Morrisville State chefs, students cook for charity

Morrisville State students joined some of the top chefs in Central New York in support of the American Red Cross during the 28th Great Chef's dinner held recently at the Skaneateles Country Club.



This year's dinner, which featured several of the best chefs from the finest restaurants in Central New York, served up seven courses, including appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, amuse-bouches, an array of succulent entrees and a grand dessert in the shape of a 1950s-era kitchen, with decorative touches made from flour, sugar, chocolate and other edible products.



Chefs dazzled guests by demonstrating techniques such as cooking on Himalayan salt blocks and creating exotic dishes including scallops in saffron foam, lamb lollipops and rabbit sugo.



The event was a continuation of the “Celebrating the Bounty and Pride of New York State” theme from the Great New York State Fair. As supporters of the farm-to-table concept, the chefs created a menu that celebrated the region by featuring local meats, cheeses and award-winning wines.



Kerry Beadle, executive chef at the Copper Turret, a college-run restaurant in Morrisville, was among the volunteer chefs from the Syracuse Chapter of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), who fed and entertained 132 guests who attended.



Beadle's culinary team of four students and eight Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation (MAC) chefs served up a duck entree with micro mustard greens. The mustard greens used in the dish were produced at the college. The dish was garnished with a mustard ice cream created by Barbara Quintana, the pastry chef at the Copper Turret.



“This was a great opportunity for the students to see the cooperation needed to make this many dishes,” said Beadle, assistant professor in the hospitality department at Morrisville State.



The Morrisville State team was comprised of:

Students:

Kimberly Cardenuto, of Buffalo, culinary arts management

Nathaniel Lovell, of Cazenovia, restaurant management

Daniel Della Vecchia, of Goshen, restaurant management

Floyd Johnson, of Brooklyn, entrepreneurship and small business management



MAC Chefs:

Adam Tobin, of Chittenango, Chef Seneca

Christian Martin, of Morrisville, Chef Manager Seneca

Joe Hardy, of Madison, Sous Chef Seneca

Dave Mizgala, of Rome, Sous Chef Mustang Alley

Dan Westervelt, of Hamilton, Chef Mustang Alley

Bill Gokey, of Syracuse, Chef Manager SUNY ESF

Owen Smith, of Morrisville, Sous Chef Copper Turret

Mike Malpezzi, of Oriskany Falls, Chef Copper Turret

Kerry Beadle, of Hamilton, executive chef at the Copper Turret, assistant professor and department chair of the hospitality department.



The local area of the American Red Cross raised more than $30,000 from the evening, which was created in 1986 as a culinary fundraising event to showcase the talents of chefs from the Syracuse Chapter of the ACF. The Red Cross provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.



Morrisville State offers Associate in Applied Science degrees in restaurant management, food service administration, travel and tourism management, and gaming and casino management. Additionally, a Bachelor in Business Administration is offered in resort and recreation service management. A new Associate in Applied Science degree in culinary arts management provides seamless transfer into the college's BBA degree.