.NCC’s Culinary Arts Program Preps Chefs for the Future
BY CARRIE HAVRANEK, WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MADDIE MARRIOTT
PHOTOS BY OLAF STARORYPINSKI
THE QUESTION THAT DRIVES THIS STORY comes from Chef Tyler Baxter, lead culinary faculty at Northampton Community College’s Culinary Arts program. (Except he didn’t ask it so cleanly—imagine, if you will, the culinary expletive of choice—the f bomb—thrown in there.) He’s uniquely qualified to ask it—and answer it—as is his colleague, Culinary Operations Chef Will Rufe. Like their chef counterparts all over the country, the pair have witnessed and weathered the indelible mark Covid imprinted on the hospitality world.
Our culture has done much to glamorize chefs (thanks, Food Network, the Internet, social media, etc., ). But the reality involves physically demanding labor for pay that’s not necessarily commensurate with talent or the long hours worked. The profession exacts an incredibly high toll. This reality is not new, and many chefs continue to do this work because they love it. However, when suddenly faced with forced unemployment, legions of chefs fled to other industries, had time to reflect, and/or and realized the grass felt a little greener elsewhere—even if it meant putting away their knife roll. The shift was on.
Once upon a time, NCC’s program boasted a competitive waiting list. But at the height of Covid, Rufe says, they started with six students and ended with three (some attrition is normal). This meant there weren’t enough students cycling through its thrice-yearly matriculation process to operate the onsite restaurant, Hampton Winds, on a regular basis. Instead, Baxter, Rufe, and their team pivoted, as good chefs are trained to do. They started to engage the community more, and began supper clubs—seasonal pop-up dinners.
“Our numbers stabilized, and then got to a really good point once things opened back up,” Rufe says. The culinary arts program dropped to twice-a-year enrollment, which helps them concentrate better on the fall and spring starts, he says. Like many restaurants after Covid, Hampton Winds has reopened on a limited but regular basis. Covid’s lessons provided an opportunity to examine what was and wasn’t working and “really double down on efforts to grow the program,” says Rufe.
“People were used to getting the cheesy-car-salesman treatment, but we engaged in some hard-core real recruiting,” he says. He and colleagues went directly to technical schools within the region, for example, to find those who really wanted to learn how to cook. And then encourage them to apply.
The effort paid off. This fall, enrollment reached its highest in the school’s 30+-year history, with 60 students, 16 of them for baking and pastry arts. They’ll become part of the lineage that we’ve featured here, in the form of 10 graduates who have shared their stories and memories of their time in the Culinary Arts program.
Somehow, through it all, people still want to work in kitchens and diners still want to enjoy some good food that someone else has thoughtfully prepared. The world swirls and changes around us, but restaurants aren’t going anywhere. Chefs, like farmers, will always be needed. That’s why the future of NCC and culinary schools is paramount; they literally feed the industry. If they don’t thrive, who will cook our food? (And more importantly, will it taste great and look beautiful on the plate?) Right now, these ten (and many more) are cooking our food, and they’re more than up to the task.
“Be humble and stay hungry.”
—Emily Fischer
EMILY FISCHER, ’13
Current job: Executive chef, Limeport Inn, Coopersburg
Life since NCC: Worked her way up at Limeport Inn, where she encountered Jason Hook, who encouraged her to apply. She’s also periodically taught non-credit culinary classes at NCC.
Lessons and memories: “My favorite memory—and biggest challenge—from the program was my class’s practical. It was an ode to Alinea restaurant’s “Elements of birch beer,” and our instructors told us it was one of the best! It was gratifying and I felt like I succeeded.” But Fischer loved the entire program. “It challenged me, and I was able to apply what I learned at work in tandem.”
Most important lesson: “Be humble and stay hungry, figuratively and literally,” she says. She also credits chefs Sue Roth and Scott Kalamar with their “ability to keep a pulse on everyone in the industry. They have a strong sense of connecting graduates and plugging them into establishments. It was an immense honor to study there. This is more than a program; it’s a living lifestyle.”
“Something as simple as making soup has taught me so much.”
—Justin Franklin
JUSTIN FRANKLIN, ’09
Current job: Sous chef, The Tewksbury Inn, Oldwick, NJ
Life since NCC: After graduation, Franklin held a variety of culinary jobs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, ranging from cooking for the LPGA tour to crafting classic Italian dishes at Osteria Morini, before landing at The Tewksbury Inn. He also works as a private chef.
Lessons and memories: In classes with his favorite instructors Sue Roth and Scott Kalamar, what stands out the most to Franklin is making dinners to sell to employees across campus. “We used the materials in the walk-in—it was kind of like being on ‘Chopped.’ I was able to be authentic and do my own thing without restrictions.” Basic techniques learned during his time at NCC are vital parts of Franklin’s daily cooking routine. “Something as simple as making soup has taught me so much.”
