admitted that she was beyond nervous to compete for her first time. “It was very nerve-racking”, Sharpe explained, “If I could go back I would have chosen a protein that I am more familiar with, such as fish.” Although she does not plan on competing again in the future, Malika was happy that she went for it and proved to herself that she really does belong in this field. “If you don’t have confidence, it’s a good test for yourself ”, said Sharpe. With a bronze medal to show for her performance, Malika surely left brimming with self-assurance. Malika Sharpe Culinary Arts
able to overcome the obstacles and received a silver medal for her exemplary work. Bridget Kessler, Pastry Arts
Dave Anthony, a first term sophomore studying Pastry Arts, received a bronze medal in the plated dessert category. Anthony admittedly underestimated the competition and did not imagine the level of stress that would come with competing. “My advice to students looking to compete would be to just do your best and have fun. Always push the boundaries instead of playing it safe” suggested Anthony. It is indeed important to come into such an event with a positive attitude, and all of our fellow students who competed definitely did so. “I am very excited to see so many students from the school compete, it’s fun and the school sponsors it so there is really nothing to lose!” admitted Chef Ferretti excitedly. As a matter of fact, all of the Chef Instructors at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College are dedicated to helping their students advance in the Culinary and Pastry Arts fields. Chef McLean dedicates his time to helping students train and organize the competition months prior to the event. “You have to learn how to keep learning. Even as an organizer I learn things through competitions that help me to become a better instructor,” McLean explained. “Students are challenged to work in a project driven environment outside of the classroom.” In order to stay on top in the industry, one must constantly strive to learn more. As the number of culinary students graduating increases each year, it is vital to distinguish yourself and show an employer how dedicated you truly are. The American Culinary Federation not only sets you apart from the competition on paper, but also through the lasting relationships made with professionals at chapter meetings and other events. Get your edge on the competition, learn, and prosper. Join the leading organization of culinary professionals; band in the effort to continue to mold the food service industry. Learn more at www.acfchefs.org 1-2
“Through this experience I learned how to roll out gum paste to incredibly thin levels and make beautiful flowers out of it”, shared Bridget Kessler, a first term sophomore in the Pastry Arts program. Kessler wowed the judges with an intricately decorated fourtear wedding cake. Between school and working fulltime, Kessler was left with only a few short days to decorate the cake for the competition. Thanks to the wonderful humidity in the kitchen, the time crunch was only met by an even bigger challenge. Ah, the wonderful late spring air! What every pastry chef LOVES to experience when working with fondant and detailing. But, despite the muggy air, Kessler was
COMPETITION
http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/About/ACF/About/
“You have to learn how to keep on learing...” - Chef Tim McLean
SUMMER 2014
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From France to Florida and the Bahamas
STUDENT TRIPS
a student travel log
A Diary From France
A Diary From Paradise
On the road from Dijon to Auxerre, in the French countryside, before the sun has had a chance to shine its rays, magical hills are beginning to see signs of pristine snowflakes cover their fertile ground. As a group of forty-three drive down the deserted road, trying not to make a sound, I can hear the music of French angels in the background. Louis, the bus driver (although, magician would be more fitting), has turned on one of his “surprise” songs for us to FEEL the place that we are seeing. In this moment…life is remarkable. In this moment, the world stands still and we, a gathering of forty-three curious culinary minds, are the only ones who exist - in this space and at this time. In the corner of my mind, I can see Chef Esther smiling at the large window beside her to the hills that she has seen for over 27 years. She still smiles because there is nothing else to say. And her smile illuminates the reason we are all here. We are artists. We appreciate the beauty in the world around us and we can feel it. This is the place to feel it. This is France. - A Traveler All Photography By: Brian Salley, Brittney Anderson-Wenger, Valery Snisarenko
10 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
I really can’t believe that I had to wait almost 18 months for this trip. It seems like everything makes sense now! From being able to step “behindthe-scenes” in Walt Disney World, to touring and dining at a 5-diamond restaurant, visiting a golf resort, to peering through a galley tour on a cruise ship...my eyes are finally open to all the career options that await me. My finest moment is when one of our hosts explained his career path. Being a maître’ +d of a world-class restaurant, it was impressive to learn his management style. I KNOW I can do this! - A Traveler
CHOPPED By: Valery Snisarenko
This year’s “Chopped Competition” drew a large showing of seasoned students and eager freshmen who definitely made their mark on the competition!
