All chefs need to start somewhere. At Erie 1 BOCES, students begin their path to culinary success as juniors in high school. On Monday, October 17, high school juniors and seniors from various school districts participated in Erie 1 BOCES' first annual Culinary Day. This event brought together students from three separate career centers located in Cheektowaga, Tonawanda and West Seneca.
Four unique demonstrations by local experts were the highlight of the morning. Visual demonstrations included a pig carving by Chef Wieszala of Carmelo’s Restaurant; ice sculpture by Chef Clemer of Ice is Nice; chocolate pastries by Chef Donaghy of The Criollo Group and cake decoration by Chef Rosen of Zillycakes.
The students recognized Chef Brian Donaghy from a number of Food Network appearances including "Surprise Wedding Engagement," a competition that he won. In addition to owning his own business, Donaghy teaches culinary courses for Trocaire College and Niagara Community College.
Chef Zilly Rosen, author of "Zombie Cupcakes," has also competed on the Food Network. Next week, the station will air Rosen competing in a Halloween-themed version of "Food Network Challenge."
The demonstrations were followed by a presentation from Wegman's human resources department. In the afternoon, Erie 1 BOCES graduates who are now chefs at area restaurants, answered questions from students. Culinary employers and colleges were also available to discuss opportunities for students of the culinary arts.
About Erie 1 BOCES
As part of the public education model, Erie 1 BOCES offers more than 25 career and technical programs to high school students in Erie County. High school students interested in learning more about how they can participate in various programs such as culinary, computer networking, TV and sound production during their normal school day should visit http://www.e1b.org/cte or speak with their high school counselor.
