Amy Binkley. Ryan Clark. Charlene Badman. Rich Hinojosa. and more...
Chef Todd Allison
of T. Cook's at the Royal Palms.
Chef Eugenia Theodosoupolos of Essence Bakery. Chef Marcos Seville at
the Montelucia.
These top Phoenix
chefs are among around two dozen professional chefs working directly with
senior and junior culinary students from high schools across the state this
fall to present the CCAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) Harvest Moon
dinner.
Set for Oct. 27 at
the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Goodyear, the dinner provides
an opportunity for chefs and students to showcase both savory and sweet
"substantial" cocktail bites.
They'll be assisted by mixologists from Arizona Cocktail Week, who will
provide crafted beverages to complement each dish.
"We believe in
CCAP," says CTCA's chef Frank Caputo. "We were a sponsor of this event last fall, and we felt
we could offer a great site for the dinner."
CTCA's campus
features an extensive terrace located almost next to a newly planted citrus
grove that's part of their 60-acre
organic Hope Springs farm supervised by McClendon Farms, well known in this
region for their commitment to organic farming.
Chef Caputo says,
"We (CTCA) want to play a part in our community to help create a healthy
community. Food doesn't cure
cancer, but it's part of a wellness path.
"Moreover,
part of our mission is to be a strong component within our community."
Offering students
an opportunity to gain understanding of the whole "farm to table"
concept while introducing CTCA and Hope Springs farm to professional chefs and
those attending the Harvest Moon Dinner falls perfectly within that intent.
*****
Here's a list, in no particular order, of
chefs and the teachers/classes with which they're working to present CCAP
Arizona's Harvest Moon Dinner on October 27:
Ø
Todd
Allison of T. Cook's at the Royal Palms will work with Chapparal High students
and teacher Ashley Holian.
Ø
Charlene
Badman, FnB, is working with teacher Lucy Lamont and her class at Thunderbird
High
Ø
Amy
Binkley of Binkley's restaurants will work with Glendale High and teacher Shawn
Morris
Ø
Jessica
Rose Boutwell from Ruze Cake House is working with Mesa High and Priscilla
Yazzie's students
Ø
Ryan
Clark of Agustin Kitchen in Tucson is working with Brian Clark's class at
Marana High, Marana
Ø
Tracy
Dempsey, Tracy Dempsey Originals, is working with Tempe High School and Lorna
Barker's culinary students
Ø
Robert
DeSantis, Elite Associates, will assist Esther Flannigan and her students at
Mountain Institute JTED in Prescott
Ø
Brian
Dragos, of Nestle, is assisting Greg Mahon and his students at Maricopa High
School
Ø
Matt
Fenton from Tarbell's will work with a cadre of CCAP alumni in Phoenix
Ø
Rita
French, at the helm of Aramark's Engrained café at Arizona State University, is
working with Angela Stutz and students at Perry High School, Phoenix
Ø
Rich
Hinojosa, with the Wigwam, is working with Chris Contreras and students at
Millenium High in Phoenix
Ø
JonPaul
Hutchins, along with other Le Cordon Bleu alumni, will work with Joel
Brookstein and current students at Le Cordon Bleu
Ø
Sean
Kavanaugh, Rojo Hospitality (University of Phoenix Stadium), is working with
Deb Snyder and her students at Independence High School in Phoenix
Ø
Dave
Pastor with Olive Garden is working with Patti Pastor and the culinary students
at Flagstaff High School
Ø
Butch
Raphael from AZ Pops is leading teacher Erin Sullivan's team from Central High,
Phoenix
Ø
Marcos
Seville of Montelucia Resort will work with Dean Wilberscheid at MetroTech,
Phoenix
Ø
Tim
Stutz from Dawn Foods is working with Stephanie Adams and her students at Casa
Grande High
Ø
Eugenie
Theodosupolos of Essence Bakery will work with Kandy Kordova's culinary
students at Carl Hayden High, Phoenix
Ø
Rebecca
Tillman of the Pointe Hilton at Squaw Peak is working with Patty Nadzieja and
culinary students at Paradise Valley High
Ø
Brett
Vibber from Cartwright's Sonoran Ranchhouse will lead Gary Murphy's culinary
team students at Washington High
Ø
Alan
Zeman, with Rational USA, is working with Sean Frederick of Mountain View High
near Tucson