The intensity. The passion. The uknown. That clock. Palms sweating. Butterflies in your stomach. A knot in your throat. Yep, you are ready for competition. Undoubtedly, there’s a reason that the Food Network “Chopped” show, and even the show’s judges, have become household names in the past twenty seasons; the reason is that competition is addictive. Food Network has figured out the perfect formula for great television - reality tv with the intensity of competition and delcious food...what else can you ask for? Naturally, culinary and pastry students are a competitive bunch. They yearn for that look; that satisfying smile from a person who has just tasted their food and enoyed it. But, more importantly, they thrive off being better than their competition. Chefs of all backgrounds and specialities all want to be the best. This is fact. This is why they work on their techniques every single day of their career, why they work crazy hours and why they dream about food. And, of course, they all know that famous motto: “you are only as good as your last dish.” So, with all of that in mind, Chef Delcamp, Vice President of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, put together a TRSatWHC version of the famous competition show and asked our students to sign-up... and sign-up they did. This year, fourteen competitors in total signed up to
partake in the “Chopped Competition.” They spent over four hours in the kitchens, over the course of 4 weeks, working on a meal that wouldn’t get them on Television, or win them $10,000 or even get them published in a local newspapar...they did it all for the love of their craft. The rules of the competition were simple: 4 weeks, 2 students to a team, 2 rounds per session plus a third round for pastry in the final week, for a total of 9 elimination sessions, 4 mystery box ingredients and 4 plating’s per round under the ticking clock. The students had to come up with dishes that would impress on factors such as creativity, taste, product utilization, culinary skills, and of course presentation. Similarly, Chef Delcamp didn’t take it easy on the students with respect to the ingredients, offering up delicacies like frog legs, chicken livers, pork hocks, pearl onions, raisins, cooked corned beef, and more. Additionally, this year, Chef Delcamp spiced up the competition by bringing in Chef judges from outside of our College, including Chef Olivier Desaintmartin, past winner of the Food Network Chopped show and Owner of Caribou Cafe in Philadelphia, PA, Chef Isaac Frerichs, Senior Chef at the Campbell’s Culinary & Baking Institute and Chef Christina Pirello, celebrated author and TV host of Christina Cooks. These Chefs were also joined by our rock-star chefs and staff, including, Chef Thomas Tirendi, Chef Marie Stecher, Chef Richard Pepino, Chef Greg Slonaker, Chef Nick Dandelias, Peggy Liberatoscioli, Valery Snisarenko, Robin Todd, Dean Boccia and Dean Morrow. Being one of the
judges (in the chicken liver round), I can attest from first hand experience, that these students took this compeittion as seriously as if they were competitng for the $10 grand! They came ready for battle. The battle lasted 4 weeks, but as in all competitions, there can only be one winner (or winning team in this case). The winners, after a grueling ninth eliminaton round, from appetizers to entree to dessert, were Martin Fay and Michael Matarese - both of whom started at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in the Fall of 2013. The 2014 Chopped Competition was one for the record books, both with the largest number of competitors as well as the youngest winners. We can’t wait for next year’s event!
List Of All Competitors LIST OF COMPETITORS Winners: Martin Fay & Michael Matarese 1st Place Runners Up: Madison Butt & Dan Dougherty Madison Butt Matthew Lenrow Dan Dougherty Michael Materese Martin Fay John Oh Daniel Guzman Alyssa Ross John Kent Derrick Santiago Laith Khalil Joseph Seltz Heather Layman Andre Summerville SUMMER 2014
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CHEF DUFFY
By: Valery Snisarenko
Worst Job? I’ve had bad jobs, but I have learned from them. I take them all as experiences that got me to where I am today. Best Job? The job I have right now. I get to deal with different people on a daily basis. I get to create food all over the world. I get to touch food everywhere. Favorite city to chow down other than Philly? Gotta be New York, Chicago or L.A. Favorite restaurant in Philly? Definitely Zahav. I think Michael Solomonov is a genius. The food that he prepares is exciting, it’s fresh, it’s cool, innovative and creative. He incorporates history in all of his dishes, so it’s not just him cooking it, it’s him putting his whole body into it. It’s his soul and that is good food. Favorite restaurants nationwide? Meat & Potatoes in Pittsburgh and Waterloo and City in L.A. Favorite cooking shows to watch? I like Dines, Drive-Ins and Dives. Guy Fieri is a riot! He is a genius; he directs, produces, executes, he shows up and he’s on fire. Favorite chef on TV? Eric Ripert Favorite thing to cook? Peasant Food Favorite ingredient? Smoked Salt How do you feel about the cheesesteak? It’s a blast because Philly has so many personalities and ideas of what it is, but around the country it’s an absolute disgrace. Favorite place for cheesesteak? Tony Luke’s and Mama’s Cheesesteaks.
