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Executive Chef |
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Brian D.
Colussy,'02
Executive Chef
Greenville County Club ~ Greenville, PA
Where I
came from:
I was born and raised in the rural community of
Stoneboro, Pennsylvania, located in the northwestern part of
the state. I graduated from Lakeview High School and Mercer
County Career Center in the Culinary Arts Program in the
spring of 2001. I was accepted at many culinary schools such
as: IUP ACA, Le Cordon Bleu, Johnson and Whales, and
Pennsylvania culinary. I decided to attend IUP ACA because of
the small class sizes and the small town life, since I lived
in a small town. I graduated from IUP ACA in the summer of
2002. I think I made the right decision because I am now the
Executive Chef at a Country Club, which I will tell you a
little more about later on under externship and industry
experiences.
Externship and Industry Experience:
After leaving the school I was an extern at Hershey
Lodge and Convention Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. After
completion of the externship process I was hired full time.
While at Hershey I was placed in the Garde Manager kitchen
(cold kitchen) in the Convention Center, where I prepared
salads, desserts and displays for parties’ fir anywhere from
2-2500 people. While working in the lodge I was part of the
Rendell for Governor Dinner event, the night before he was
sworn in as the Pennsylvania Governor. I was also able to
work many off premise parties which included: The Hershey
Gardens, Milton S. Hershey’s Homestead, Hershey Museum,
Hershey Trustees homes and Hershey Park. After 1 ½ years
working at the Lodge I then moved on for some managerial
experience. I began working at Your Place Restaurant and
Pub located in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. I worked as
a restaurant or bar manager. My daily job duties were
ordering, hiring, and firing of staff, supervision of the
restaurant/bar and basic managerial duties. After working one
year at Your Place Restaurant, I missed the kitchen and
decided to move back into the kitchen. I moved back to
western PA where I took on the roll of Executive Chef at the
Greenville Country Club. My daily duties here are menu
planning, overseeing the kitchen, basic managerial duties,
picking and ordering from my purveyors and of course,
PAPERWORK. I am no on my second season at the Country club
and look forward to many improvements in the years to come.
During my spare time I have now returned to the Mercer County
Career Center; where I substitute teach when the Chef or
teacher is out. I teach the students about the industry and
answer any questions that they might have about skills,
culinary schools, and about the industry. I also have placed
on their advisory board where industry leaders and I makes
decisions about what the program needs to improve on.
How I
feel about IUP ACA:
I feel that
IUP ACA helps its students in so many
ways, from teaching professionalism, helping students find
jobs, working with computer programs, and having small class
sizes so that it is more one on one with the Chef. Other
schools that I have run into really don’t teach these skills,
which is very frustrating to the employer. For example, I
hired four students from a local culinary school; I ended up
firing three students and one quit. The three that I fired
did not know anything about professionalism or cooking, as a
matter of fact. When you graduate from IUP ACA, you may not
think you know your skills, but when you put them to the test,
you will be surprised how much you have really learned.
My
advice to current and future students:
As you can see, I have been around the block and I have
seen both sides of the industry, so I know how it feels to be
the low man on the ladder and being at the very top of it. I
feel that a good resume and portfolio is valuable key in so
many ways, from showing off your skills, accomplishments, and
where you have been. In this industry never burn any bridges
because you never know what is around the next corner or
behind the next door. Always stay up to date as rules and
regulations are continually changing and you never know when
the health inspector is going to stop by for a visit. Keeping
that in mind, it is also a good idea to make sure you and your
kitchen staff work and keep things neat and clean. The last
piece of advice that I can give you, is to always move
forward, never backwards, meaning never go from a Chef
position to a dishwasher position.
- Jeremy Critchfield,
'93
Executive Chef
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort ~ Farmington, PA
*Featured Alum - visit Chef
Critchfield's page*
- Patrick Goodman, '96
Executive Chef
Sodexho, Juniata College ~ Huntingdon, PA
- Larry Mondi, '92
Executive Chef
The Calvin House ~ Altoona, PA
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Jason L.
Teears CSC, CPC, ‘98
Executive
Chef/Production Manager
Morrison Management Specialists ~ Roslyn, PA
I am a 1998
graduate of IUP ACA. Upon graduation, I moved on to Ocean
City, MD, to complete my externship at the Princess Royale
Hotel. After a six-month stay, I accepted a sous chef position
with Phillips Seafood Restaurants in Ocean City. During my
two-year stay with Phillips, I became an active member of the
ACF and earned “CC” status. I then went back to Princess
Royale Hotels in an Executive Chef role. After a year of that,
I moved on to Reading, PA, as corporate chef at Sweet Street
Desserts. During my three-year employment with Sweet Street, I
earned both “CSC” and “CPC” status, I also silver-medaled in
an ACF competition. Currently I am with Morrison Management
Specialists, a contract foodservice company. I have a lot of
responsibility at my unit (a CCRC) including the daily
production of 1,100 meals.
