Dec. 22, 2005 

NYIT Culinary Arts Students Win $5,000 in Scholarships

Old Westbury, N.Y., Dec. 21, 2005: Future chefs wined and dined judges as they vied for $5,000 in scholarship prizes awarded by Peconic Bay Winery in Cutchogue, N.Y. The contestants - all students at New York Institute of Technology - were charged with applying techniques learned in class and the kitchen and incorporating Peconic Bay wines into their original recipes.

NYIT’s chef instructors then selected four finalists to compete head-to-head in a cook off-style contest and present their dishes to a panel of judges comprised of some of Long Island’s top chefs.

The winner was announced at Peconic Bay Winery’s fourth annual Thanksgiving Barrel Tasting event, and awards were presented by Honorary Chef Chairman Waldy Molouf, Beacon Restaurant, New York, N.Y.

Top prize was earned by a first-year culinary student Nicole Diaz of Deer Park, N.Y., who impressed the judges with her poached apple en croute with Peconic Bay Riesling reduction. She received a $2,500 scholarship. “Winning this scholarship is a great honor,” said Diaz. “It has given me greater confidence to achieve my culinary dreams. I want to thank the owners of Peconic Bay Winery for their generosity and my NYIT instructors for their continued support.”

Second-year students Joseph Chicarelli of Islip, N.Y., Michael Aiello of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Kevin Pispisa of North Babylon, N.Y., also demonstrated their talents in the kitchen, wowing the judges with their creations.

“A great deal of thought and energy went into each student’s dish,” said Paul Hornik, manager of NYIT’s Culinary Arts Epicurean Room Restaurant. “This competition drives home the importance of understanding how food and wine should be used together in a complementary way.”

Finalists were judged on the taste, appearance, composition and workmanship of each dish. Judges included Michael Meehan, culinary director, Peconic Bay Winery; Doug Gulija, chef and owner, Plaza Café, Southampton, N.Y.; and NYIT alumnus Christopher Hunter, chef and owner, In Season, Islip, N.Y.

“We judged each creation of the use of local and seasonal ingredients, wine friendly combinations, proper techniques and general creativity,” said Meehan. “And, of course, it all comes down to taste.”

“You have to admire any student who puts himself through the process of creating a dish and having it judged by top professionals,” continued Meehan. “The method of testing recipes and pressure of producing the dishes is educational and places students in a real-time situation.”

Runner-up Chicarelli won a $1,500 scholarship for his applewood smoked turkey cannelloni with an apple butter pecan Peconic Bay Riesling sauce. Aiello earned third place, and he took home a $1,000 scholarship award for his duck crepes with Peconic Bay Merlot raspberry demi glace.

This is the fourth year Peconic Bay Winery owners Ursula and Paul Lowerre have supported NYIT by guaranteeing scholarship prizes to the winners of the cook off.

Designed to provide students who are interested in becoming professional chefs with unique real-world culinary experiences, NYIT’s award-winning Culinary Arts Center provides extensive coursework in food preparation techniques, food safety, proper use of kitchen equipment and technological advances in food preparation. Managed by Executive Chef and NYIT Director of Culinary Arts Gunter Grossmann, NYIT’s Culinary Arts Center is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Institute.

About NYIT

NYIT is the college of choice for more than 14,000 students currently enrolled in more than 100 courses of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees from eight schools, including engineering, architecture, business, communication arts and medicine. A private, independent college, NYIT embraces an educational philosophy of career-oriented, professional education for all qualified students, and supports applications-oriented research to benefit the greater global community. Students attend classes at NYIT’s Manhattan and Long Island campuses, as well as online and in a number of programs throughout the world. To date, more than 66,000 alumni have earned degrees at NYIT. For additional information, visit www.nyit.edu.

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