GRCC Hosts Team USA Tryouts for 2013 World Pastry Cup – Photos

Over the weekend, Grand Rapids Community College’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education hosted the tryouts for the team that will represent the United States in the most prestigious pastry competition in the world – La Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (the World Pastry Cup) held in Lyon, France.  The public was invited to attend, and hundreds showed up to watch these amazing artists craft works in chocolate, sugar, and ice.  Even better, GRCC culinary arts students personally assisted the competitors (talk about hands-on learning)!

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After hours of intense deliberations from the jury (which included World Pastry Cup winner Ewald Notter and Food Network Challenge’s Kerry Vincent), the team selected was:

• Andy Chlebana
• Christophe Feyt
• Stephen Durfee
• Roy Pell (Alternate)

A larger gallery of photos from the event is available here.  More information at grcc.edu/pastrycup

GRCC Hosts World Pastry Cup Tryouts for Team USA Saturday 4/21/12

Once again, Grand Rapids Community College will be the site of the tryouts that will select the competitors to represent the United States in the 2013 La Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie (the World Pastry Cup) held in Lyon, France.  The competitors, some of the finest artisans in chocolate, pastry and ice will be evaluated by an all-star panel including Kerry Vincent of (Food Network Challenge), Ewald Notter (a former La Coupe du Monde winner), Randy Finch and Derek Maxfield (of the Food Network’s “The Ice Brigade”), and more!

The tryouts will take place in Grand Rapids Community College’s Applied Technology Center (ATC) located on 151 Fountain St NE, and are open to the public from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.   For more information, visit www.grcc.edu/pastrycup

Team USA Competitors:

• Roy Pell | Executive Pastry Chef The Phoenician, Phoenix, AZ
• Regis Courivaud | Executive Pastry Chef Restaurant Le Monde, New York, NY
• Bill Foltz | Executive Pastry Chef L’Auberge du Lac, Lake Charles, LA
• Thierry Aujard | Pastry Chef Desserts International, Exton, PA
• Andy Chlebana | Pastry Chef / Professor Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL
• Stephen Durfee | Pastry Chef Instructor, Culinary Institute of America, St. Helena, CA
• Christophe Feyt | Pastry Chef Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
• Naomi Gallego | Corporate Pastry Chef Amero Foods, Laurel, MD

Judges

• Ewald Notter | Notter School of Pastry Arts
• Kerry Vincent | Food Network Challenge
• Randy Finch | Ice Sculptures, Inc. / The Ice Brigade
• Derek Maxfield | Ice Sculptures, Inc. / The Ice Brigade
• Luba Petrash | GRCC Ice Carving Team Coach
• Robin Van Rooyen | GRCC Visual Arts Professor
• Nick Antonakis | GRCC Visual Arts Professor

GRCC Bakery Students Make Cakes for Ronald McDonald House Families – Photos

The students from CA 124 Retail Baking had the opportunity to make cakes for families that are currently staying at the Ronald McDonald House. These families have children that are patients of Mary-Free Bed and Spectrum Health Devos Children’s Hospital. The majority of the cakes were for babies receiving treatment for various illnesses. A few were made for the little ones that support their young siblings.

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The students enjoyed the opportunity and received more than they gave, being humbled by the stories that were shared.

Baking and Pastry Arts Students Working in Sugar – Photos

Check out this amazing work by Chef Marcia Rango’s bakery class.  All the works you see are done in sugar, if you can believe it:

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Art and Bevs First-Ever Bakery Tasting Event Today 3/15/12

GRCC’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education invites all to their first-ever bakery tasting, sponsored by the Retail Bakery Class on Thursday, March 15, 2012. The cost is only $3.00 for you and one guest. The menu will have a selection of 18 items, all of which are kid-trendy.

Coffee and tea will be served also. The tasting will be from 10:30-11:30 at Art and Bev’s Bistro (located in GRCC’s Applied Technology Center).  To view the menu, visit Art and Bev’s website or view it here (.pdf).  A Flyer is also available (.pdf).

Manufacturing, Mechanical and Architectural Design Combine with Culinary Arts for Gingerbread Housing Boom

The following video is a marvelous holiday story about how departments can work together to create a Gingerbread Village! The Manufacturing, and Mechanical and Architectural Design Departments worked together to create reusable patterns for gingerbread houses used in the Culinary Arts program. This is a wonderful example of an interdisciplinary project involving several departments.

Raider Salute to Chef Marcia Rango and SICE Student Katie O’Neil

This Salute came from Kate Byerwalter in the Behavioral Sciences department:

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Chef Marcia Rango and student Katie O’Neil helped my daughter decorate a cake for my daughter’s 11th birthday. Chef Rango and her student Katie did a fabulous job of teaching tips and helping my daughter (Emma Byerwalter) and her friend (Lauren Kunnen) create a “Lego” cake to celebrate their lego team making it to the State tournament this past weekend. Emma and Lauren will be sharing the cake tonight at the Jenison Public School Board meeting, where the lego teams are being recognized.

I was so impressed by Chef Rango’s patience and instruction, and Katie’s positive attitude and suggestions. A good time was had by all!

Thank you,
Kate Byerwalter