I have been
very grateful of the education that I received from IUP ACA.
It prepared me for all of my past, present and future
challenges. The education shapes students into professionals.
It has also allowed me the opportunity to work in carious
sectors of foodservice, such as restaurants, hotels,
manufacturing, corporate dining, contract catering and senior
dining. I am proud of the education that I received, and eight
years later, I’m just starting back at IUP on the way towards
a four-year degree.
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Chef de Cuisine |
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Banquet Chef |
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Restaurant Manager and Head Chef |
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Joe Hartz,
'02
Restaurant
Manager and Head Chef
Courtyard by Marriott ~ Pittsburgh (Shadyside), PA
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Executive Sous
Chef |
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Chris
Kujawa, '95
Executive
Sous Chef
Nectar ~ Philadelphia, PA
After graduating culinary school in 1995,
I worked for two years at the
Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. I then moved to Philadelphia,
PA and worked at the Ritz Carlton for two years, followed by Le Bec Fin
for 2 years. The Striped Bass
was next on my path in Philadelphia. I worked for 1 ½ years
working my way from line cook to saucier and finally to sous
chef; my first management position.
Realizing that I wanted to work in a restaurant that used small
production farmers for the products that we used in the
kitchen, I went with Normandy Farms in 2003 and stayed there for
almost one year. Currently, I am at a restaurant called Nectar in Philadelphia. I hold the position of Executive Sous Chef.
IUP helped
shape my career by building a foundation in the reality of the
kitchen, not making us think we would be sous chefs right out
of school. The only advice I can give to current and future
students is take the time you need to learn as much technique
as you can, even if it takes ten years or more. Be patient.
- Daniel Scully, '96
Executive Sous Chef
Cleveland Marriott Downtown ~
Cleveland, OH
After graduation I worked for Marriott's Tan-Tar A Resort in
Osage Beach, Missouri. I also spent time in San Antonio,
Chicago, Marco Island, Manhatten and Miami. I went from intern
to line cook, banquet cook, assistant banquet chef, sous chef
to executive sous chef in only nine years. Marriott is a great
company and I have been sent all over to help on Marriott
properties. You can move all over the world if willing.
I have opened and trained staff in five new banquet
properties. I also was a Guest Chef at Indy 500 in 2005 and I
have been on TV and in magazines in the local area. My current
role is to train the chefs and supervisors underneath me. I
teach them cutting edge culinary techniques. IUP taught me
great basic knowledge of all aspects of kitchen operations.
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Chef
de Partie |
- Kristin Butterworth,
'01
Chef de Partie at the Golden Trout
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Rob Garber, '00
Chef de Partie at Lautrec
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Ryan Jones, '02
Chef de Partie at Lautrec
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Daniel Mungeer, '02
Chef de Partie at Aqueous
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
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Sous Chef
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Mark A.
DeMarco, '99
Demi-Chef
(Junior Sous Chef)
Biltmore Estate ~ Waynesville, NC
Currently I
am working for the Biltmore Estate at the Bistro restaurant. I
am one of the demi-chefs, which is a junior sous chef. The job
usually involves a ten-hour day, creating daily specials and
running a hot line that pushes 400 covers for lunch and 250
for dinner. Biltmore Estate is a wonderful company, offering
excellent benefits and perks, opportunities for career
advancement and several different restaurants to choose from.
IUP gave me a solid career foundation
and all the basic skills an employer will expect you to have.
Really pay attention to the basics while you are there. You
would be surprised at how many people cannot properly make a
stock, a mother sauce or quickly dice an onion. Those skills
are what set the IUP interns apart from the interns that I see
from the several other schools that send them to Biltmore.
-
Rebekah K.
Lane (Shaefer), '97
Sous Chef
Whole Foods Market ~ Kingston, MA
My
culinary career began when I started school at IUP ACA. I
didn’t realize how much the school would change my life. I
made some of the best friends I have ever in my life had, not
only students but instructors as well. Those people still
influence my decisions and my life today, even if we have not
seen each other since our graduation day. I am very grateful
to the Chef Instructors that helped me along the way. They are
still my best friends and family.
I started my
career at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida, for externship.
It was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. I
had the ability to work in almost all of the many departments
of the hotel. We did three-week rotations through as many
departments as were available in the three months we were
there. I say we because there were many different externs and
interns from many different schools and many different
countries. My time at the Breakers was amazing and very
educational. It helped me build more confidence in myself as a
cook, especially when at the end of my externship I was asked
to stay. I chose, however, to go back to Pennsylvania and
explore more of my options.
