At a glance
Seven professional chefs from the Buffalo and Rochester areas recently adjudicated the 30th annual Culinary Arts Exposition at Alfred State College's School of Applied Technology, Wellsville.
Seven professional chefs from the Buffalo and Rochester areas recently adjudicated the 30th annual Culinary Arts Exposition at Alfred State College's School of Applied Technology, Wellsville.
Chefs participating this year included Mark Hayna, food product analyst for Food Distributors of America. He is also a marketing specialist and a trained bakery technician.
Jamie Wells, a graduate of ASC's culinary and baking programs, classes of '00 and '01and her husband Darren, a graduate of the pastry curriculum at Erie Community College. Jamie and Darren own the "Sweet Beginnings" bakery in Buffalo. Jamie participated in a recruitment video for the ASC Culinary Department and can be seen on the college's Web site (www.alfredstate.edu).
Mark Wright, CEC (certified executive chef), is a member of the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), and is an assistant professor and chair of the Culinary Arts Department at Erie County Community College. Wright was awarded Chef of the Year in 1989 and 2000 in the Buffalo area. He is a past president of the Buffalo Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and is currently vice president for the North East region of the ACF.
Mike Olday is a graduate of the ASC culinary program, class of 1987. He is a member of the ACF and is a certified executive chef. He is the executive chef at Brookfield Country Club, Clarence. He was voted the 2004 Chef of the Year in the Buffalo area.
Christian Hipszer, a member of the ACF Greater Buffalo Chapter, works for Delaware North as the executive chef at Ralph Wilson Stadium. He is a 1995 Culinary Institute of America graduate and was certified as chef de cuisine at NAPA Valley CIA, 2006.
Don Antinore is also a member of the ACF - Rochester Chapter. Antinore is retired after 40 years in the culinary field, most recently as executive chef for the City of Rochester school feeding system. He is certified as an executive chef, a culinary educator, a culinary administrator, and a member of the Academy of Chefs.
Categories in which the gastronomic goodies were judged included three- and five-course meals, margarine and tallow sculptures, ice carvings, and assorted desserts and pastries. Special awards went to entries selected as best food presentation, and judges' awards, peer recognition awards, and teachers' recognition awards.