The Art of Being A Brand Can you recall your experience at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College? I was very fond of my time at the school [The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College]. I use it on a daily basis, no matter what. Like today, I just got done with costing out a recipe. I use what I learned every single day, no matter what it is. This is so unheard of for most people who go to school. Not just for Culinary Arts, but for anything. Whether it’s costing out a recipe or putting flavors together, whatever it is, I learned all of that. So, it’s cool for me. I remember I was young; about 20 years old and I wasn’t 100% sure of what I wanted to do yet. I remember thinking that it was a good opportunity. Our graduating class had 24 people when I started. The school was smaller then, we had photocopied and stapled pages as text books! Where you a good student? Funny story…I almost didn’t graduate! I was a good culinary student; I just wasn’t a great student. I used to get kicked out of class because I used to ask a lot of questions. For one final project, all of us were confused, and I stood up (it was Chef Gary Trevisani teaching) and I said “look, we are all very confused, we don’t understand what it is you need from us.” And he said “get out of my class; I am done with you.” So, I was always the guy asking the questions. But, I also finished my apprenticeship (internship) early because I was finished with classes before anyone else. I did my apprenticeship at the Four Seasons as well as a place called “San Marco” on City Line Avenue. I had double the hours that anyone else had. Everyone wanted to start a softball team while I 12 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
Q&A with Chef
Brian Duffy
was in school, and I said “go ahead.” While you guys it was for me at the time; but, I decided to give it a are at practice, I’m going to be working and learning. chance. Karl Becker was my Admissions Rep (he’s a I was very aggressive. great guy!). I remember being so happy because it was cool, it wasn’t vague and it wasn’t boring. I was I have read that your culinary inspirations were your happy because it was so directed and I enjoyed that. parents; can you tell me about them? Yeah, they are amazing. They were not in the food industry. My fa- When you graduated college, did you have a plan or ther was an educator and my mother was a nurse. an idea about where you wanted to go in your career? My father worked during the day and my mother No, not at all! I was working two jobs for free and worked at night. So, my mother made great lunches going to school full time. I would work from 7 am and my father made amazing dinners. They are both – 3 pm at the Four Seasons, then at 4 pm go to my amazing cooks because they were always very exper- other job until 9 pm and then leave that job and go imental. They had no fear of anything – always doing bounce at a bar. My first job was when I worked cool s***! My father would bring home live eels and for a place in Key Largo, Florida and I made $425 a octopus. I learned how to clean a crab by watching week. I worked there for about a year for a chef who my father. I learned a lot from my parents and now, was the biggest a******! I learned everything NOT I have turned the tables when we do dinners; I am to do from him. You learn more from those kinds of trying to improvise and tell them how to do it best. guys anyway. Like me, I made mistakes, and I was a tough and egotistical chef the first 10 years of my What made you decide to go to culinary school? career. The reason is that I didn’t really come out and I used to cook for friends, girlfriends and dates. So, work for someone. I came out of school and I was the the passion wasn’t so much about the food at that Chef. I worked for this guy in Key Largo, but when point as it was about the instant gratification. You I finished with him, I never worked for anyone else know, when you make a meal for someone, it’s auto- after that. I came back and boom, I was the Chef at matic. I didn’t think about going to culinary school restaurants. I developed my own style; I did all of until I was about 19 years old. I was working in a my own stuff; my own methods of running kitchens, restaurant when I was younger and I would look at organizational tools and standards. When I wanted the guys in the kitchen and just think “those guys are to get ideas from other chefs, I worked at places like just having so much fun.” This small tiny little restau- Striped Bass, but me and the Chef cursed each other rant and there were just two guys in the kitchen, but out and I never saw her again. they always just had so much fun back there. One day, my buddy Jeff, told me that I should go to culi- Did you ever envision becoming a brand? No, I had nary school because I was so good at it. I didn’t think no idea what I was going to do.
So, when did that change? What was the big breakthrough or opportunity? Well, I’ve always worked at independent restaurants, and then I left those places and went to McCormick and Schmick, where I was the Executive Chef and was thrown into the world of food costs. I mean, I worked with food costing before, but I was literally just launched into a pile of food costs and now, I was working with $5.5 million in food. So, the opportunity I was given was huge, but I hated it. I couldn’t stand it. The corporate atmosphere was one that I knew I didn’t want. So, I left and I went on to do Irish pubs, seafood restaurants, organic, and Mexican through the McGrogran Group. But, even then, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I knew that I wanted to teach people about food, that I wanted to cook and that I was going to make a mark in it somehow. So, I became friends with a woman on FOX and she contacted me about doing a segment for them. I remember it was Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia and no one was around. I borrowed my buddy’s truck, drove to my parents’ house, took their grill, and put it in the back of the truck. I drove to Market Street [in Philadelphia] and unloaded everything by myself; the huge grill and the coolers! That was the first experience I had on TV. Right after that, I did CN8 with Paul Dillon where I killed a live lobster on camera and got death threats because of it! After that, I did some local stuff on NBC. I did segments for about 8 years on NBC’s morning show and I loved it. It wasn’t even about the fame. Everything I did was on the fly. I never used a script. You have to know what you are talking about because everything is live and there is no second take and I did really well with it. I was taking it easy for a while and a show called me and asked if could send them my tapes, the show was called “Date Plate” on the Food Network. So, I did that show for three seasons and then went back to NBC. Then came Bar Rescue… How did you get started on Bar Rescue? My brother was the Senior Vice President of Programming at Spike TV. He called and said that he was looking for a Chef who has some good TV experience. I am a straight shooter so I said “You’re an a*****. I’ve been doing TV for 10 years!” He wasn’t sure if the show was for me, so I asked for more details. He said “I need an Irish chef ” and I said “I was voted best Irish Chef two years in a row!” Then he just hung up on me. About five minutes later, someone from a casting company called me and said that Spike asked for my tapes. So, I went through the same process as everyone else [to get onto the show] and my brother and I never spoke about Bar Rescue again (the business end of it). So, what was your journey into becoming a brand? I worked my ass off. I did all of my own marketing and I did all my own PR… I still do. I do all of my own social media, and that’s what I think people like about me. Also, chefs are blue collar workers; chefs are regular guys and girls. We work our asses off for the money – there is nothing wrong with that. For chefs, it’s a blue collar and approachable way of being. There is that 1% percent out of a 100 where it does just happen. But, it’s far and few between. It’s hard work. Look at Rachel Ray; she was never a restaurant chef. But, she became a brand and she had the personality to do it. She got onto Oprah, she did her thing, and she was a personality that had something to talk about. Emeril was the forefront for all