I decided I
wanted to go back to school for Dietetics and Nutrition. That
only lasted about a year and a half. I realized that what I
really wanted to do was get our there and cook. So, I moved to
Massachusetts. I got a job at Tosca in Hingham, MA. I was not
aware of it at the time, but Tosca was the #1 restaurant south
of Boston with the #1 chef south of Boston, Kevin Long, and
both remain so to this day. I got a lot of experience there. I
was the #1 cook for the two years that I was there. I was
second to the Sous Chef and also assisted the Pastry Chef. I
left there when it became apparent that there was no option
for me to move up in the near future.
For almost
three years I worked as the Sous Chef at Mount Blue Restaurant
in Norwell, MA. The restaurant is owned in part by Joe Perry
and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. I was also the Pastry Chef and
took charge of the dessert menu and specials. It was the first
and only “mom and pop” style restaurant I ever worked for. It
was a wonderful experience; I was given more creative ability
than I had ever had before, both with the desserts and the
daily specials and menu items. I had so much fun at Mount
Blue, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had.
I then went
on to be the opening Sous Chef for Rustic Kitchen Restaurant
in Hingham, MA. I was only there for six months until the
restaurant got on its feet. It was one of my more eye opening
experiences. I got to see first hand what it takes to open a
restaurant.
I am
currently a Kitchen Supervisor at a supermarket chain called
Whole Foods Market. It has been ranked as one of the top 100
corporations to work for the last five years or so. I remember
Chef Brown telling us about the opportunities for chefs in
supermarkets and thinking he was full of it. But what we do at
Whole Foods is the highest quality gourmet food. We do more
volume in food production and food sales than any restaurant I
have worked at so far. Since it is a growing company with over
350 stores just in the U.S. and plans for European openings in
the next year, I can see myself moving up very quickly through
this company. There are so many opportunities for culinary
educated professionals in the Whole Foods Company, and you can
pick which state you want to live in. I am very happy with my
choice to work for a supermarket.
To those who
read this, I want you to know that the education you receive
at IUP ACA is the best. I owe all of my success to Chef Brown,
Chef DeMane, Chef Fitting, Chef Klinger, Chef Vieli and Mrs.
Wygonik. They became my mentors through all of their expertise
and personal attention to my educational needs. I thank them
the most for my top-of-the-line education at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts.
- Eric Neal, '02
Sous Chef
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort ~ Farmington, PA
- Nick Musser, '03
Sous Chef/Kitchen Manager
Lisa's Cafe ~ Hershey, PA
My role
as kitchen manager includes duties such as scheduling, food
ordering, and menu writing. I create specials daily and also
make fresh soups and sauces. I enjoy my place of employment
because it allows me the ability to try new things and expand
my knowledge of the culinary field. IUP has helped me a lot
with my culinary endeavors. My advice to students attending
IUP is only do this if you love it in and out; hard work is a
must; reach high and you'll be fine.
-
John W.
Prencipe, '03
Sous Chef
Seneca Allegany Casino ~ Johnsonburg, PA
I have been here for seven months and
find it a great challenge and good experience. I am the night
supervisor of a fairly big operation. We serve 15,000 per
week, plus 1,000 employees everyday in the employee dinning
room. If it wasn’t for the education I received at the
academy, I would not be in this position today. I am proof
that hard work and perseverance does pay off.
- Michael Russell, '96
Sous Chef
Atherton Hotel ~ State College, PA
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Jeffery
Alan Severance, '95
Sous
Chef
Seneca Allegany Casino ~ New York
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Jennifer
Stake, ‘01
Sous Chef
Cura Hospitality ~ Huntingdon, PA
Since
leaving Penn State after 3 years I have been working with a
Company called Cura Hospitality! We deal with only retirement
communities. I have been a sous chef for them for over a year
now.
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Randell
Lee Whetzel Jr., '02
Foods
Manager/Sous Chef
Sodexho Healthcare Division ~ Cleveland, OH
After
graduating from the Culinary Academy, I moved to Florida and
worked at The Breakers Resort and Spa. After working
there for a year, I returned to Pennsylvania and went back to
work with Eat n Park restaurants as a manager of food service.
After two years there, I have moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where
I am a Foods Manager/Sous Chef for Sodexho Health Care
Division. I oversee a staff of 50 cooks and servers, who
prepare about 300 meals a day for patients and about 500 meals
a day in the employee cafeteria.
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Chef |
- Melanie (Perigo)
Battaglia, '96
Chef and Cake Decorator
Niagara Village Retirement Residence ~ Erie, PA
My husband and I
met at IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. It's hard for us to
believe that it's been almost 10 years! Unfortunately, Steve
no longer cooks. He took a position with the Post Office. I,
on the other hand have been at it ever since. I've had my up's
and down's with cooking since living here, that's for sure.
