Penn College instructor named among top 25 by Bake magazine

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – A Pennsylvania College of Technology graduate-turned-instructor was recognized as one of the nation’s leading educators and mentors in Bake magazine’s annual “Twentyfive” special edition.

Chef Charles R. Niedermyer, instructor of baking and pastry arts/culinary arts at Penn College, was profiled with 24 other industry leaders in the magazine’s November 2018 issue.

“For the first time, we turn the spotlight on education in our annual Twentyfive special edition, highlighting professional educators and mentors who go above and beyond to educate, inspire and lead in the fields of baking, pastry and chocolate,” editor John Unrein notes in the issue. “They work tirelessly to help the industry reach new heights and achieve excellence in quality and presentation.”

Niedermyer earned an associate degree in baking and pastry arts from Penn College in 2000, followed by a bachelor’s degree in technology management in 2012. Before returning to the college as an instructor in 2005, Niedermyer practiced his craft in the hotel, restaurant and baking industries, including work for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. and the Penn State Bakery.

In recent years, he was named a national finalist for Team USA, which competed at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Bread) in Paris, and he was named among the 2017 Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America by Dessert Professional Magazine.

He leads Penn College students to Churchill Downs each year to help prepare food for VIP guests of the iconic Kentucky Derby and, in 2018, the Breeders’ Cup. He frequently involves students as he presents at industry shows and assists with educational conferences across the country.

He has received awards from Penn College for Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in Academic Advising and was selected by a former student to present the college’s annual “My Last Words” lecture.

Bake is published 11 times a year by Sosland Publishing Co., of Kansas City, Missouri.

Like many other industries, baking is facing a workforce gap, the magazine notes.

“Educating the future bakers, pastry chefs, cake decorators and chocolatiers of tomorrow is an all-important endeavor. The world is changing, and innovation is paramount to success,” Unrein writes. “But who will train and inspire the next generation? The influential educators and mentors featured in this special issue embrace this challenge.”

Penn College offers degrees in baking and pastry arts, culinary arts, hospitality management, and sport and event management. To learn more, visit www.pct.edu/hospitality.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.