Chef Hawkins & Pierpont Non-Traditional Students Help with Farmer's Market Fundraising Dinner

Chef Dale Hawkins, adjunct chef instructor, and students in the evening Quantity Foods class helped raise money for the Bridgeport Farmers Market recently. The team paired up with farmers and organizers of the event to highlight the Bridgeport Winter Market.

The evening of jazz helped feature awareness of local foods available in the winter.

Chef Mahoney Comments on Local Jobs

WDTV recently interviewed Chef Mahoney about the job prospects for Culinary and Pastry graduates.

Pierpont Takes Third at ACF Northeast Regional

Pierpont Culinary Academy finished third behind two of the biggest culinary schools in the country at the American Culinary Federation Northeast Regional in Columbus, OH. The team was led by veteran competitors Maria Provencher, Team Captain, Joseph White, and Ted Hastings. Brandon Show and Ryan Contraski, first year students and competitors rounded out the team. The Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) won the event, and Johnson & Wales University (Providence, RI) came in second. The team displayed their show platter on the first day of the event. The platter featured WV Wild Game items such as: trout, quail, and duck breast. On day two, the team completed their second and third phases of the competition. During the Skills Phase Joseph White began the 80 minute relay team by completing the pastry competency, Ryan Contraski drew second position and completed the fish fabrication section, Brandon Show completed the vegetable skills, and Ted Hastings anchored the team with the chicken fabrication. The judges made special mention of the teams professional demeanor throughout the entire competition, but made a special note about the Skills Phase. The final portion of the competition featured 90 minutes for the team to prepare and serve a four course meal to the judges. Ted Hastings prepared the appetizer course Crisp-Skinned Striped Bass with Cantelini Beans, Wilted Spinach, and Beurre Blanc. Brandon Show served the salad course of Mixed Greens, Saffron Ribbon Cracker, Fried Blue Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, Pickled Vegetables, and Mustard Vinaigrette. Joseph White prepared the classic dish Poulet Saute a la Catalane, and it was accompanied with Haricot Verte and Pommes de Terre. Maria Provencher completed the meal with a Hazelnut Chocolate Terrine, Hazelnut Florentine, Croquentine Cake, Brandied Cherries, Orange Cardamon Sauce, and Pistachios. Ryan Contraski was the Alternate and Floor Mgr. The judges awarded Pierpont 32+ points (out of an internationally recognized 40pt scale), which qualified them for ACF Silver Medals. Watch the WBOY TV story here: http://wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=96591 Read about it on WV Metro News: http://www.wvmetronews.com/news.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=44137

Pierpont Culinary Team Hosts Media Day for Last Practice Before Regionals

The Pierpont Culinary Academy Culinary Team hosted members of the media to allow a rare behind the scenes look at the preparations happening in anticipation of the up-coming American Culinary Federation Northeast Regional. As the students finished their final four-course practice local newspapers, TV, radio, and magazines had an opportunity to interview the Team and sample some of their wares.

Watch and read more about some of the Culinary Team's preparations:

WDTV story: http://www.wdtv.com/index.php/home/local-news/5470-pierpont-culinary-competition-march-2011

Times WV story: http://timeswv.com/local/x977554089/Pierpont-s-Final-Four

Pierpont on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PierpontCTC

WBOY Story:

Floyd Named 2011 Regional Semi-Finalist for Chef Educator of the Year

The American Culinary Federation announced that Chef Brian A. Floyd, CEC has been named a 2011 Regional Semi-finalist as Chef Educator of the Year. The winner will be announced in March at the ACF North East Regional Conference in Columbus, OH.

Candidates for the Chef Educator of the year had to submit a portfolio of qualifications, and the award committee narrowed those nominees to choose the regional field.

The regional winner will receive a silver medallion, airfare and lodging for the national convention to be held in Dallas, TX this summer.

Mahoney Wins 2010 Chef of the Year

Chefs from around West Virginia gathered at the Cafe Cimino in Sutton, WV for the annual American Culinary Federation of West Virginia awards ceremony recently. The group honored the recent state win by the Pierpont Culinary Academy team.

However, the awards for Pierpont did not stop there. Chef Jay R. Mahoney, CEC was honored as the 2010 WV Chef of the Year. This is highest distinction awarded through the state organization. Chef Mahoney was recognized by his peers for his outstanding contributions to the organization, to education, and to the community.