Culinary challenge: For Franklin, baking went from a thorn in his side to a creative outlet when he was thrust into the role at one of his jobs. “Being put in that uncomfortable situation brings the best out in you, not only in cooking but in life. After a while, I just enjoyed it. To this day, I’ll come home and make bread for my daughter or make some dinner rolls.”
“Good ingredients speak for themselves.”
—Cristian Gonzalez
CRISTIAN GONZALEZ, ’10
Current job: Executive chef, The Shelby, Allentown
Life since NCC: Gonzalez traveled a lot through Europe and South America after graduation, worked at Savory Grille, Emeril’s Italian Table (now closed), and has been working at The Shelby since it opened in 2017. Born in Chile, he is also a newly minted American citizen.
Lessons and memories: “Chef Scott and Chef Sue taught us so much. Good ingredients speak for themselves.” To that end, Gonzalez sources locally on a regular basis, including from Blackbird Farm (featured in this issue) and Wonder Garden (featured in last fall’s issue). “Treat people with respect. The clock is the boss. (He drove that into ALL of us.) Family meal is so important, too.”
Culinary challenge: Forcemeat, which is the mixture of meats, seasonings, and other ingredients that go into everything from pâté to terrine to ravioli and sausage. “It can be very challenging. But now I get to teach my guys how to do it.”
“Whenever I had an idea, I could just talk to them and they’d have tons of answers.”
—Matthew Hipp
MATTHEW HIPP, ’22
Current job: Chef at Chef Night Tonight, Stroudsburg
Life since NCC: After learning that straight-up restaurant life was not for him, Hipp joined the Chef Night Tonight team just a few months after graduation, working alongside Chef Sara Miller (another Northampton grad) to create private in-home dining experiences in the Poconos.
Lessons and memories: Hipp says the third semester’s exploration of world cuisines under the guidance of chefs Tyler Baxter and Will Rufe stands out. Their passion elevated his experience. “Whenever I had an idea, I could just talk to them and they’d have tons of answers,” Hipp says. For example, when there were sauces that Hipp wanted to make that weren’t part of the curriculum, he simply asked his instructors and, with their guidance, was able to practice. Asking questions opened doors that otherwise would have been shut, he says.
Culinary challenge: Hipp’s technical foe at the beginning of his career was the tourné knife, a curved tool used for peeling and hulling vegetables that’s a frequent nemesis of young chefs.
“Chef Scott was a legend; an overall exceptional human being.”
—Jason Hook
JASON HOOK, ’97
Current job: Chef/owner, h2o Kitchen
Life since NCC: Hook has worked as a chef in New York and Philadelphia but returned to his Berks County roots and has run his own business as a private chef/pop-up/events chef since 2012. He’s also a food photographer and restaurant consultant.
Lessons and memories: “Chef Scott was a legend; an overall exceptional human being. He always supported my endeavors during and after culinary school and was more than a mentor and teacher. Having chefs like him was a big part of my early DNA as a young cook. I hope he reads this, because I want him to know how much of a positive impact he had on SO many students.” Hook also appreciates the diverse curriculum, laying out the basics and foundation of culinary arts. “I’m grateful it was heavily grounded in August Escoffier’s philosophy and the ‘founding fathers.’ We read books and the Internet wasn’t accessible to the point of oversaturation.”
Culinary challenge: Pâté en Croute. “It takes a tremendous amount of skill and practice to make one in classic fashion without any shortcuts. So many hours of preparation, detailed steps and techniques involved come together at the end to simply slice a terrine.”
“Just because this job pays your bills doesn’t mean you have to forget who you are as a person.”
—Kim Kiewkajee
KIM KIEWKAJEE, ’21
Current job: Executive chef at Thai Thani, Stroudsburg
Life since NCC: Kiewkajee’s time in the restaurant world began in her childhood, long before enrolling at Northampton. She worked at her parents’ restaurants, Thai Thani in Stroudsburg and Thai Thai II in Bethlehem, since age 16—her brother, Visanu, now runs Thai Thai II. She stepped into her current role after attending NCC to learn the craft as her parents prepared to pass the restaurant on to the next generation.
Lessons and memories: Bonding with classmates and instructors was the highlight of Kiewkajee’s experience. “It was a perfect fit. Being in the program with those people just felt like a welcome and safe environment.” The culinary program also taught Kiewkajee how to keep herself from getting lost in her work. “Just because this job pays your bills doesn’t mean you have to forget who you are as a person.” She encourages people to find a work environment that aligns with their values.
Culinary challenge: Learning to use the wok was a test of Kiewkajee’s patience. “It was a technique I had to constantly watch and practice,” she says. “Like making pad thai: If you didn’t flip the noodles fast enough or put in the sauce, you could burn the whole dish.”
“I was in charge of the sauté station. I was running late, so I was hauling ass and I got a speeding ticket, which made me even later.” The lesson? “The clock is still your boss, and haste makes waste.”