I'd say that living in the Erie, PA area has a great deal to
do with it. After taking a few "not so good" cooking jobs, I
found a new calling. I started a job that involved mass
quantity cooking at a Retirement Home. We cooked for about 250
people daily and I got involved in dietetics; nutritional
cooking and special needs diets. What I liked about this type
of cooking was that I always knew how many people to cook for
each day. I now cook at an Independent Living Retirement Home.
We have about 110 residents and cook completely from scratch.
The residents are completely on their own; that means all
regular food, no special diets and no nursing staff. This is a
style of cooking that I didn't really think much about while I
was in school. Like everyone else, I figured I'd work at some
fancy resort or high class restaurant. I never dreamed that I
would be involved in this kind of work, ever! I truly do enjoy
it. I feel that the school provided me with the basic skills
needed to promote my creativity. Another "job" that I've been
involved with for quite some time now is cake decorating. I
decorate special occasion and wedding cakes for friends and
family. It's been a hobby that I've enjoyed since graduating.
The possibilities are simply endless!!
- Kimberly
(McConnell) Hake, '99
Innkeeper & Chef
Highland Industrial Park Guesthouse ~ Camden, AR
I run a guesthouse that
services CEO's in a very large industrial park. After being an
Executive Sous Chef for three years I needed something more
time manageable after my marriage. I work M-F, early morning
until mid afternoon. I occasionally have to work nights but NO
holidays. My job is complete with a company car, and VERY
competitive wages! My boss is an exceptional employer and
believes if you 'need' it today, you should have gotten it
yesterday! It is the ideal chef job!
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Christopher
W. Meager, '04
Broiler
Chef
GSI ~ Manassas, VA
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Andrew M.
Stewart, '02
Culinary
Specialist
U.S. Navy (USS Columbia) ~ Pearl Harbor, HI
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Constancia
S. Taber, ‘98
Personal
Chef
Self-employed ~ Tucson, AZ
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John Venuto
Chef
Parrot Key Caribbean Grill ~ Fort Myers Beach
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Ginny L.
Zorn, ‘99
Pantry Chef
Best Western ~ Manitowoc, WI
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Cook |
- Richard Jeffrey Burdge, '99
Lead Cook
Gettysburg College
Dining Services
- Jennifer Crummy, '98
Cook
Mayo Clinic Hospital ~ Phoenix, AZ
- Andrew King, '04
3rd Cook at Aqueous
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Ryan King, '04
2nd Cook at Aqueous
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Jaime McAuliffe, '02
1st Cook at Aqueous
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Nick Mengle, '01
1st Cook at the Golden Trout
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Louis Pingtella, '03
Assistant Saucier in Banquet Kitchen
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa ~ Farmington, PA
- Thomas H. Richards,
'00
Cook
St. Barnabas
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Julie Ann Schmitt, '02
Lead Line Cook
Harvest Restaurant ~ Madison, WI
I have worked at the
Striped Bass
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then Everest in Chicago, Illinois, and I am
currently working at Harvest in Madison, Wisconsin as a lead line
cook where I develop menus and print recipes for the
restaurant. I work all the stations at the restaurant. The
best part about my job is the freedom to have a large input on
menu development and specials. At my current job, the
computer classes I took at IUP ACA have proven their worth.
Aside from the cooking classes, the computer and career
development classes I have valued the most and have helped
shape my career for the better. IUP is a great place for
serious students who need a good overview on the culinary
industry. Of course, the majority of what I learned was at my
various jobs in the past 3 years, but IUP built my confidence
enough to accept such challenging positions at the restaurants
I chose to work. My advice to students is that you take
out of school what you choose to put into it. The talent is
there teaching, but it is the students' responsibility to make
the most of the knowledge in front of them. Ask questions and
challenge yourself and your teachers!
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Pastry Chefs and Baking
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Pastry Chef |
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Elizabeth J Breon, '05
Pastry Cook III
Ocean Reef Club ~ Key Largo, FL
I’ve been working at the Ocean Reef since mid October. It is
a nice change weather wise an excellent career opportunity.
Our busy season is November to May so I came and got moving!
The Chefs respect the IUP name and education, and make sure we
live up to it. I’m a pastry cook in the Bang Bakeshop so I
help prepare everything. We provide the restaurants with
items like Key Lime Pie and Ice cream, as well as, making the
deserts and breads for weddings, meeting, and Private house
parties. I love working here and the Chefs try to make sure
everyone loves it. They know your name and treat you with
respect. Its hard work, a short day is 8 hrs, but it is
rewarding, at least for me.
- Heather Gatesman, '97
Pastry Chef at
Deerpark
Biltmore Estate ~ Asheville, NC
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Ashley E. Martin,
'02
Pastry Chef
Classic’s Restaurant ~ Cleveland, OH
I am
currently the Pastry Chef for the only 5 Diamond restaurant in
Ohio. I was part of the original team to establish the 5
Diamond Ranking. I really enjoy my job and the title I
hold. I have learned so much at this job and learn
something new everyday. My education at IUP was the bst
thing I could have done for myself. One thing they
stress that I learned when I graduated was that, "It is not
the school you go to, but it is what you get out of it when
you are there." That is so true!
