School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism S c h e n e c t a d y C o u n t y C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e W W W. S U N Y S C C C. E D U / C U L I N A R Y Newsletter Fall 2014 Chef Brings Home Gold Medal Congratulations to Instructor Michael Stamets of the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism. Chef Stamets took home the first gold medal SCCC has earned at the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique during the 99th International Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. He competed in the Best Hors d oeuvres Platter and wowed the judges with his Southern Hors d oeuvres for Eight featuring pickled sweet potato, sweet pea mousse, smoked rabbit chop, shrimp and scallop mousseline, salmon mousse and roasted chicken wing. The show had more than 100 entries, with Chef Stamets competing against five other chefs from across the country. Two golds were awarded in his category. Also, Michelle Anaya-Malone, Technical Specialist, earned a Silver Medal and Nicholas Gabriel, a Hotel and Restaurant Management major, earned a Bronze Medal, both in Best Meat Presentation. Students and Faculty Prepare for First Trips Abroad Chef Rocco Verrigni unfurled a large map of Italy, spread it across a couple of tables in the Culinary Arts wing and started listing the cities that a group of SCCC culinarians will be visiting this spring. As talk turned to pasta, wine and formaggio, the excitement grew about the 17-day adventure that he ll be taking with a group of Culinary Arts majors. I hope this is just the beginning and it will turn into a semester-long program for college credit, Chef Verrigni said. The group will spend nine days in kitchens in four different cities across Southern, Central and Northern Italy, cooking with professional chefs in the style of that particular area. Chef Verrigni has been communicating and meeting with officials in Italy for about a decade, discussing how the College could collaborate on a program there. The trip is now a reality with the addition of Sabrina E. McGinty, the new Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, who hit the ground running this fall, developing a Global Education program. We are looking to develop a robust study abroad program including short-term travel, like this Culinary Tour of Italy program, as well as semester-long programs which we hope to offer our students in the near future. Sabrina McGinty (left), Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, and Chef Rocco Verrigni, Professor in the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism, meet with Culinary Arts students Soheila Hexemer, Joyce Chowenhill, Stephen Piorkowski, Vincent Plano, Tracy Brundege
The Casola Dining Room Spring 2015 Menu: sunysccc.edu/culinary/menu.html Week of February 9 Ireland 16 Greece/Eastern Mediterranean 23 Brazil March 2 Germany 9 Classical French 16 Dining Room Closed 23 Provence 30 Le Marche (Central Italy) April 6 Rome 13 Sardinia 20 Southeast Asia Reservation line will open on 1/26/15 at 10:00 am. Make a Reservation Call Heath Jock, our reservation specialist, at (518) 381-1391. Reservations are taken for ALL meals beginning at 10:00 a.m. exactly two weeks in advance of the desired date that you would like to dine with us. You can also refer to our website and reserve a table with OpenTable. http:/// casola.html The School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism would like to congratulate Sandi Petronis on her retirement. Sandi was the reservationist for the Casola Dining Room, Banquets and Special Events at SCCC for over thirty years. We wish Sandi a happy and healthy retirement. Tuesday, February 24, 2015 6:00 PM Cocktail Hour 7:00-10:00 PM Gala reception, with live stations, gourmet food paired with fine vintage wines & craft beer Van Curler Ball Room Proceeds from this very special evening of celebration will provide scholarship funding for students enrolled in the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism. Featured alumni chefs are: Chef Suleiman Al-Sheber, Market Bistro, Chef Don Rogers, 24 Garden Bistro, Chef Devin Ziemann, Johnny s, Chef Steve Kerzner, Yono s/dp An American Brasserie, Chef Matt Delos, Mazzone Hospitality, and Leah Stein, Leah s Cakery 2 School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism
Attached is the SCCC booth at the International Hotel/Motel Restaurant Show that the Hospitality Club attended on November 9 10, 2014. Students explored the various products and services utilized by the lodging and restaurant industry. The club also visited the 9-11 memorial and museum. Left to right: Samantha Williams, Missy Henry, Rose Johnson, Erica Beach, Jessica Lussier, and instructor, Ingrid O Connell. HOT277 Tourism Development class doing a tour of the Stockade in September. We had a guided tour by Maureen Gebert to understand the historical and cultural significance of the Stockade. Instructor,Kimberly Williams and students presented a table at the 20th Anniversary of the Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration on Friday, November 21, 2014 at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany, NY. Page 3
Please visit our Boucherie and Pane e Dolci with student prepared items from our Garde Manger and Baking classes. Boucherie - To be announced Pane e Dolci- Tuesday thru Friday 11:30am-2:30pm Spring Banquets Do you have the responsibility or opportunity to plan a banquet for your company, seniors group, or club? We are pleased to announce that the School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism also schedules banquets for groups between 30 and 90 guests. Banquets are scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings. On Wednesdays and Fridays banquets are served during the noon hour. Menus will be designed especially for your group, and prepared and served by our students. You may bring your own wine and we will be happy to serve the wine to your guests. Disney College Program is offered on the SCCC campus. The program is a paid internship either at Disney World or Disneyland for four months or eight months. To qualify someone needs to be enrolled in at least one college course and be at least 18 years of age and any major can apply. Students can apply and explore more about the program on Disneycollege program.com. You can apply for the jobs you only choose to and there are video s on YouTube for each job to show the tasks that will be expected out of each cast member. There are many benefits to participating in a life time opportunity that will change your life forever! Upon being accepted into the College Program, you must meet with Professor Strianese or Chef Payne to set up your fall schedule.
ALUMNI NEWS : Since she was big enough to reach the mixer she has been baking yummy treats. Cookies, muffins, pies and cakes kept her busy as she grew. Hobby turned into profession, and skills were honed at Culinary School. Leah is a graduate of Schenectady County Community College Culinary Arts Program and is now a chef/instructor at her alma matter. Baking was not her original professional path. She left the world of Environmental Education/Park Ranger to pursue her dream of being a baker. Her previous occupation gave her the teaching skills as well as a strong scientific background (we all know baking is a science after all). Add to that an artistic eye and the passion to play with her food, a cake artist is born! Leah has over 10 years professional experience in baking and cake decorating. Owner and operator of Leah s Cakery, in Round Lake NY. Leah can be found baking away in her artisan shop, where everything is made with pure Butter, Sugar, Flour and Love. Her digital portfolio can be viewed at www.leahscakery.biz Chef Leah Stein, Cake Artist/Certified Culinarian School of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Please register with the Alumni Office at http://www.sunysccc.edu/alumni/email.htm alumni. We would like to know where you are and how you are doing. Donations to the SCCC Foundation: http://www.sunysccc.edu/alumni/give.htm or Please specify the Chefs for Success Fund to donate for student scholarships. or email: Ann Shattuck at shattual@sunysccc.edu with any questions. School of Hotel, Culinary Arts, and Tourism 78 Washington Avenue E308 Schenectady, NY 12305 Phone: 518-381-1325 Fax: 518-381-1493