NEWS & VIEWS

Newsletter for the American Culinary Federation, Greater Lehigh Valley Professional Chefs Association, Inc.
March 2016

Presidents Message
During this time of year, its easy to get into a rut. Looking for some
excitement that will get your creative juices going? Well, we have just the
thing to cure those winter blues. Our annual mystery basket competition is
coming up on March 7 at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute. As in previous
years, we will create teams by pairing students with professionals. You will
have
an hour to create your masterpiece or swan song LOL. Hope to see a large
turn out this year.
Allow me to send out a special thanks to the folks at Giorgio foods. They
really rolled out the red carpet on our January visit to the mushroom farm. It
was an eye opening experience seeing the whole process from horse
droppings and hay to the final product. I will never look at the humble
mushroom again as just common utilitarian fungus. Its really a freak of
nature that this happens in nature at all. Everything has to be just right for
this amazing fungus to give us those white pearls. My apologies to those who
could not attend because it had to be a daytime event. This was the only
way to see production; otherwise we would have just seen empty buildings.
If you would like to visit on your own, I can forward my contact information to
you. Although
it took almost a year and half of negotiations to get us in, believe me, it was
worth the wait.
The next event I am working on for our May meeting is our chapter Chef of
the Year dinner. Lehigh Career and Technical institute is proud to host this
event. We will honor an outstanding chef in the valley. The honoree will be
invited to come up with the menu for that dinner. We also welcome them to
bring their cooks to help with production as well as having LCTI culinary
students help with the event. I think this could be a wonderful partnership of
local chefs and students. Members will be asked to vote for the chef who
they feel needs to be honored.

Lastly, I am excited to announce our brand new website, thanks to Chef

OConnell, AKA webmaster! As we bring our chapter into the future, we ask
your understanding while we roll out a new newsletter and information hub
to get info and details of upcoming events of our chapter out quickly to you.
Thank you as always,
Chef Mark Luepnitz
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News & Views

March 2016

GLVPCA OFFICERS
President
Mark J. Luepnitz (luepnitzm@lcti.org)
Vice President
Daniel R. Goulet, CEPC, CEC (chefgoo@gmail.com)
Secretary
John O'Connell CC; MAT (Chefjoconnell@gmail.com)
Treasurer
Andrew R. Coulsey (chefcoulsey@yahoo.com)
Chairman of the Board
Shawn F. Doyle, CEC (C: 484-894-8830; shawndoyle@dejazzd.com)

ACF-GLVPCA Mission Statement

To promote and maintain membership with an unwavering passion for food, by providing
educational certification opportunities, fraternal networking, community service, and growth
through junior member programs, while maintaining fiscal solvency.

ACF Contact Information

American Culinary Federation
180 Center Place Way
St. Augustine, FL 32095
Main Switchboard
Toll Free
Fax Line
E-mail: acf@acfchefs.net

(904) 824-4468
(800) 624-9458
(904) 825-4758
Website: www.acfchefs.org

News & Views

Contact Information
To submit articles, letters to the editor, event information, etc., please forward to:

Sharon H. Macko, Newsletter Editor

E-mail: smacko@jwu.edu
Phone: (484) 554-1092

March 2016 __

News & Views

Page 3

From the Editors Desk

With Chapter Mystery Basket Competition Looming,

Is ACF Certification Next on Your List of Challenges?
With our yearly Mystery Basket competition just around the corner, I thought Id devote this months
editorial to the concept of ACF certification.
How do our competition and ACF certification relate, you ask?
Well, I read an article in the Nov-Dec 2015 issue of the National Culinary Review entitled Third
Times a Charm, by Derrick Connor, CCC. Chef Connor explains how he took the Certified Chef de
Cuisine exam three times before he finally passed, and what he did to better prepare for it after his
first failed attempt.
It got me to thinking about our own chapter. It has been quite a while since I have had the pleasure
of reporting any newly-acquired certifications from our membership. If I have missed anyone, I
apologize. Let me know who you are, and Ill get an announcement out in our next newsletter.
If, however, we havent had any new certifications to report, I wonder why not
Do you feel intimidated by the thought of having to perform under the scrutiny of accomplished
chefs? If so, heres what Chef Connor has to say about that: The evaluators are evaluating your
skills. Do not be discouraged if you are unsuccessful. Trust me, you gain something valuable.
Each time Chef Connor took the exam, he also took to heart the critique that the evaluators meted
out. And each time, his performance and his finished plating improved.
Every year our Mystery Basket competition includes approximately four to six teams comprised of
a mix of professional chefs and high school students from our host institution, Lehigh Career &
Technical Institute. For both students and chefs, our competition offers a fun, non-threatening
environment in which the competitors have the opportunity to hone their culinary skills.
There are no huge prizes for the winners, but also, no dire consequences for those who dont top the
charts. Theres just a lot of great camaraderie, an exchange of ideas and suggestions between

competitors, and an opportunity to add to your repertoire for your next competition. Its also great
practice for what you can look forward to, if you do decide to climb the ranks of ACF certification.
I know we have members who avoid our Mystery Basket competition because they feel they dont
have sufficient skills to compete. Please be assured that we take your skill level into consideration
and will pair less experienced competitors with a veteran team captain. We want this to be a
learning experience that will be fun as well.
Please join us on March 7 for a fun and educational evening; this just might be your first step on your
journey to ACF certification or even national competition!
Page 4

Sharon H. Macko, Ed.

News & Views

March 2016

Next Meeting: Monday, March 7, 2016

Time: 5PM (please note earlier start time!)
Location: Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, 4500 Education Park Dr, Schnecksville, PA
Program: Annual Mystery Basket Competition. Chefs, cooks, and students of all levels of experience
partner with a veteran chef/team captain to showcase their creativity in producing an entre and side
dishes within a limited time frame. Everyone gets to sample the finished products.
Directions: From Rt. 22, take Route 309 north for approximately 7 miles into Schnecksville. Turn left
onto Education Park Drive. LCTI will be on your left; look for loading ramp to enter kitchen.
NOTE: Please contact Chef Luepnitz at luepnitzm@lcti.org to confirm your participation, so an
accurate quantity of food product can be available for the number of participants anticipated.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Notes from a Friend

Our friend and colleague, Chef Mark Prostko, has recently forwarded this note:
Life has been quite a change for me. Relieved that I am no longer a restaurant owner anymore.
Many parts that I miss. Too many emotions to discuss. Proud that I did it. Anyway, now I work for
Restaurant Associates. I have a corporate chefs position. I am the chef at the Guardian Life building
in Bethlehem. Monday thru Friday, 5am-3pm. No nights, weekends or holidays. Big change in many
ways but a direction I felt I needed to make at this point in my life.
Mostly what I wanted to let you know was that Duncan (Howden) has been ill. I don't know the story.
He has had 2 surgeries I think over the last month or so. The restaurant (Duncans Blue Lantern in
Bath,PA) is closed while he recovers. Just something to share if you can.
So to our friend, Mark, we offer our congratulations and best wishes as his culinary career takes off
in a new direction, and to Duncan, we wish a speedy recovery so he can get back to doing what he
does so well!