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Knapp, Capello to Battle at Diamond Chef Arkansas on June 4

May 28, 2013 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

It’s time again for one of the best culinary events of the year, Diamond Chef Arkansas, which will take place on Tuesday, June 4 at the Statehouse Convention Center. The event benefits the Pulaski Technical College Foundation. Tickets are $200 and can be purchased online.

The preliminaries to this event were held in February at the then-Peabody Hotel, with Chef Dan Capello of the Chenal Country Club winning the elimination-style competition. The final event next week will pit Capello against last year’s winner, Chef Jason Knapp of Aramark at the University of Central Arkansas in a live-action dinner throwdown.

While guests dine on an unrelated three-course dinner with wine, the chefs will be presented with a mystery ingredient that must be used in a three-course meal of their choosing. The mayhem that results is quite the stage show, especially for those of us who know just enough to talk a little bit of smack about what we would do. (Last year, I totally called the sabayon sauces and a couple other things they made from the ostrich egg mystery ingredient. Not that I could do theirs justice.)

If you’re also a sucker for silent auctions like me, there will be plenty. Items range from glassware and kitchen gadgets to fine dining and wine pairing experiences. The fairly-infamous live auction also brings in the heavies, bidding on elaborate in-home dinners and even food-related travel. Someday, when I’m rich and famous, I’ll bid on the trip to The French Laundry that sometimes comes up.

Should you go? Um, yes. If $200 is too rich for your blood (and you’re not a culinary student who can schlep in for free), ask your employer to sponsor a table, or get all friendly-like with one who already has.

And now, my confession…I’ve live-blogged this event for years, and this time I will be on family vacation. It just turned out that way. I expect the good PR folks at Pulaski Tech will tweet and such, so give them a follow if you can’t get yourself to this outstanding event.

Pulaski Tech Prepares for New $15M Culinary Facility

August 23, 2011 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

Chef Todd Gold, Director of Programs at Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School, answers questions after Monday's student orientation.

As part of the school’s stated vision to “make Arkansas a culinary destination,” Pulaski Technical College Arkansas Culinary School Director of Programs Todd Gold announced plans on Monday for a new, $12.5 – 15 million facility for the program, estimated to be completed in about two years.

The announcement was made at an orientation for students of the culinary program, which included an introduction to the program’s staff and a review of uniform and other policies. (Students: Watch for a separate post detailing the orientation.)

The program is currently at full capacity, with 350 students currently attending hands-on classes and about 150 taking general education classes, waiting for the culinary classes to become available. Culinary classes are currently taught at Pulaski Tech’s north and south campuses, although headquartered at the latter.

Gold said the new facility will include teaching kitchens specifically designed for stocks, soups and sauces; baking; and meat and seafood (butchery). The meat and seafood kitchen will be held at 40 degrees, “like a huge walk-in [refrigerator],” Gold said, so carcasses may be safely held and broken down from a larger size.

A new wine studies center will include stadium seating and special features at each seat to assist the learner in viewing and evaluating different types of wine.

All details about the new facility are still considered preliminary, since the bond issue to pay for the project won’t happen until next month. But plans have been swift for months now, with the process to choose an architect currently underway.

“We received 21 proposals from architects,” Gold said, “and they will be reviewed by a committee to choose the top four. These will do oral presentations, and we should be able to select one by mid-October.”

The new facility is planned to be about 40,000 square feet and two stories tall, and will be located on the north side of the parking lot for the current Pulaski Tech South building on Interstate 30, near Bryant. The school’s truck driving education program will be moved from this space to another location.

“This will be state-of-the-art,” Gold said. “I would put it up against any other culinary education facility.”

It’s Official…Fancy Pants is Going to School!

November 10, 2009 by arfoodie Leave a Comment

I tried to wait. I gave hints. But with final registration completed today, I have to share…

I’m going to culinary school!

Why, you may ask, would I do this? I already have a degree in journalism/PR. I am a stay-at-home-mom-blogger who always has some sort of side gig going. Due to some non-serious yet bothersome health issues, I don’t always have the energy to keep myself regularly bathed and dressed, much less do a bunch of extra stuff. (That’s a minor exaggeration, by the way.) So why?

I’m not really sure. It just feels right.

Lest I sound too much like the guy in The Making of a Chef who didn’t know why he was at culinary school, and later dropped out, let me clarify.

Without dumping my entire spiritual plate in your lap, let me say that I believe that things are not random. Everything lines up for a reason, often to set you up for something wonderful. Or at least purposeful. In this case, I think it’s both. I may not know exactly what I’m going to do with an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts, but I jumped at the opportunity. And almost immediately, further opportunities opened up for when I’m done, or even before.

I’m excited to be studying with the Arkansas Culinary School at Pulaski Technical College, the only accredited culinary arts program in the state. I recently toured their South Campus facilities (you know, the old Little Rock Flea Market joint), where the program is based, with giddy anticipation. Something about stainless steel countertops and walk-in refrigeration tells me I’ve come home.

My initial schedule:

Applied Foodservice Sanitation (online)
Food Production I
Baking I
Intro to Food Writing (They swear I’m not overqualified!)

I’ll share more as the time draws nigh. Classes don’t start until January, but I just couldn’t hold it in any longer!