of this and people like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and I didn’t spend any money on it; I wasn’t promoting Martin Yan. But, the one thing people don’t realize is (ads), it’s all from me just engaging and communithat it usually doesn’t just happen. You have to work cating. It’s part of creating a brand. your way into it. What would you say to students who are graduatAdvice you can give to those who want to be on TV? ing or just graduated and maybe aren’t getting that Don’t plan on becoming a chef on TV…just do your instant gratification right way? You have to work thing. If you are lucky to get spots then do them. Rule through it. Take your time and learn your craft. I al#1 – unless you are the best known chef, if you are ways tell people - find your desire, fuel your passion a d*** you’re done. People don’t want to work with and share it. That’s a massive thing. If you really love you. I am lucky enough because I love production what you do, it’s not going to come to you overnight. crews. They are my kind of people. I feel that I have You have got to hone your craft. You have to get in a good reputation with the media and production there and wash dishes; you have to wash the entire crews and have a lot of repeat business because of it. kitchen’s knives and wrap them individually in towels and lay them down on the table when you are an Can you tell us about being a brand? I have the brand apprentice. You have to get in and you have to make of Chef Brian Duffy. Which is not just a person, it’s a mistakes. You can’t be scared to ask people for help. brand. To be a brand, you have to stick to what you Ask “what do you mean?” It doesn’t matter if you know and what you do. If I am going to go out there have been in the business for 10 days or 10 years. So and say, “hey you, I want you to buy this bra” – peo- ask questions and don’t forget to make mistakes, and ple will say “wait, who are you?” So, I have always every day try to make a new dish, and everyday try to tried to stick to what I know and what it is that I am. present that dish to your chef. Say “hey Chef, I made I am a Chef, I love to cook and to have fun. That’s this for you today,” because there will be that one dish the way it works. So, I try to keep things in the same out of a hundred that the Chef will go “hey, that’s realm. Now, it has changed over the years because pretty good, well run that as a special today.” As I went from being a bachelor to now being a dad. I chefs, educate your staff. Take time every single day have two little girls; they are 13 and 10. But, they are to pick one guy/girl in your kitchen and just spend a part of my brand: a part of who I am. Being a brand an hour with them. Show them how to make the is weird. You have to be very careful of what you do dish. Show them what they are doing wrong. Take because you have to protect the brand. It’s not you, a dishwasher and show them how to hold a knife or it’s the brand. Look at Chick-fill-A, Abercrombie and how to peel an onion. I had restaurants where the Paula Deen - all from a moment of mistake. You have waiters couldn’t wait to finish their shift so that they to be careful of what you do because the idea of a can come into the kitchen and learn. I always wanted brand is that it’s not just a personality, it’s a business. one cohesive unit. I try to educate every step of the way - it took a long time to realize that. I think that Out of all of your businesses (CBD Solutions, Duffi- TV has made it more of a novelty to become a chef fied Spices, Endorsements, TV), which is your abso- and not so much a career. That’s why we have restaulute favorite? My favorite is my business - which is rants like Outback that pay guys $10-15 dollars per CBD Solutions. I have clients all over North America hour, when a great restaurant pays minimum wage! and Hawaii. I am actually going to NY tomorrow for Why? Because at these places you are learning the a consultation, and then I come home and leave for craft; and that’s what it is… it’s a craft and it’s a pasCanada. So, I go into established or not established sion. I can teach you how to cook but I can’t teach businesses and I do training, concept development, you how to love to cook. My true motto is that it’s the motivational speaking, conversations about up- art of the preparation. I love a great meal but it’s the selling, provide knowledge and education, and work art of the preparation of putting that meal together directly with chefs to pull them back on track. I also that I LOVE. work with food costs, menu and concept development, and design - basically, every single part of it. What are you working on currently? Currently, I am working on seven restaurants that are getting What kind of experience would a chef need before ready to open (not my own but my clients) in the thinking of creating a brand? Well, it took me 10 next couple of months. I have a lot going on in the years just to have an understanding of food costs and media sense (TV and commercials) that I can’t really the workings of a line. I just had a conversation with talk about. But, I can say that there will be some big a friend from LA who had an issue with food costs things coming out this year. I just signed a deal with and she has been a chef for years. She said “I’m not a writer for my own cookbook which will be coming tracking right or not doing something right” and I out in about a year. spent an hour and half on the phone with her educating her on the way that food costs work. It took If there is anything I want people to get out of me 20 years to get to this point and I still learn every this interview, it’s that being a chef and becomig a single day new ways to do things. I spend 3-4 hours a brand is a business that you have to work at to be day on social media because I don’t want anyone else good. It doesn’t just happen! doing it for me - and your followers know! To give you an idea, I had 3k followers last year and I had a conversation with a media expert who said that you “Find your desire, fuel your have to interact and engage. So many people will just post and sit back and wonder why no one is respondpassion and share it.” ing to them. Well, when I post something like “where am I a going” while I am at the airport, I am engaging them. I am creating a relationship that they are going to respond to. And now, I hit 15K people last night! SUMMER 2014 13
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Sports Night 2014
student success is not just about learning and good grades - success is also measured by the amount of fun you can have and doing good for others...and our students sure know how to have a good time! here are some highlights of events and activities that our students have participated in this past term... Our Rising Star 2014
Philly Cooks 2014 Western Night 2014
Chopped Competition 2014 The Gift of Life House 2014
Project Sweet Pea 2014 From Left to Right: Our dorm residents play in the Whiflle Ball Tournament in May; Nominated “Rising Star Chef ” Leah Crompton interviewed at the Philly Cooks 2014 event; Student volunteers at Philly Cooks 2014;
Students enjoying Line Dancing during our Western Night in March; Two competitors are strategizing during our 2nd Annual Chopped competition; Student volunteers take time to make baked good at the Gift of Life
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House for those awaitng organ transplants; Students donate PJ’s for preemie babies as part of Poject Sweet Pea through March and April.