In addition to Chef Mahoney, Pierpont student and Culinary Team member Joseph White was honored as the 2010 Student Culinarian of the Year. Joseph has won multiple medals through ACF competitions, and served as the team captain of the 2010 Pierpont Culinary team that won a bronze medal at the ACF North East Regional competition in Hershey, PA last spring.

Pierpont Culinary Wins Third Consecutive State Title

Pierpont Culinary Academy won the West Virginia Junior Hot Food Competition for the third year in a row on Friday. Team members: Maria Provencher, Captain; Joseph White; Ted Hastings; Brandon Show; and Ryan Contraski advanced to the American Culinary Federation Northeast Regional Competition.

The team will face the top culinary schools from each state in the Northeast to be held in Columbus, OH in March, 2011. The team’s coach, Chef Jay R. Mahoney, CEC said, “I am incredibly proud of this group. They put in a tremendous number of hours in preparation for this victory.”

Pierpont Culinary Academy outscored Carver Culinary Center (Charleston), Mount West Culinary (formerly, Marshall in Huntington), and the National Institute for Culinary Arts at Mountain State University (Beckley) to secure the win.

The event was judged by Chef Alan Nease, CEC, AAC and Chef Brian Campbell, CEC, CCE. Teams were required to compete in two phases: Skills Phase and Four Course Preparation.

During the Phase I relay, teams have 80 minutes to complete four pre-determined skills. Ryan Contraski began the relay by fabricating a chicken, Brandon Show filleted a fish, Joseph White had to demonstrate a number of technical knife cuts with the vegetable preparation, and Ted Hastings anchored the team and finished with pastry preparation.

First year freshman Brandon Show said, “I was really nervous to start, but I just concentrated on filleting the fish, and didn’t think about the judges standing nearby. I still don’t feel I had practiced enough, but somehow at the competition, it was the best filleting job I have ever done.”

Brandon was working with a unique product. Pierpont featured farm-raised striped bass from Morgantown, but not just any striped bass. WVU Aquaculture Research Associate, Daniel Miller and his team, provided the fish for the team. In fact, Chef Jay Mahoney and team member Ted Hastings visited the Dogwood Lake Research Thursday morning to select just the right fish before they left for the competition.

The fish was grown as part of the West Virginia University Aquaculture Product and Marketing Development Project. Consol Energy pumps water to the surface for treatment to remove iron and discharges it into a stream. The WVU Aquaculture Team captures the new clear water to grow fish. Water flows by gravity at 400 gallons per minute continuously through the system.

During the Phase II Four Course Competition, Ted Hastings featured the fish as the centerpiece of his appetizer course: Crisp-Skin WV Striped Bass with Cantalini Bean Puree, and Wilted Spinach.

“The judges loved the dish,” said Hastings. “They liked the freshness, and we prepared it with a very crispy skin. They commented on how well the crisp skin contrasted with the delicate tasty meat.”

The salad course was served next by Brandon Show. The plate featured Mixed Greens, Mustard Vinaigrette, and Saffron Cracker. The entrée is a required classical dish known as Poulet Sauté a la Catalane. Joseph White prepared the dish which featured sautéed chicken, chipalota sausage, chestnuts, green beans, and tourneed potatoes.

Maria Provencher, Team Captain, completed the Four Course with a beautiful Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Croquantine Cake, Hazelnut Florentine, Brandied Cherries and Orange-Cardamom Sauce. “I practiced components of the dessert for over three months. We continuously tried to refine it, and come up with just the right combination of flavors and the ideal plated design.”

Provencher was equally as pleased with the team’s performance, “I was very pleased with the team’s execution and professionalism. The judges said we worked well together. They commented on our relaxed work flow, and how well we helped each other during preparation.”

With the team’s victory, Pierpont has won the last three state titles and five of the last seven years. Team Coach Chef Jay R. Mahoney, CEC Culinary Coordinator, attributes the team’s success to hard work and a great attitude. “This is a special group of students,” said Mahoney. “They have worked for months on perfecting their dishes and honing their craft. These students were judged on international standards, and they have proven that they are capable of extraordinary things under extreme pressure. Through it all, each of them kept a great attitude, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

The students are judged separately against an internationally recognized 40 point scale. Overall the team scored 32.6, which qualified them to receive ACF Silver Medals. “The medals were icing on top of an already delicious cake,” said Chef Brian A. Floyd, CEC, Executive Director of Pierpont Culinary Academy. “Chef Mahoney and these students are terrific ambassadors Pierpont Community & Technical College. I know they will represent West Virginia well at the next level.”