For true foodies, Pulaski Technical College's Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute wasn't a bad place to be the night of Sept. 15. The Chef Ball, the culmination of a long-running competition started by Pine Bluff Country Club general manager and executive chef Jamie McAfee, entailed a 10-course meal with something for brave and finicky palates. Tickets were $250 each.
The evening was highlighted by an awards presentation: Jason Knapp, executive chef for Sysco, Chef of the Year; Jimmy Carter, executive chef at Verizon Arena, Student Chef of the Year; Wendy Schay as Pastry Chef of the Year; and Jeremiah Mesker as Student Pasty Chef of the Year.
Mesker, who was said to have started baking at age 15, is not only a student and chef, but also an Ironman competitor. What was he cooking at 15? "A lot of boxed cakes and brownies," he said with a laugh.
The competition was open to American Culinary Federation members who are also students at the institute. The dinner gave the faculty and area chefs a chance to plate their best for partygoers. Participating chefs were Knapp; McAfee, his son Jay; Billy Ginocchio; Brian Kearns; Philippe Ducrot; Brian Fernbacher; DeMon Strickland; Suzanne Campbell; Jolie Mosley; Paul Frintrup; Jan Lewandowski; Cathy Kincaid; and Shane Henderson.
Institute instructor Kenneth Lipsmeyer worked with the chefs and researched wines to go with the 3 1/2-hour meal.
-- Story and photos by Cyd King
High Profile on 09/25/2016