4 Tips and Tricks for Hospitality Leaders As an Alumni Member and Hospitality Leader, you may have hopes to continue the momentum you’ve built in your career and personal successes. Certainly, the faculty here at the college often receive calls from Alumni asking for any “tips” for navigating their life. Well, there are plenty of tips to offer! The problem is, the tips alone may not have the impact on your life as you’d like to see them. John C. Maxwell, says in his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, that we need to be intentional and work growth in, little by little. Therefore, I’d like to share with you, not only my favorite four tips for hospitality leaders…and believe me the TIPS are great…but the TRICK to work them into your life. THE TIP: Fall In Love, Stay in Love. Ah, Amour. When we fall in love with something or someone, it’s always beautiful in the beginning. That shiny new car! That attractive person! It’s like Heaven on Earth. We feel like we’ve arrived and our life is now complete. However, as the fluffy white clouds move on to another person’s dream, we begin to see that not everything is as it seems. That car no longer completes us and a person can let us down. As anyone knows, however, love takes work. The same goes for the hospitality business. We have all fallen in love with the business because of the “high” that it gives us. That wonderful space in time we feel when a guest is happy to have stayed at our hotel, for instance. We are lured by the freedom of creative expression, merged with the happiness we provide others through lodging, service, food, and drink. How could anyone not be in love? Alas, this love of ours can be brutal - borderline abusive - to the heart, body, and soul! Working on the love of your life means evaluating yourself and what you can offer TO your love, along with what you GET from it. I’ve coached many department managers who complain that things are “just not the same.” Yes, organizations and people do change. Oftentimes, with further examination, these managers realize that it’s not their hospitality businesses that changed, it was them. The energy that they used to put into their “love” is lacking.
HOTEL By: Akita Brooks, M.S. HBA
THE TRICK: Give-in to your love daily. Each day, ensure that there is one specific task that you do in service to your work for the sheer joy and love of it. It may take you a moment to evaluate what those things are. Perhaps it is taking the time to call up a sales client, service a guest, or talk to one of your employees. Remember that you will do this with the intention of enjoyment, not out of obligation. You’ll be surprised that the more you practice this, the more the business will give love to you in return. THE TIP: Stay Relevant. Keeping yourself up-todate with the latest trends and ideas related to the hospitality industry is a savvy professional development strategy. Of course, none of us would intend for our business or departments to be behind the ball when it comes to service, financial success, and innovation. Who wants to sit in a meeting and be told by their Director that they’re no longer relevant? But many miss the opportunities to stay ahead by not keeping a pulse on what is going on in the industry. If you have not reached for the opportunity to connect with other leaders at a conference, convention, or local organization event, now is a good time to look at your calendar and search for one. In addition, there are a plethora of trade publications, either online or print, in any niche or segment of the hospitality industry that you can think of, that are waiting to share insights and trends with you! THE TRICK: Find one magazine or event per month. Honestly, finding something to read is easy, the real trick is to sit yourself down and actually read it! My favorite way to do this is to schedule the time in my planner, as part of the chosen work day, and read an article or two from a trade magazine. This is NOT done during what might be considered break time. Start with twenty minutes for the month. You can build up from there. As for trade events, you can look ahead at events of interest and schedule them in your calendar well in advance.
continued on page 19
THE TIP: Prioritize Like Your Life Depends On It. Because it does. Our perceptions of life are fascinating. You can go through weeks or maybe months believing that all of the work, issues, and projects that you do are of great importance. However, you will experience an epiphany that tells you, “at the end of the day, they’re not ALL important right now.” One of our instructors, widely known as “Mr. Bill” Sartor, reminded me of this tip just the other day. (Yes, even I need reminding!) He said, “Ensure that you prioritize, but not everything is priority #1.” This is not to say that the numerous guest calls you need to follow-up on, emails, and financial reports are not important. However, they are not ALL important at the same time. Evaluate your time and the priorities that you try to fit in your life. Are there any tasks or projects that can be delegated to your team? Could some items be scheduled for another day so that you may work on more important issues? This tip is equally important for both your work and personal life. THE TRICK: Do a mental evaluation every day or night. I know people that plan out their day and evaluate their to-do lists in the morning. I too review my lists, but the real trick for me is to evaluate my priorities at night. For me, there is something about looking back at my day and asking if I was on the right track. Then, I’m able to evaluate what is most important in my life and have a game plan for the next day. BONUS TRICK: Delegate. It is a helpful way of spreading the weight of priorities with your team members. If you’ve really got a lot on your plate, leveraging your time and comm it me nts will do wonders.
