Penn College News

Penn College Announces Winners of Annual Food Show

Monday, January 23, 2012

Alisha M. Howell, of Waymart, received the Chef Eugene Mattucci Best of Show Award in Pennsylvania College of Technology's annual Food Show for a theater made from chocolate. The theater was auctioned with other chocolate houses to raise money for Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity.Photo galleryPennsylvania College of Technology announced the winners for its annual Food Show, held in December as a showcase for final projects in advanced culinary arts and baking and pastry arts courses at the college.



Taking the Chef Eugene Mattucci Best of Show Award was a chocolate house made by Alisha M. Howell, a baking and pastry arts student from Waymart. Her creation depicted an old-time theater decked out for the holidays. Mattucci was chef/owner of Mattucci's Italian Restaurant in Mount Carmel and was a longtime Penn College advisory committee member and Food Show judge.

The 17 chocolate houses featured in the Food Show, made by students in a Principles of Chocolate Works course, were sold in silent auction to raise funds for Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity.

Other classes showing off final projects included Advanced Garde Manger, Classical and Specialty Dessert Presentation, Cakes and Decorations, Classical Cuisines of the World, and Artistic Buffet Decoration.

Projects were judged by Penn College alumni Mara Rakowski, of Aramark at Susquehanna Health; Chuck Persun, restaurant manager and chef at Wegmans; and Callie L. Chalmers, baking manager for Weis Markets in Montoursville and part-time instructor of baking and pastry arts at Penn College. Also serving as judge was Layne E. Eggers, assistant dean of the School of Hospitality.

Winners are:

Advanced Garde Manger: First place, Chenoa M. Lindsay, of Williamsport, and Megan Endres, of Wyoming; second place, Manuel S. Baez Jr., of Williamsport, and Candice E. Fowler, of Williamsport; third place, Kristina M. Wisneski, of Whitehall, and Brandon R. Greiss, of New Tripoli.

Artistic Buffet Decoration: Tallow: First place, Adam J. Hall, of Troy; second place, Angela J. Snyder, of Lock Haven; third place, Lizabeth A. Mertz, of Milton. Ice sculpture: First place, Angela J. Snyder, of Lock Haven, and Lizabeth A. Mertz, of Milton; second place, Candice E. Fowler, of Williamsport, and Darnell R. Bungy, of Williamsport; third place, Lewis D. Robinson, of Bellefonte, and Antonia Castaneda Bernal, of Williamsport.

Cakes and Decorations: First place, Jennifer L. Leitzell, of Huntingdon; second place, Kimberly A. Robinson, of Montgomery; third place, Shelby M. Taylor, of Hemlock, N.Y.

Classical and Specialty Dessert Presentation: First place, Samantha R. Gstalder, of Montoursville; second place, Megan R. Larkin, of Ridley Park; third place, Alisha M. Howell, of Waymart.

Classical Cuisines of the World: First place, Cassandra R. Brochu, of South Williamsport; second place, Travis J. Bires, of Philipsburg; third place, Laura A. Rozzi, of Reading.

Principles of Chocolate Works: First place, Alisha M. Howell, of Waymart; second place, Megan R. Larkin, of Ridley Park; third place, Rebecca R. Rudy, of Lancaster; honorable mention, Sabrina R. Strassner, of Milton.

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