ACCC Academy of Culinary Arts Awards Medals to New Chefs

MAYS LANDING—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 Friday, Dec. 18.
Twenty-eight graduates honed their skills in the Academy’s Culinary Arts program, and twenty-one completed the Baking and Pastry program. Six short-term specialization certificates in Baking and Pastry and Hot Food were awarded.
The awards ceremony was held in the college’s Walter Edge Theater on the Mays Landing campus, and 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.
Chef Thaddeus DuBois, who has worked as the executive pastry chef for the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, and the White House, was the guest speaker. A world-renown chocolatier, DuBois worked closely with former First Lady Laura Bush to prepare all confectionary creations for State dinners, Presidential lunches, Congressional functions and other White House special events.
Before serving the First Family and overseeing the production of pastries for 12 restaurants in the Borgata, DuBois received his culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and at the International School of Confectionary Arts at Gaithersburg, Md. DuBois also received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana.
William McDevitt of Clermont was named valedictorian and winner of the Nathan Schwartz Award, which is presented to the top student of each graduating class.
Honorees, their hometowns (by county) and their awards are:
ATLANTIC
Gilbert Allen III, Atlantic City—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Betsy J. Baker, Estell Manor—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Derrick Connor, Margate—Gold, Culinary Arts
Anna D’Agostino, Linwood—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Cynthia DiGiovanni Devlin, Egg Harbor Township—Baking and Pastry Specialization
Daniel Gong—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Caitlin Hickey, Egg Harbor Township—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Nihal Hosseini, Hammonton—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Molley Malvey, Somers Point—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
Dana Palermo, Mays Landing—Silver, Culinary Arts
Jeremy Petro, Egg Harbor City—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Matthew A. Rodin, Buena—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Sherry Shaw, Buena—Gold, Culinary Arts
Fred Stigale, Mays Landing—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Alberto Taboada, Galloway—Certificate, Culinary Arts
BURLINGTON
Gregory Bacher, Medford—Silver, Culinary Arts
Stephen Daly, Medford—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Danielle McIntyre, Willingboro—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Chelsea Parry, Marlton—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
John Rietzen III, Delran—Silver, Culinary Arts
Catherine Schwartz, Mt. Laurel—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Barrie Woodington, Cinnaminson—Gold, Culinary Arts
Shawn Zenszer, Mt. Laurel—Silver, Culinary Arts
CAMDEN
Hildegarde Cadet, Atco—Baking & Pastry Specialization
Barry Mostyn, Cherry Hill—Gold, Culinary Arts
Jason Nieves, Sicklerville—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Victoria Russo, Sicklerville—Silver, Baking & Pastry
Kevin Murray, Blackwood—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Kevin O’Neill, Collingswood—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Marianne Sutocky, Pine Hill—Bronze, Baking and Pastry
CAPE MAY
Cindy Cassidy, Ocean View—Silver, Culinary Arts
William McDevitt, Clermont—Gold, Culinary Arts
Jasmine Melo, Cape May—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Cody Menz, Cape May—Silver, Culinary Arts
Matthew Miller, Ocean City—Bronze, Culinary Arts
CUMBERLAND
Samantha Andreoli, Vineland—Gold, Baking and Pastry
Lora Carletto, Vineland—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Allyson Groff, Vineland—Bronze, Culinary Arts and Hot Food Specialization
GLOUCESTER
Alfio Casella, Mickelton—Certificate, Culinary Arts
Lindsay DiGiuseppe, Sewell—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Lindsey Guzejko, Clayton—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Thomas Hahn, Sewell—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Kathryn Ingenito, Newfield—Silver, Culinary Arts
Kathryn Sullivan, Deptford—Gold, Baking and Pastry
OCEAN
Carey Brandsdorfer, Brick—Gold, Culinary Arts and Hot Food Specialization
Mary Chesky, Little Egg Harbor—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Rita Janssen, Toms River—Baking and Pastry and Hot Food specializations
David Melusky, Manahawkin—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Toni Muccia, Toms River—Bronze, Culinary Arts
Constance O’Connell, Manahawkin—Gold, Baking and Pastry
Nina Rogers, Brick—Silver, Baking and Pastry
Christina Varela, Manahawkin—Silver, Baking and Pastry
The ACA opened in 1981 on ACCC’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 a morning, afternoon or evening session 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.