Looking for a Hospitality Job? Check out these top employment sites:
Career Builder www.hcareers.com Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association www.hoteljobs.com Hcareers www.hoteljobresource.com Hotel Job Resource www.philadelphiahotelassoc.org HotelJobs.com hospitality.careerbuilder.com ResortJobs.com www.wineandhospitalityjobs.com Wine & Hospitality Jobs www.resortjobs.com Akita Brooks is the founder of Highly Spirited Hospitality, LLC, a leadership development company for the hospitality industry. She also teaches hospitality management at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. SUMMER 2014 15
hello Summer! TRS at WHC EVENTS All TRSatWHC sponsored events are chaperoned by a staff member and offer free transportation.
June 2 | 1:30 PM Day Trip to Tyler Park Activities Include: Hiking, Fishing & Canoeing. Free Transportation. Contact Maria Young to Sign Up June 8 | 9:00 AM Trip to Seaside Heights Activities Include: Swimming, Games Cost: $10.00 | Free Transportation Contact Maria Young to Sign Up June 11 | 11:00 AM Summer Carnival 2014 Activities Include: Carnival-Themed Games, Food & Fun! Join Us at Allison Mansion 16 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
C’mon - get out there and live a little...
June 13 | 6:00 PM Phillies vs. Cubs Game Cost: $15.00 | Free Transportation Contact Maria Young to Sign Up June 18 | 5:30 PM Picnic at Penn Park BYOB - Bring Your Own Blanket Contact Maria Young to Sign Up June 19 | 5:30 PM Food Truck Trip to 30th Street Station Free To Attend Contact Maria Young to Sign Up June 20 | 3:30 PM Trip to Linvilla Orchards Activities Include: Pick Your Own Fruit Free Transportation Contact Maria Young to Sign Up
June 30 | 7:30 AM Trip to the Summer Fancy Food Show Special Industry Only Event in NYC Cost: $35.00 plus transportation Contact Valery Snisarenko to Sign Up July 8 | 5:00 PM Soiree Event for July 2014 Graduates Only Open to Graduating Class Please Contact Sarah McLaughlin for all graduation questions & requests July 14 | 5:30 PM July 2014 Commencement Ceremony The Ritz Carlton Philadelphia Please Contact Meghan Bloome for all Commencement questions.
The OUTDOORS Spring and Summer time is particuraly exciting in places like the Northeast where the weather is as unpredictable as .... well, the weather. This past winter being especially brutal and unforgiving, we, at the Main Dish Magazine thought what better time than now to give you some welldeserved ideas for things to do in the great outdoors! And yes, we realize that many of you, as the high achievers that you are, will be working during the summer months - but, if you can, give yourselves a break and try to get to one of these events, festivals, parks, concerts, retreats, etc. You’re in luck! Some of these are even sponsored by TRSatWHC and you know what that means... free transportation!
Top Outdoor Sites in Philadelphia (via Tripadvisor.com)
Independence National Historic Park Morris Arboretum Fairmount Park Kelly Drive Schuylkill River Trail Wissahickon Valley Park Washington Square Park John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Bartram’s Garden LOVE Park Penn’s Landing Smith Memorial Park
So, what are you waiting for?
Pennypack Park
Longwood Gardens
Did you know?
EVENTS & FESTIVALS June 7 | Linvilla Orchards, PA Strawberry Festival Activities Include: Pick Your Own Fruit & see DelVal’s largest Strawberry Shortcake! Free | www.linvilla.com June 13 | Philadelphia, PA The Awesomefest Activities Include: Outdoor movie screenings at public spaces throughout the city Free | Check www.uwishunu.com for details June 14 | Philadelphia, PA Stripes and Stars Festival Activities Include: Historic sites around the city honoring Flag Day Free | Check www.uwishunu.com for details June 14 | Philadelphia, PA Philly VegFest
Philadelphia ranks as one of the TOP 10 Cities in the WORLD for Parks!