- Jennifer L. McCracken,
'02
Pastry Cook
Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa ~ Asheville, NC
I started
at the Grove Park Inn on August 29,
2002. My first role at the inn was an extern and my goal
was to rotate through as many of the different kitchens as I
could. The Pastry Shop was the last kitchen on my
rotation and I liked it so much that I stayed on full time
once my externship was finished. After some additional
training in the different areas of the Pastry Shop, I was
promoted to work in the "Restaurant Room". I have
recently been learning to make and decorate cakes for
birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. I also have a
beautiful son who was born on March 8, 2004.
- Heather
McNally-Gonzalez, '96
Pastry Chef at the
Stable Cafe
Biltmore Estate ~ Asheville, NC
*Featured Alum - visit Chef
McNally-Gonzalez's page*
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Christopher
T. Williams, ‘00
Pastry Cook
II
Biltmore Estate ~ Candler, NC
I am
currently working at the Deer Park Restaurant on the Biltmore
Estate. My position is a Pastry Cook II which is right below a
Demi-Chef. I am an Alumnus of IUP from the ’00 class. I did my
externship at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida. I
have been all over the Eastern United States. I was in FL for
my externship, then went back to NJ, where I am originally
from, and worked at Bally’s Hotel and Casino for 4 years. I
then moved to Concord, VA, and work at a local bakery. And now
I am at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC.
I have been
married and divorced within my four-year stay at Bally’s.
IUP has
given me such a great learning experience, and it has also
offered me a great network of people to go to whenever I need
something, whether it be a job or just to ask a question or
find a recipe. I have noticed one thing about our students
that no other school has, and that is when we graduate and do
our externships, we already have the knowledge of how a
kitchen works and runs and we are able to step right in and do
the job like we have already been working there for a
while. The experience and dedication for our jobs are so much
better then students from other schools.
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Manager/Head Baker |
- Michele Tarquinio, '01
Manager/Head Baker
Cakewalk Paia Bakery ~
Haiku, HI
I
have been in Maui, Hawaii for 2 years and 3 months working at
3 different places but, the one that I have stuck with is the
Cakewalk Paia Bakery. In Hawaii, the cost of living is very
high and so, for the first year and 10 months I worked 2 jobs.
Both of those places were restaurants where I was the sole
dessert maker and bread baker. However, in the end, the bakery
has my heart. With my solid work ethic and culinary skills
that I acquired from the academy, I have been able to become
the manager and head baker of the Cakewalk. Because of that
promotion in June, I was able to quit my second job. WOO HOO!
The bakery is
fairly small but very personal which I love. Many of my
customers know me by name, as I them. In the bakery myself and
my four other employers make small batches of many different
products making quality, not quantity very high and
consistent. Wedding and other cakes are also a large part of
our business. The owner, Heidi Cramer, spends most of her time
doing the “business paperwork” part now that I can manage the
bakery and because of that, our business has grown
tremendously. We now offer mail order of our products and
people from the mainland are contacting us for our wedding
cakes. I say “our business” because the bond I have with Heidi
and how well we work together makes it feel like it’s mine
too.
My
responsibilities include opening the shop and completing 90%
of all the baking, all ordering and inventory, maintaining my
employees and product consistency and of course dealing with
customer issues, good or bad. Having an open kitchen is really
fantastic; again it creates that one-on-one level with
customers.
I could talk
your ears off all day about the bakery but I know how busy you
all are, so in closing, I would like to offer all of you the
best piece of knowledge and advice I can: Being
“successful” in the culinary industry is not about who you
work for or with or where you work. It’s about being able to
feel your passion at work everyday. Fact is, we all have to
work for the rest of our lives but as soon as it becomes
“work” and that passion dissolves, you are no longer
successful. Do not stay somewhere that your heart is not into.
I promise you, you’ll make the worst food of your life. It may
take some time but you’ll find your niche. Be patient, humble,
and open minded.
I wish you all
the best and hope you will be as happy as I am where ever you
choose to work.
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Baking |
-
Tiffanie S.
Dietzel (Grum), '96
Cake
Decorator/Customer Support Analyst
Lisa Becker’s Bake Shoppe/Siemens Health Services ~ Altoona,
PA
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Management and Front-of-the-House |
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Jeremy Bergman, '98
Operation Excellence
Consultant
Cold Stone Creamery ~ Scottsdale, AZ
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Bess R.
Cramer, '00
Co-Manager
Kroger, Co. ~ Dublin, OH
I am a co-manager for a grocery store. I
like my position because I like to work with people and get to
manage a bakery department. My education from IUP has helped
me to have the knowledge to be competitive in the business. I
also have started my own cake decorating business,
specializing in wedding cakes and birthday cakes.
