Dash of Penn College again flavors state's agricultural showcase

Published 01.17.2024

Photo by Kat Kuo for the PA Preferred Culinary Connection (@katkuo.design on Instagram)

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While friendly faculty and staff welcomed visitors to the 108th Pennsylvania Farm Show through varied activities at the Penn College booth in the Giant Expo Hall, students and chefs from the School of Business, Arts & Sciences joined celebrities and alumni alike on the always-busy Pennsylvania Preferred Culinary Connection stage.

Chef Michael J. Ditchfield, part-time instructor of culinary arts, is joined by baking & pastry arts students Madisen H. Donlin (left), of Breezedale, and Alyssa D. Perez, of Turbotville. Ditchfield, who retired from full-time teaching in May, has been a longtime presence at the Farm Show.

On the Farm Show’s opening day, Ditchfield demonstrates a recipe for sauteed sweetbreads and Hungarian veal goulash.

Perez, Ditchfield and Donlin show the finished goulash.

Chef Rob Wood, a 2017 Penn College culinary arts grad who now is executive chef of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Kitchen, demonstrates Philly cheesesteak-stuffed portobello mushroom caps.

Ditchfield, who, with students and Chef Mike Dinan served behind the scenes to help demonstrating chefs prepare samples, helps to distribute those samples to the crowd.

Chef Walter David Figueroa, executive chef of Englewood Brewing Co. in Hershey, involves baking & pastry arts student Felicia D. Donnie, of Harrisburg, as he demonstrates tricolor roasted beets salad with crispy goat cheese.

Culinary arts technology student Nicholas P. Matz, of Schuylkill Haven, is encouraged to catch the aroma of a recipe-in-progress as he assists Chef Chris Scott (right), a finalist on Season 15 of Bravo’s “Top Chef” television series and a judge on “Beat Bobby Flay.”

Alisha Howell Summa, a 2012 Penn College baking & pastry arts grad, talks the crowd through her recipe for focaccia. Summa owns Lynn Sandy’s Bakery in Scranton.

Students (from left) Ally A. Colon (baking & pastry arts), Alyssa D. Perez (baking & pastry arts), and Nicholas P. Matz (culinary arts technology) talk strategy during the School Cooking Challenge, which split Penn College’s cadre of Culinary Connection helpers into two teams to compete in front of the crowd as they each made an impromptu dish using surprise ingredients.

Luke C. Whipple, a culinary arts technology student from Shamokin Dam, seasons a cut of beef.

Chef Mike Dinan, executive chef of the college’s Le Jeune Chef Restaurant, looks on as students Emily Myers, of Catawissa, and Kendal L. Johnson, of Scranton, explore their basket of ingredients. Both are studying baking & pastry arts.

Matz elicits on-stage laughter.

Donnie talks judges through her team’s dish.

The Penn College contingent, displaying their School Cooking Challenge winnings. From left: Abigail G. Sollenberger, of Newville; Nicholas P. Matz, of Schuylkill Haven; Alyssa D. Perez, of Turbotville; Ally A. Colon, of Philadelphia; Madisen H. Donlin, of Breezedale; Chef Mike Dinan; Felicia D. Donnie, of Harrisburg; Kendal L. Johnson, of Scranton; Emma E. Delcampo, of West Chester; Emily Myers, of Catawissa; Luke C. Whipple, of Shamokin Dam; and Chef Michael J. Ditchfield.

A team’s entry in the School Cooking Challenge.

Dinan, executive chef of Le Jeune Chef Restaurant, where Penn College hospitality students practice their craft, engages the crowd as he demonstrates Korean sticky chicken with cabbage stir fry.