ACA Awards Medals to New Chefs; Molecular Gastronomy Expert is Guest Speaker
May 16, 2011
The Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College awarded culinary medals and certificates to nearly 60 new chefs and baking and pastry professionals prepared with the latest culinary knowledge on Monday, May 16.
Twenty-eight graduates honed their skills in the Academy’s Culinary Arts program, and fourteen completed the Baking and Pastry program. Seventeen short-term specialization certificates in Baking and Pastry, Hot Food, Food Service Management and Catering were also awarded.
The awards ceremony, held in the college’s Walter Edge Theater, honored the graduates with gold, silver or bronze medals or certificates based on their grade point averages and criteria established by the American Culinary Federation. Specialization graduates received certificates of completion. A reception at Careme’s, the on-campus, student-run gourmet restaurant, followed the ceremony.
Reuben Gutierrez of Washington Township, Gloucester County, was named valedictorian and winner of the Nathan Schwartz Award, which is presented to the top student of each graduating class. Joshua Miller of Willingboro received the Culinary Student Association Award for his service as Student Government Association representative for the past two years.
Molecular gastronomy expert Dr. Lynn Hoffman of Philadelphia was the guest speaker. Hoffman joined Atlantic Cape and the ACA this semester as the Beacons by the Sea Visiting Professor.
Honorees, their hometowns (by county) and their awards are:
ATLANTIC
Yousef al-Khattab, Mays Landing—Certificate, Hot Food Specialization
Diego Amaya, Egg Harbor Township—Silver, Culinary Arts
Josiah Andrews, Absecon—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Louis Baez, Hammonton—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Belinda Chester, Egg Harbor City—Certificate, Baking and Pastry, Food Service Management and Catering specializations
David Dobbins, Mays Landing—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Shelby Ferguson, Northfield—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Ann Granata, Egg Harbor Township—Certificate, Hot Food Specialization
Darian Henderson, Newtonville—Certificate, Culinary Arts
William Hurst, Egg Harbor Township—Silver, Culinary Arts
Samantha Kingsdorf, Mays Landing—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Timothy Kirk, Mays Landing—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Isaac Landau, Linwood—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Kamall Mason, Egg Harbor Township—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Christina Nguyen, Egg Harbor Township—Gold, Culinary Arts
Jordan Rodriguez, Egg Harbor Township—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Nydia Rodriguez, Egg Harbor Township—Silver, Culinary Arts
Nicholas Salvatore, Hammonton—Silver, Culinary Arts
Edward Soehngen, Little Egg Harbor—Certificate, Hot Food Specialization
David Worden, Mays Landing—Certificate, Culinary Arts
BURLINGTON
Joshua Miller, Willingboro—Bronze, Culinary Arts
CAMDEN
Matthew Bergman, Cherry Hill—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Stephen Buzzone, Cherry Hill—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Kellien Delts, Sicklerville—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Joseph Ferraina, Laurel Springs—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Amanda Kearns, West Berlin—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Lee Ann McGovern, Berlin—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Rebecca Meeker, Marlton—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Marissa Mele, Marlton—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Melissa Traenkner, Collingswood—Gold, Baking and Pastry
CAPE MAY
Robert Boyd-Thomas, Cape May—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Keith Bromley, Del Haven—Certificate, Hot Food Specialization
Daniel Hamilton, Ocean View—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Maris Hilferty, Ocean City—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Suzanne Haug, Villas—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Tiffany Seaman, Bayville—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization and Hot Food Specialization
Stacy Snyder, Ocean City—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Alex St. John, Ocean City—Bronze, Culinary Arts
CUMBERLAND
Marc Campana, Vineland—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Karen Couture, Vineland—Certificate, Food Service Management Specialization
Hanais Montero, Vineland—Certificate, Hot Food Specialization
Timothy Sutherland, Millville—Bronze, Culinary Arts
GLOUCESTER
Brandi Accoglio, Williamstown—Certificate, Baking and Pastry Specialization
Daniel Bliss, Glassboro—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Savannah DeJesus, Malaga—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Reuben Gutierrez, Sicklerville—Gold, Baking and Pastry
Sarah Kuhn, Williamstown—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Mark Mancini, Glassboro—Gold, Culinary Arts
Jessica Van Mater, Sewell—Silver, Baking and Pastry
OCEAN
Barbara Edwards, Brick—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Andrea Ferrara, Brick—Certificate, Baking and Pastry
Luke Malkmus, Brick—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Steven Zaccaro, Lanoka Harbor—Silver, Culinary Arts
SALEM
Joseph Devaney, Carney’s Point—Bronze, Culinary Arts
UNION
Aliesha Howell, Rahway—Bronze, Culinary Arts
OUT-OF-STATE
Renee Asher, Orleans, MI—Silver, Baking and Pastry
The ACA opened in 1981 on Atlantic Cape’s Mays Landing Campus to meet the growing needs of the hospitality industry. Full-time classes meet five hours a day, Monday through Friday, in morning, afternoon or evening sessions from January through May and August through December. Part-time and evening classes are also available.
Academy graduates can be found in kitchens around the world in major hotel and restaurant chains, while others have gone on to open their own restaurants and catering businesses. For more information on the Academy of Culinary Arts, call 1-800-645‑CHEF, e-mail accadmit@atlantic.edu, or visit the ACA online at www.atlantic.edu/aca.