- John Doerfler III, '00
Territory Manager for Baltimore
FPC Foodservice ~ Baltimore, MD
My role
with FPC Foodservice is to manage, maintain, and act as a food
consultant for my accounts in the Baltimore area. FPC
Foodservice is a full-line food distribution company servicing
but not limited to independent restaurants, chain restaurants,
hospitals, nursing homes, schools, colleges, and anyplace else
that requires a foodservice department. This job is great for
me in that I have weekends and holidays off, am self-motivated
with an extremely flexible schedule, and have huge growth
potential within the company. This position would definitely
be more stressful and less appealing had it not been for my
education in various outlets of the foodservice industry
through IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. IUP taught me to
understand not only food, food preparation, and food cost, but
it taught me how to apply these lessons to various industry
standards. Five years ago I never thought I would be dealing
with nursing homes and institutional cooking, but it's a good
thing I learned about them or I wouldn't know how work with
them today. My advice to the upcoming class would be simply:
Don't limit your options. Learn as much as you can about every
outlet, because being a 5-star chef may not be as appealing as
it seems!!
- Craig Davis Keith, '03
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager
Hyatt Key West ~ Key West, FL
Upon
leaving the Academy I embarked on what I expected would be an
adventure. My adventure began in Key West where I started my
externship at the Hyatt as a line cook; first Pantry, then
Broiler and finally learning Sautee all in 450 hrs. Then came
time to decide whether to move on, or to stay at the Hyatt;
realizing that they had taken the time to train me I decided
to stay, keeping in mind that I wanted to move to FOH. I was
offered the position of Supervisor which I accepted for
approximately two months, then I was offered the position of
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager which I declined several
times. After a lot of people assuring me I could do the job,
here I am. Everyday is a new challenge; I oversee a 72 seat-3
meal Restaurant, Pool Bar, Room Service, Private Butler and
Banquets. I do scheduling, payroll, interviewing, and I am
also in charge of employee morale. I could have never made it
to where I am today had it not been for the Chef Instructors
and Dr Wygonik at the Academy. They assured me everyday that I
could do it and I did. The position I am in now was a goal of
mine to attain in 5 years, but I have achieved it in 2 years.
My advice to future and present students is when your
instructors tell you something, no matter how small or
unimportant you think it is, it soak it up because you will
use it eventually. The instructors are a fountain of knowledge
and by not listening you will get dehydrated. In closing, I
may not be at the Hyatt Key West forever but hopefully no
matter where my new adventure takes me, I can continue with
the Hyatt Corp and never forget my experience and the people
at the IUP Academy that shaped my Life!
-
Jason
A. Manwiller, '97
Assistant Director
Ursinus College Dining Services, Sodexho
Collegeville, PA
After
leaving IUP, I moved to Hilton Head Is., SC work for the Hyatt
Regency. It was here that I realized how much I had truly
learned in my brief time in Punxy! The high volume, intensity
and quality of the kitchens at the hotel became my personal
proving ground. I was exposed to many of the same experiences
that we had heard so much about from the chef’s at the
Academy.
After the Hyatt I worked at a number of restaurants,
each time building on the educations begun at school and
adding the experience of real world application of my skills.
I eventually moved into an Executive Chef role at a small fine
dining restaurant and quickly developed a reputation for
providing not only the best food possible, but the best
service as well. I also began to see the importance of
developing not only myself, but those around me. Not everyone
had the opportunity to go to a great school like IUP, but my
expectations were very high. I quickly realized that he only
way to continue to provide our guests with the best levels of
food and service was to become a teacher as well as a chef.
This skill has continued to be the most important, second only
to my knowledge of food, in developing myself and continuing
my professional career.
My education is IUP opened many doors for me. I even
owned my own restaurant for about one year! Unfortunately,
due to a number of uncontrollable events, this was a short
lived experience. It did help me to continue my real world
education and since then I have moved into a more corporate
setting. I now work for Sodexho, an international company
that specializes in food service management. I am currently
at Ursinus College as the Assistant Director of Dining
Services. Even though my current duties generally keep me out
of the kitchen, the experience I have in back of house
operations helps me daily. My knowledge of the day to day
operations of service, culinary and even utility departments
help me to be a better manager.
I can honestly say that the education I received at
IUP’s Academy of Culinary Arts has significantly propelled my
career. It gave me an early advantage over other people and
has allowed me to grow personally and professionally much
faster than I would have been able to on my own. I would
recommend that anyone who truly loves food and would like to
begin or better their career in food services should attend
IUP’s Academy of Culinary Arts!
- Eric Moorhead, '92
Regional Manager
Vendomatic, Inc.
