Dec 2022

Community College Student Teams Compete in First-Ever CT State Culinary Challenge

Watch the Challenge

Read about the Challenge

Dan Nocera, coordinator, Center for New Media Productions (CNM) at Middlesex Community College (MxCC), was the video’s producer, videographer, and editor. Video crew members included Matthew Kraines, videographer, editor, and CNM productions staff member; and MxCC students Julie Orenstein, videographer; Greg Tanner, photographer; and Joey Guglietti, photographer.

For the first time ever, four teams of culinary arts and hospitality students from Gateway, Manchester, Naugatuck Valley and Norwalk Community Colleges competed in CT State’s Culinary Challenge on Oct. 28 at Gateway Community College, with a tasting that was open to the community.

It was a fantastic event that showcased CT State’s talented culinary faculty and students, working in tandem to create something amazing. Watch the video to find out which programs won the competition!

Chef Plum, co- host of CT Public’s “Seasoned” and host and executive producer of “Restaurant Road Trip” on PBS, was event emcee for the friendly challenge. Each team also had assistance from culinary program faculty chefs from their colleges— Chris Gentile and Andrew V. Randi from Gateway, Ricardo Aragon and Katherine Kern from Manchester, Karen Rotella from Naugatuck Valley, and Justin Davis from Norwalk.

The panel of judges included Plum, Michone Danae Arrington and Donte Jones both of The Art of Yum, Ben Dubow of Forge City Works, Marc Hussey of Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS), New Haven chef and restaurateur Emily Mingrone, Dan Monroe of Plum Luv Foods, Mike Staib of Ergo Chef Knives, and CT State President John Maduko, M.D. Asnuntuck Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center also provided engraved paperweights for the participating students.