A publication for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Vol. 17 Issue 3March 2011
 

Headlines

Culinary Team gets ticket punched for Nationals

A-B Tech Hot Food Team Regional Champions

The Hot Food Team members placed first in regional competition in Atlanta. Representing A-B Tech are Danny Schwaije, team captain, Stephen Hertz, Sidney Ann Caton, Tracy Williams and Jonathon Zetterholm.

Continuing its tradition of excellence, the A-B Tech Hot Food Team won first place and a gold medal in the American Culinary Federation's Student Team Southeast Regional Competition Feb. 21 in Atlanta, giving the team a shot at its second national title.

Keith Schwock, a 2010 A-B Tech Culinary Technology graduate, was named Regional Student Chef of the Year at the competition. Schwock is currently training under Master Chef Kevin Walker at the Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta where A-B Tech graduate and 2010 National Student Chef of the Year Daniel Gorman is a line cook.

A team from the College won the National Student Culinary Competition in 2007, and returned again in 2009 to earn a silver medal. Since 1997, A-B Tech teams have won 13 state and six regional titles. Team members will advance to the ACF national competition July 22-26 in Dallas.

"This is a very dedicated, hard-working team. They had a short period of time to prepare for this competition," said team coach and Culinary Instructor Charles deVries. "They put in two practice sessions a week since September and the results show. We are very proud of their accomplishment and the level at which they performed. We look forward to the challenge ahead."

The team prepared a seared striped bass with fish consomme, mixed greens with a grilled radicchio roquefort pear tart, Poulet Saute a la Catalane, which all teams must prepare, and an Almond cake with pomegranate gelee and lemon sauce. Team members also had to prepare a cold food platter in addition to the hot food menu they made at state competition in November.

The four-course meal must be prepared in one and a half hours, then judges score teams on taste, presentation, timeliness, and accuracy. The team was also judged on their butchery skills. Gold medals are awarded for the number of points a team scores overall.

Danny Schwalje serves as team captain while each member prepares a course. Members are Jonathon Zetterholm (appetizer), Stephen Hertz (salad), Tracy Williams (entrée), and Sidney Ann Caton (dessert). Culinary Instructor/Chef Fred Snyder also serves as coach for the team.

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Institute for Climate Education established at A-B Tech

A-B Tech is adding its voice to the global dialogue on climate by establishing a new institute designed to educate citizens about climate-related issues.

A-B Tech President Hank Dunn said The Institute for Climate Education and Geophysical Engagement will offer credit and non-credit classes, workshops, seminars and other training for the general public about climate and climatology.

"This institute will complement the work already being done by agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and provide a way for A-B Tech to join the critical conversation that's occurring about climate change and its long-term effects on our country and our world," Dunn said.

"National resources are available for scientists and experts in climatology to share information and address climate change. For everyone else, there is a growing hunger and need for public information and discussion. That's why we're creating this institute."

Located in Asheville, NCDC is one of the world's premier centers for archiving, processing, and researching climate data. NCDC analyzes weather land records, radar records and incoming data from U.S. weather satellites to document and measure climate change, processes that are augmenting NCDC's role from an archive of weather records into one that can also project changes through interpretation of data trends.

"As the climate of our planet changes, individuals, businesses, and policy makers will need to use climate information to make critical adaptation and mitigation decisions for the future. Developing opportunities for people to learn about climate science and apply that knowledge will be key," said Dr. Scott Hausman, Acting Director of NCDC. "It is great to see A-B Tech leading the technical and community college sector by enabling its students to capitalize on the latest climate research and assessments through this new institute."

In addition to NCDC, the college will be working closely with the Centers for Environmental and Climatic Interaction (CECI), a community organization building an economic sector focused on climate-related science and services and assisting in the coordination of related community opportunities.

"National interest and the need for climate-related information, training and education services continue to grow, as does Asheville's reputation through NCDC and others as a center for related science and technology," CECI President George Briggs said. "A-B Tech represents a welcome and important workforce development niche in technical programs related to climate change adaptation."

Dunn said a unique aspect of the institute will be its efforts to engage the local arts community in educating the public about climate. "We want to use Asheville's arts culture, its artisans and artists to help create climate engagement through creative works of art that convey messages in a variety of visual or oral formats, including songwriting, painting, and fine arts," he said.

Pamela McCown has been named Coordinator for the institute and will assist in its development, create opportunities within A-B Tech's service area to expand the conversation about climate, climate products and climate services; and assist in the design, development, updating and implementation of non-credit courses and certifications related to climate education.

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Brumit Joins Board of Trustees

Joe Brumit

Joe Brumit, Owner/President and CEO of Brumit Restaurant Group, has been appointed to the A-B Tech Board of Trustees by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Trustees are appointed to four-year terms, which can be renewed.

Brumit has been a member of the A-B Tech Foundation Board of Directors since 2002 and served as chair in 2007. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, he volunteers and sits on the boards of numerous charitable, non-profit and civic organizations, including the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, Mission Hospitals, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Health Adventure.

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Celebrate Conscious Cuisine with a Culinary Exploration to Capture the Senses »

 

Tech Talk is published by the Community Relations and Marketing Department for employees, students, and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Community Relations and Marketing, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
Publication of the next issue is scheduled for April 1. Deadline for submissions is March 18.