(EDITOR'S NOTE: The lecture was subsequently rescheduled to Sept. 10.)
Food Network host and James Beard Award nominee Chef Ben Vaughn will offer a free public lecture Sept. 4 at Pennsylvania College of Technology. Vaughn’s talk, part of the college’s William C. Butler Lecture Series, is titled “Sustaining Your Career in a Changing Industry: How to Find Your Food Voice.” While presented from the point of view of a culinary professional, sustainability in one’s craft is an appropriate message for students and professionals in any field, explained Chef Charles R. Niedermyer, instructor of baking and pastry arts/culinary arts. The lecture will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Klump Academic Center Auditorium.
Vaughn is an award-winning chef and popular TV personality best known as a host on the Food Network. He’s also the host of the World Food Championships and is a recurring judge on the hit FYI television series based on the event. Vaughn’s culinary career started in the best kitchens of south Florida and flourished as the chef/owner of several trendsetting and critically acclaimed restaurants in Memphis and Atlanta. He’s gained recognition from the James Beard Foundation and resides in Atlanta, where he serves as CEO and culinary director for Root to Tail, a Georgia-based restaurant group. Vaughn is writing the book series “Southern Routes,” which explores his transplanted Southern roots through an edible journey highlighting some of the best-kept food secrets of the South. The book is set for publication in 2015. A regular contributor to the Las Vegas Sun, Huffington Post, Bar and Restaurant Magazine, The Shift Drink, and The BRX, Vaughn is also a culinary adviser for National Food Day. The William C. Butler Lecture Series is a tribute to the man who served as Penn College’s dean of hospitality from 1994 until his death in December 2002. In addition to the evening presentation, Vaughn will spend the day with students in baking, pastry and culinary arts majors, visiting classes and providing a demonstration. To learn more about those majors, call 570-327-4505. For more about Penn College, which is celebrating its centennial throughout 2014, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.