—Alan Pitotti
ALAN PITOTTI, ’95
Current job: Chef/owner, Dolce Patisserie, Hellertown
Life since NCC: Pitotti furthered his education at CIA (Culinary Institute of America) because he realized he enjoyed baking and pastry arts, and graduated in September 1998. He worked at the Hotel Hershey and then took a job at now-shuttered LeBec Fin with chef-owner Georges Perrier. Moved to Florida and worked for pastry chef Norman Love on a project for Godiva before coming back to the Lehigh Valley to open his own business “and questioning my sanity every day.”
Lessons and memories: Mise en place is everything, and the clock is your boss. Toward graduation, students cooked a dinner for about 80 people, including family and friends. “I was in charge of the sauté station. I was running late, so I was hauling ass and I got a speeding ticket, which made me even later.” The lesson? “The clock is still your boss, and haste makes waste.”
Culinary challenge: “It sounds silly, but the biggest challenge was learning the metric system. All of it is done in grams. We didn’t have digital scales—we had weights and measures, the big scoop with the counterbalance.” Nowadays, it’s easier thanks to digital scales and apps.
“Clean as you go. If you’re not staying organized, you’re going to have a rough time.”
—Ruby Scharr
RUBY SCHARR, ’19
Current job: Head baker/cake decorator, Sunnie’s Bake Shop, Stewartsville, NJ
Life since NCC: Scharr returned to work behind the scenes crafting detailed desserts at Sunnie’s, where she was initially hired as a member of the front-of-house staff.
Lessons and memories: Scharr made some of her best memories in classes like meat fabrication that brought her outside of her comfort zone, but still helped her learn the attention to detail required for a career in baking. “Every day you got to make something new,” she says. “Chef Sue broke everything down on the white board. She had such detailed lessons and I thrived.” Scharr also learned very quickly how her baking environment could make or break the experience. Baking is already fairly messy. “Clean as you go. If you’re not staying organized, you’re going to have a rough time.”
Culinary challenge: Making macarons, for so many reasons. “It took me ages to get right,” she says. “I’ve got it down now, but it took plenty of practice.”
“You have to be a certain kind of crazy—well, not crazy, but yeah, a certain kind of crazy. It teaches you a lot of patience.”
—Alice Schneck
ALICE SCHNECK, ’09
Current job: Executive chef, Apollo Grill, Bethlehem
Life since NCC: Since graduation she’s worked all over the region, starting with Apollo in 2011, then at the Savory Grill with Shawn Doyle. (Fun fact: Chef-owner Doyle went through the program and received a hospitality degree before heading to the kitchen.) Apollo drew her back a couple more times, and this mainstay of the Valley continues to attract NCC grads; most of her current staff went through the culinary arts program.
Lessons and memories: “Chef Scott used to say, ‘You can always add more, you can’t take away.’ When I have younger chefs and they want to do specials, I tell them to taste it. ‘Take your time with it. You can’t take the salt back out. Once you oversalt or add too much vinegar or soy sauce, you’re making a triple batch, or you are starting over.’” Also, of course, time! “The clock is the boss. Time yourself, see how long it takes you to do something the first time. Then do it. Keep doing it and doing it, until you can do it faster and more efficiently.” She offers another piece of advice, which might sound paradoxical, but it’s relevant. “You have to be a certain kind of crazy—well, not crazy, but yeah, a certain kind of crazy. It teaches you a lot of patience.”
“It’s fun now to rewire the carnivore chef brain and do mushrooms and vegetables their justice while giving farmers their due appreciation.”
—Mark Yundt
MARK YUNDT, ’03
Current occupation: Chef/owner, Marquee Kitchen Catering, Lehigh Valley
Life since NCC: In the past two decades, Yundt has used his experience to take a culinary “tour around the Lehigh Valley,” including management roles at Taylor Taco Shop and More Than Q in the Easton Public Market. In 2021, Yundt and his wife, Ashley, started their current catering business, crafting custom menus for weddings and other private events.
Lessons and memories: Yundt has maintained such meaningful ties with his instructors that he recently catered the wedding of Sue Roth’s daughter. “Now, Chef Sue and I go back to the dinners at Hampton Winds [the student restaurant] to support what Chef Tyler is doing there now.” Yundt also internalized Scott Kalamar’s mantra of keeping his mind open to all the possibilities the industry might have to offer, which facilitated his transition from the restaurant world to private catering. “I wasn’t getting younger, and I decided it was time to do my own thing in the culinary scene,” Yundt says. “Here we are, three years later … ”
Culinary challenge: Learning to cook plant-based dishes. “Being classically trained, I spent formidable times butchering ungodly amounts of meat in hotels, steakhouses, and barbecue restaurants,” he says. “It’s fun now to rewire the carnivore chef brain and do mushrooms and vegetables their justice while giving farmers their due appreciation.”