~ Homer City, PA
I work as
a Regional Manager for a bulk vending company. I travel
between PA, OH, WV, and NY working with corporate store owners
and managers on increasing sales at each location. I've been
with Vendomatic for the past 8 years and enjoy my job very
much. The business and management portion of my education I
received at IUP Culinary has greatly benefited me in my
position.
- Meshell Remaley,
'95
General Manager
Eat'n Park Hospitality Group ~ Pittsburgh, PA
When I was completing my
hours at the Grove Park Inn in Ashville, NC I was asked to
stay. I loved working in restaurants and knew that this is
what I wanted to do, but I wanted more. I chose to take the
Hospitality Management option and returned to IUP to receive
my bachelor degree. I was able to finish both my culinary
training and bachelor degree in four years. Originally I was
going to look for a position in a resort to incorporate my
high level of culinary training with the management degree I
had just received, but I was engaged and we wanted to stay
close to our families in the area. I accepted a position as a
Management trainee with Eat'n Park Hospitality Group. Within
five years I was promoted to General Manager. I am responsible
for all team members, financials, and the coaching of two
Assistants and one Manager in my restaurant. I am lucky to
work for a company that truly cares about its people, pays
great salaries and incentives, has a wonderful benefit
packages and gives the continued opportunity to grow in the
company. My training at IUP helped me to understand all
aspects of the operation, which lead to my fast promotions and
continued success. To current and futures students I would say
if you are looking for a well-rounded education with chefs and
instructors that are going to do whatever they can to help you
achieve your goals, IUP is it. There is no better training out
there.
- Erin Sargent,
'98
General Manager of
Foodservice
Metz & Associates at Harborcreek Youth Services ~ Erie, PA
In
October 2002 I was hired to join Metz & Associates as an
Assistant Manager. In June of 2004 I was promoted to General
Manager of Foodservice. Our company is contracted out, dealing
primarily with elementary schools. I work at a home for
juvenile delinquents. Everyday we serve 150 students
breakfast, lunch and dinner. This happens 7 days a week, 365
days a year. IUP taught me to manage my time well. I was able
to show a lot of my employees proper ways to complete tasks in
the kitchen, including proper knife techniques and converting
recipes. I really like the company I work for. They truly
enjoy what they do, which helps us all to enjoy it a little
more.
-
Jill N.
Tiffany, ‘98
Catering
Manager
Sodexho Campus Services - University of Pittsburgh at
Johnstown ~ Johnstown, PA
I am a 1998 IUP Culinary graduate. I decided to go to Ocean
City, MD, to do my externship at the Princess Royale Hotel and
Convention Center. I worked there for seven months and
completed my externship. When my externship was almost
complete I decided that I wanted to go to the management end
of the business. I was applying for different positions in
Ocean City. I was offered a position as restaurant manager of
the Angler restaurant. I accepted the position and now am
responsible for the hiring, scheduling, cash reports and much
more. After about 16 months of that, I was ready to move back
home. There was a position that opened at the University of
Pittsburgh at Johnstown. I was hired as the Resident Dining
Manager. The foodservice there is contracted to Sodexho. This
was a great move for me. There was a lot of variety. We had
retail, catering and board operations. After working there for
four years, I was offered a General Manager position with Metz
& Associates. I worked as the General Manager for Richland
School District. I was a 1500 enrollment account. I decided
after a year that this was not the job for me. It was a great
learning experience, but catering is where I belong. I went
back to Sodexho as their Catering Manager. I am doing what I
love to do.
The education that I received at IUP is something that I
wouldn’t change for the world.
The instructors strive on key
information that you use everyday in the industry. Everything
that I have learned I use in my career today. I am very
thankful for the wonderful education that I received at IUP. I
know that IUP has a lot to offer to incoming students.
-
Matthew J.
Tisler, '96
Contracts
Representative
Science Applications International Corporation ~ Charles Town,
WV
After
attending IUP I quickly rose up the culinary food chain. At my
intern site, I was asked to stay on and did so for eight
months before be promoted to PM Sous Chef. Living in
Washington DC was very helpful as I had my choice of fine
dining and private clubs to choose from for my next job
location. I chose to become a Garde Manger Chef for a private
club that catered to the who’s who of the nation’s politics. I
got to rub elbows with some of the top administrators of
President Clinton’s cabinet. And with this boost to my
abilities, I moved to Green Bay, WI, to be the Garde Manger
chef for a private golf and riding club that hosted all the
Packers Front office as well as a majority of the players.
