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.”

Pierpont Features Local Partnership in Seeking State Title

Members of the Pierpont Culinary Academy Culinary Competition Team will vie for another state title this week. Team members: Maria Provencher, Team Captain; Joseph White; Ted Hastings; Brandon Show; Ryan Contraski; and Coach Chef Jay R. Mahoney, CEC will put their culinary skills to the test on Friday at the annual Junior Hot Food Culinary Competition in Beckley, WV. Pierpont’s team has won four of the last six years.

Teams compete in two phases: Culinary Skills and Four Course Preparation.

The skills phase is a timed relay that requires four competitors to complete chicken fabrication, fish filleting, vegetable knife skills, and pastry preparation randomly assigned within an eighty minute timeframe. In addition, the team then has ninety minutes to prepare a four-course meal for four people.

Chef Jay R. Mahoney said, “These competitions, which are judged on an international scale, offer students opportunities to work as a team toward achieving a common goal. Students that get involved with competitions at this level are subjected to extreme, live, pressure-filled situations similar to the Iron Chef formats. As a result, competitors tend to leave with a tremendous amount of skills that they might not have otherwise acquired.”

This year’s four course will feature a required classical dish: Poulet sauté a la Catalane (sautéed chicken with chipalota sausage, tournee potatoes, green beans and chestnuts). Joseph White will be preparing the entrée. White said, “It has been a fun challenge and a great learning experience. I’m ready for the competition.”

The meal begins with a Crispy-skin WV Striped Bass, White Bean Puree, and Wilted Spinach. The second course is Mixed Greens, Mustard Vinaigrette, and Saffron Cracker. After the classical entrée, the meal is highlighted by Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Croquantine Cake, Hazelnut Florentine, Brandied Cherries and Orange-Cardamom Sauce.

“Our dessert incorporates various classical skills. It has subtle, bold, and refreshing flavors. All of my fellow students, instructors, and staff that have tried it and they love it, so I look forward to presenting it to the judges,” said Maria Provencher.


Pierpont has partnered with WVU Extension to showcase a West Virginia farm raised striped bass for their fish course. 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. The fish have been stocked as fingerlings, and are harvested specially for Pierpont’s Culinary Team and other restaurants and farmer’s markets in the area.

“It really is a great pleasure to work with this fish. West Virginia should be known for quality fresh water fish, and this product has consistently met our expectations,” said Mahoney.

The event, hosted by the WV Chapter of the American Culinary Federation, determines the team that will represent West Virginia at the Northeast Regional Competition in Columbus next March, 2011.