An Oct. 20 tea luncheon and auction to benefit the American Rescue Workers Men's Center will feature foods prepared by Pennsylvania College of Technology students.
Under the direction of Chef Judith P. Shimp, associate professor of food and hospitality management, and student kitchen supervisor Cassandra M. George of Lackawaxen, students in the culinary arts department's "Breakfast and Brunch" course will prepare a buffet-style English high tea. It will be served in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant, the fine-dining learning lab for students in Penn College’s School of Hospitality, at 11:30 a.m.
Proceeds from the luncheon, along with an auction during the event, will be used by the American Rescue Workers to buy kitchen equipment for its Men's Center. The impetus for such a fundraiser was born when Chef Mary G. Trometter, assistant professor of hospitality management/culinary arts, took a group of students to the Men's Center in the spring semester to offer a cooking demonstration.
"The American Rescue Workers Men's Center in Williamsport feeds not only the Men's Center residents but also other people in the area who are in need of food," Trometter said. "However, their kitchen equipment is very limited." For example, she said, the center mashed potatoes for more than 200 people by hand on Christmas because it does not have a large mixer. "So I had mentioned that I would be interested in helping them raise funds for some equipment in their kitchen," she said.
Tickets for the tea luncheon and auction are $25 and are available at Williamsport American Rescue Workers, 643 Elmira St. Call (570) 323-8401, ext. 18.
The entire class helped with menu development and will assist Shimp in managing the kitchen. Throughout the semester, students in two sections of the breakfast and brunch course take turns in the student-supervisor role as they serve the public in the restaurant on Sundays and Mondays.
Other members of the class who will staff Le Jeune Chef's kitchen during the event are: Jeffrey S. Byron of Milford, Conn.; Dominic A. Luppino of Pottsville; Daniel R. Moyer of Winfield; David P. Rhinesmith of Budd Lake, N.J.; Marco G. Romano of Danville; and Pamela N. Staib of Riverside. Chef Suzann L. Major, assistant professor of hospitality management/culinary arts, and her baking students will provide the desserts and pastries, and Chef Charles Niedermyer's "Principles of Chocolate Works" class will provide a treat. Niedermyer is an instructor of baking and pastry arts/culinary arts.
The high-tea menu includes a large vegetable bouquet, hot chicken crepes with rosemary supreme sauce, Welsh rarebit, mini turkey Reuben, egg and olive canapes, ham profiterole, assorted scones and jams, assorted tea cookies, cream puffs, petite eclairs, brownies and pecan squares, as well as hot Earl Grey and chai teas and peach iced tea.
The tea luncheon not only supports the Men's Center, but offers the opportunity for "Breakfast and Brunch" students to participate in a practicum on traditional tea service.
For information about the tea, contact the Williamsport American Rescue Workers; at Penn College, call Trometter at (570) 320-2400, ext. 7697, or e-mail her.
For information about the Williamsport American Rescue Workers and its programs, visit online.
For information about the academic programs offered by the School of Hospitality at Penn College, visit online, send e-mail or call (570) 327-4505. To learn about Penn College, visit online, send e-mail or call toll-free (800) 367-9222.