Activities Include: Sample Veggie Food and learn about Veggie options in the city Free | Check www.uwishunu.com for details June 19 | Philadelphia, PA Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll Activities Include: Vendor Options for just $1 Pay As You Go | www.universitycity.org June 19 | West Oak Lane, PA Night Market at West Oak Lane Activities Include: Sample food from vendors Pay As You Go | thefoodtrust.org/night-market June 21 | University City, PA Clark Park Music & Arts Festival Activities Include: Local bands & vendors Free | www.universitycity.org June 21 | Philadelphia, PA
Urban Beach Party Activities Include: games, music, food and more at the steps of Eastern State Penn Free | http://fespp.com/ June 21-22 | Manayunk, PA Manayunk Arts Festival Activities Include: Artwork, crafts & food Free | http://manayunk.com/signature-events/manayunk-arts-festival/
CONCERT DATES: June- Aug 2014 | Susquehanna Bank Center MMRBQ 2014 ft. Rob Zombie, Volbeat, etc. Radio 104.5 Birthday Show ft. Foster the People & More Brad Paisley Ray LaMontagne Dave Matthews Band Tim McGraw Zac Brown Band Backstreet Boys Journey and Steve Miller Band Fall Out Boy OneRepublic Styx Warped Tour Bruno Mars
Lynyrd Skynyrd & Bad Company James Taylor Lionel Richie Wiz Khalifa XPoNential Festival ft. Ryan Adams XPoNential Festival ft. Beck Nine Inch Nails Mayhem Festival ft. Avenged Sevenfold & KORN Kiss & Def Leppard Linkin Park Goo Goo Dolls Jimmy Buffett Motley Crue
June- Aug 2014 | Festival Pier Penn’s Landing Wired Fest ft. Calvin Harris 7th Annual Roots Picnic ft. Snoop Dogg Rebelution The Fray
OAR Slightly Stoopid Mad Decent Block Party Panic! At the Disco
June- Aug 2014 | Tower Theatre Boys II Men MOVE Peter Frampton & The
Doobie Brothers YES 311
June- Aug 2014 | TLA Danity Kane King Khan & The Shrines Kishi Bashi Screeching Weasel Robert Earl Keen The Notwist Devil Driver Alex B & The Burgeoning Skinny Lister
Dead Kennedys Alice Smith Black Star Riders Man Overboard Between the Burried Philly Summer Fest Logic Puss N Boots Turnpike Troubadours Veruca Salt Five Iron Frenzy
June- Aug 2014 | Wells Fargo, Lincoln Financial
Queen and Adam Lambert Miley Cyrus One Direction
& Citizen’s Bank Park
Luke Bryan Jay Z & Beyonce Jason Aldean Billy Joel
SUMMER 2014
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SCIENCE Story & Illustration By: Caitlin Hargraves
Feast on This
Take a look inside a world where food science (and safety) is not an option.
Ever wonder how everything in a grocery store is so manicured and utterly identical? Even walking through the produce section in Phila-
delphia during the dead of winter, you can stumble upon a pile of perfectly plump, bright red tomatoes. After closer examination one can even conclude that this anomaly only further defies nature in that they are all within a fraction of an ounce away from each other in weight. To an average American consumer, this has become the norm. So, how has this standard become the comfortable norm in our lives? With the number of consumers increasing and the earth’s resources declining, daily action is taken to maintain our food availability. Here in the United States, we can still find a grocery store every few miles that contains specialty foods, produce, and meats presented in safe packaging and an organized manner. There is no question about whether or not the food we are purchasing contains harmful microorganisms that could potentially make us ill- or worse, result in our death. How can we be so certain that we are receiving the freshest food at the most affordable price you ask? As culinary professionals, this inquiry should act as a giant weight upon our shoulders. Everyone wants to offer the highest quality product at an affordable rate and still make a profit. Imagine living where that common goal is utterly unattainable; where food is not preserved and cannot be guaranteed fresh to the public, there are no nutrition labels, and for those with food allergies; every meal is a guessing game. The warm months of the year are spent gathering meats, and October is reserved for curing the food for winter. When the cured meat is not being used, one must venture to the local market where meats hang above counters for an unknown amount of time, unpackaged, waiting to be sold. If you are lucky enough to have a market in close proximity, the effort to feed your family safely is not made easier- rice is
18 www.walnuthillcollege.edu 16 www.walnuthillcollege.edu
kept in bulk bins and sifted through by customers; meats are mixed together and thrown into unrefrigerated cases to be examined and tossed around like DVDs. This semblance I have created for you is what day-to-day life in China is like. Without food science, our trip to the grocery store may not be so far off. The simple things we take for granted as consumers require thousands of scientists working around the country. Each day advances are being made to revolutionize our food products and packaging. Culinarians are but one work force in white standing behind the food system. Science is one of the oldest tools of the trade. When nouvelle cuisine was developed in the 18th century, chefs were seen as chemists; they were responsible for learning what each of their ingredients was composed of in order to transform flavors and create new compounds. Since then, science has only gained more power than ever in the kitchen, all boiling down to a chemical reaction. But, technologists have gone far beyond a simple compound making it not only possible for new creations to be made, but also efficiently stored. As chefs across the country work to perfect dishes to stimulate their customers’ palettes, scientists toil away in the effort to ensure that ingredients on each and every plate are safe and in sufficient supply. If it weren’t for the ever present efforts of these researchers, average shoppers would be forced to take a shot in the dark when shopping for their family; never knowing if an item they pick up off of the shelf could potentially contain harmful microorganisms that cause illness. Old age preservation methods would still be in place, making it nearly impossible for a present-day grocery store to even exist.