After working and ice carving, a skill I acquired at IUP, for
quite a few NFL Charity Golf Tournaments, I moved back to the
Washington area and went back to the hot side of the kitchen
as a Sous Chef for a large hotel. Unfortunately 9/11 put the
brakes on the food service industry in the Washington area –
as we rely heavily on the tourists – so I looked into family
restaurants and business services. I chose business services
and was hired as the Executive Chef of Science Applications
International Corporation and worked for them for a year. The
contract between SAIC and the company I worked for ran out,
and I found myself unemployed. I ended up applying to and
being accepted for a position within SAIC as a contracts
representative. For SAIC I manage some multi-million dollar
contracts for Homeland and Physical Security. If it weren’t
for the management, organization skills and self confidence
that IUP instilled in me, I would never have thought that I
could be doing what I am doing today. I tell people that I do
the same thing I did as a chef, just now it’s IT people and
security cameras instead of carvery chefs and fillet mignons.
I miss the culinary arts tremendously and am currently looking
to revive my culinary career. I am hoping to open my own place
in Charles Town, WV, -- now a suburb of DC – or to go back to
work in the hotels. Without the knowledge and skills that I
learned at IUP, I know that I would never have been able to do
the things that I have done or go to the places I have gone.
-
Joseph E.
Toth
Assistant
Manager
Bob Evans ~ Oil City, PA
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Owner/Operator and Entrpreneurs |
-
Brice A.
Bader, '97
Executive
Chef/Owner
Vinces Tavern ~ Leeper, PA
When I
graduated from IUP, I was employed in seven different
establishments from ’97 to ’04, ranging from Eat-N-Park, which
I was the highest paid cook in all Eat-N-Parks, to four-star
restaurants like Rico’s in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. You
learn many things off of different chefs. Finally, I had
enough of the rat race and decided to buy my own restaurant.
After a year and a half, I was able, with the help of my
partner, to purchase Vinces Tavern – good pizza and subs with
up scaled dinner menus and even more up scaled weekly seafood
specials. Owning your own establishment leaves you nowhere to
go up, but gives you the fear of falling. The pressure in my
position is enormous, but I have never loved my job so much.
Good luck to you all.
- Thaddeus Durant, '98
Owner/Operator
Ethan's Café ~ Clearfield, PA
My wife
and I own a small café in our hometown of Clearfield, PA. We
have been operating it since July 2001. Prior to this, I
worked in many food related capacities all over the country,
but was never fully satisfied working for someone else. IUP
Culinary gave me a solid start in the food service business,
but it's only what you make it--you have to be willing to keep
striving and learning after graduation. Always try to keep an
open mind and don't fear change!
- Francis "Skeet" Myers,
'97
Guest Chef and
Post-Modern Mississippi Folk Artist & Musician
Self-Employed ~ McComb, Mississippi
I think in my case, the art chose the artist. Currently, I
have an exhibit in Jackson, Mississippi at the Municipal Art
Gallery, and performing weekly in various clubs in the south.
I have also been asked to guest chef at a new ethnic cafe
(Cafe' Karma) in town on some future Saturdays, as part of my
next art exhibit. My IUP culinary training is widely known in
this area, and since many of the concepts apply to all of the
arts, a vital part of my success is attributed to my attending
the Academy. I really hope that what I do would make Chef
Wutsch, Chef DeMane, and Chef Brown, Chef Fitting, and Chef
Klinger proud, they are great instructors and great people! My
advice to current or future students would be "...take it
seriously, and it will take you seriously, as far as you want
to go..." After helping yet another restaurant re-invent
itself, (after folding my catering co.), I've continued
recording original music, producing original paintings and
sculpture, exhibiting and selling the work, and performing
live shows in the area. Things are picking up, and some
recordings I've been involved with are in rotation near
various colleges in the US and Europe. I hope to be able to
branch out from the south to other parts of the country and
then go global; that's what the website is for. It's a
marathon, not a sprint.
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Education |
-
Michael Barczak, '97
Culinary Arts
Instructor
Butler County Area Vocation Technical School ~ Butler, PA
-
Brett
Smalley, ‘99
Culinary
Arts Instructor
Williamson Junior-Senior High School
~ Tioga, PA
- Gregory Zaffuto, '01
Culinary Arts Instructor
Clearfield County Career and Technical Center ~ Clearfield, PA
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Sales |
- Charlie Chen, Jr, '00
Territory Manager
U.S. Foodservice ~ Greensburg, PA
-
Jean-Claude
Zarzar Safie
Licenciado
en Comercio Exterior ~ San Salvador
Hello...I am
very happy here in San Salvador, El Salvador my home
town...and I am also very proud of coming from the US from
having been and worked with people so wonderful as yourselves.
Thank you for everything. You are the best. I am writing today
to let you know that I entered a food tournament competing
with the top hotels, restaurants and pastry shops in the
country. There were different categories and I entered in
desserts. In this category I won first prize in taste and
third prize in presentation. My recipe was an original - Basil
Mousse with Dried Tomato Sauce and Creme Anglaise. I received
two trophies, two medals, two diplomas, and $ 6oo USD.
Thanks again
for everything, you have been of great value to me, and I
always remember you.
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