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February 2011
Visiting Chef Dinner Features Alumni Chefs
Five School of Hospitality alumni returned to Pennsylvania College of Technology’s campus, including newly remodeled Le Jeune Chef restaurant, Feb. 4-5 to help celebrate 20 years of its Visiting Chef Series. The series premiered in 1992 with a dinner featuring alumnus Richard Kimble, of the Waldorf Astoria, and during the ensuing 20 years, the Visiting Chef Series has hosted a diverse group of renowned chefs from across the nation, each passing on their unique perspectives and cooking styles as they lead students in the kitchen. This year’s alumni chefs carried on that tradition, bringing experience from award-winning Pennsylvania restaurants. The alumni visiting chefs were Dennis Eckrote, ’97, chef at Elizabeth’s: An American Bistro, in Lewisburg; Andrew Masciangelo, ’97, executive chef at Savona, in Gulph Mills; Errol Walters, ’04, executive chef at the Susquehanna Valley Country Club, in Hummels Wharf; Callie Chalmers, ’08, bakery manager for Weis Markets, in Danville; and Angela Zerfing, ’03, pastry chef at Savona.
Students have the five-course menu in hand. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Staff gather for a pre-dinner “line-up,” during which the chefs review the menu. The dinner is served by students who are learning dining-room service and management. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Dennis Eckrote, ’97, describes the first course, Evangeline sweet potato bisque with rabbit confit, pear chutney and brioche crouton, to the evening’s staff. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
The event was the first held in the newly redecorated Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. The restaurant serves as a practical learning lab for School of Hospitality students while serving as an “Education in Fine Dining” to the public. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
The restaurant’s new earthy décor reflects the restaurant’s philosophy of using fresh, sustainable ingredients. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
The elegant dinner, with menu items devised by each of the visiting chefs, was a sell-out. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Breads for the dinner were prepared by Angela Zerfing, ’03, and baking and pastry arts students. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Fred Becker, dean of the School of Hospitality, discusses the menu with a student. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Baking and pastry arts student Jessica Davenport plates mint marshmallows. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
One of three amuse-bouche included “vinegar caviar,” made from vinaigrette but having the appearance of fish eggs. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Andrew Masciangelo, ’97, talks with students about one of the dishes they will prepare. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Masciangelo records a part of the evening’s dinner preparations. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Callie Chalmers, ’08, demonstrates the plating for the evening’s dessert: lemon mille-feuille, frozen orange parfait and honey tuile. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Angela Zerfing, ’03, left, and Callie Chalmers, ’08, led baking and pastry arts students in creating breads and desserts for the scholarship dinner. Photo by Cindy Davis Meixel.
Chef Paul Mach, assistant professor of hospitality management and culinary arts, talks with students as the ready themselves to prepare the first course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Errol Walters, ’04, works with the grouper to be served as part of the second course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Student Cassandra Brochu helps to plate the first course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Walters keeps a plate moving down the line as student Kevin Pysher spoons caponata onto the dish. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline
Eric Goods, chef de cuisine at Savona, assists with dinner preparation. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
The second course: olive-oil poached Florida grouper, winter squash caponata, pole-grown bouchot mussels and saffron citronette. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Student Andreas Incontro slices organic capon ballotine for the third course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Eckrote creates a demonstration plate for the fourth course: pecan-roasted Elysian Fields lamb, fresh goat cheese, chive spoon bread, young spinach and Pinot Noir sauce. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
Zerfing helps baking and pastry arts students to plate the dessert course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
The intricately designed dessert course. Photo by Jennifer A. Cline.