A Bite of China. Documentary. Xiaoqing, Chen. 2012. China. China Central Television. (DVD) James P. Smith, Hosahalli S. Ramaswamy, Benjamin K. Simpson Developments in food packaging technology. Part II. Storage aspects Photo from: Unknown Author. Accessed January 14, 2014 Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 1, July 1990, Pages 111–118
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Have You Heard? We are now on Instagram! Follow us at @trsatwhc or search for The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. Use hashtags #walnuthillcollege, #trs #therestaurantschool & #restaurantschool or simply tag the College in your post. Let us see your best creations! Former Flock of Seagulls lead guitarist Eddie Berner (Think “I Ran (So Far Away)”) is an alum of The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. How Rockin’ Cool is that?
Avance, headed by Executive Chef and Alum Justin Bogle, has been named one Americas BEST NEW RESTAURANTS by GQ Magazine! Avance is the new concept in the old Le Bec-Fin restaurant in Center City, Philadelphia. We are so proud of Bogle and happy about his return to Philly. Two alumni run food trucks “The Flying Deutschman” and “Chewy’s” are nominated for the Philly Vendy Awards. So very proud.
4 out of the 6 places on Philadelphia Magazine’s “Six Places to Indulge with Foie Gras” list are either owned, run or managed by our Alumni (Ela, Avance, Will, Bibou)!!!!
continued from page 15 THE TIP: Take a Break for Goodness Sake. I’ve saved the best tip for last…If you’re a fan of Stephen Covey’s book, 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, like I am, you’ll know that his 7th Habit is Sharpen the Saw. This habit never gets old, but it always needs reminding. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, the industry, let alone life, can be brutal. To get the most out of life, you’ve got to ensure that the greatest tool for enjoying your life, that’s YOU, stays sharp. Scheduling time for yourself to rest, renew, and reconnect is important. Rejuvenation does wonders for the heart, body, and soul, which as you’ll remember, are components you need to stay in love with this industry. I’m baffled by how many hospitality leaders work themselves into illnesses just because their jobs are demanding and they don’t call to
attention the breaks they need. I used to be a “victim” too; subscribing to the mantra that all work and no play or rest was the way to go. It doesn’t need to be this way.
book. Make plans to catch-up with a friend (social/ emotional). Pray or mediate and just appreciate life (spiritual). By taking time to “sharpen the saw,” you take care of you. Career wise, a better you means a person who is ready to return back to those phone THE TRICK: Schedule at least 15 minutes of ME calls, guest inquiries, and employee requests. time. If you’re a work junkie and glutton for industry-oriented punishment every day, this one is going There you have them, my favorite four tips and tricks to be a real challenge to intentionally practice. Make for leaders in this industry. These are great for eva commitment to spend at least 15 minutes doing eryone, and I encourage you to work on practicing something for yourself. This can be done before, them, not only for yourself, but as a model for others. during, or after work, depending on the setting that Over time, you will build on them and acquire adyou need. Thinking of the key personal areas: (phys- ditional actions for career and personal growth. To ical, mental, social/emotional, and spiritual), you can your continued success! do it. Perhaps plan to take a walk or eat a meal withSUMMER 2014 19 out rushing (physical). Play a mental game or read a
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College 4207 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Follow Us:
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www.WalnutHillCollege.edu 215.222.4200 ext. 3011
Where Are They Now?
Ryan Bloome ‘10 Sous Chef Terrain at Styer’s (URBN Corp.) Glen Mills, PA
Eric Rosen ‘82 Chef/Owner The St. Michaels Crab & Steak House St. Michael’s, MD
Brenda Wolf ‘06 Executive Pastry Chef Master Baker West Chester, PA
Justin Bogle ‘02 Executive Chef Avance Philadelphia, PA
Tish Smith ‘09 Owner/Pastry Chef Foam Floaterie Greater Philadelphia, PA
Natalie Stone ‘91 Pastry Chef/Baker Bella’s Biscotti Medford, NJ
Brian Duffy ‘94 Consultant and TV Personality CBD Consulting Philadelphia, PA
Jon Walsh ‘13 General Manager Anthony’s at Paxon Hollow Broomall, PA
Joseph Polito ‘88 Group Director/ Food and Beverage Dusit International Bangkok, Thailand
Kim Osinski ‘98 Chef/Owner Chef Kim’s Kitchen Somerdale, NJ
Jennifer Yasaitis ‘12 Chef/Owner Creperie Béchamel Wayne, PA
Marshay M. Wallace ‘09 Banquet Manager Hyatt Hotels Reston, VA
Victor Kendlehart ‘13 Restaurant Supervisor Streamsong Resort Bowling Green, Florida
Adriana Piper ‘05 Executive Pastry Chef Barclay Prime Philadelphia, PA
Christopher Nguyen ‘95 Chef/Owner Fire & Ice Restaurant Philadelphia, PA
Brenda Board ‘08 Tea & French Wine Sommelier Oliver & Company Tea Room Philadelphia, PA
Want To Tell Us Where You Are Now? E-mail Us: MainDishMag@WalnutHillCollege.edu We would love to hear your story and feature you in an upcoming issue of the Main Dish Magazine!