MAYS LANDING - Atlantic Cape Community College Academy of Culinary Arts raised $2,070 during its annual Italy Dinner April 3 at Carême’s, the college’s student-run gourmet restaurant on the Mays Landing campus. The fundraiser was held to support 18 students who will be attending the Marco Polo Study Abroad Program in Italy next month.
“The Italy Dinner fundraiser is more than a single evening of great food; it is an investment in the future of our culinary students," ACA Chef Educator Joseph Sheridan said. "By supporting their upcoming journey to Italy, we are giving them the opportunity to experience authentic regional cuisine at its source, deepen their cultural understanding and bring that knowledge back to enrich our community,”
Sheridan said the culinary trip works to bridge the gap between education and industry.
"They help to prepare our students to enter the workforce, with confidence, skill and a global perspective. This fundraiser plays a meaningful step in shaping the students' culinary points-of-view," he said.
This year, the ACA again welcomed Chef Felice Santodonato, who has over 20 years in the catering and hospitality industry from Italy and Switzerland to China and the U.S. He is a co-owner and Chef Ambassador of a multinational consulting organization, and teaches gastronomy at the Professional Public Institute of Hospitality Management of “Tor Carbone” in Rome. Santodonato was joined by Chef Sommelier Nico Santucci, also from Rome.
Their visit was made possible thanks to the generosity of Giacomo Berselli and the Marco Polo Institute, which has fostered a long-standing partnership with the ACA by facilitating enriching study-abroad opportunities for ACA students since 2016.With the help from 18 ACA students, Santodonato prepared the evening’s regional Italian-inspired menu, which featured an antipasto of artichoke souffle in artichoke with traditional Modena balsamic vinegar DOP; a first course of paccheri with carbonara cream; an entrée of veal brisket with Nebbiolo, mustard fondant potatoes and extra virgin olive oil; and lastly, a dessert of pastiera with orange sauce and green apple granita, a traditional Easter cake.
“Equally important was the role our students played in making this event a success. Working alongside international chefs, they gained invaluable experience in a high-level culinary environment. Experiences like this help refine their techniques, strengthen teamwork, and develop the discipline and creativity required in the professional kitchen. These are lessons that cannot be taught in a classroom alone,” Sheridan said.
The students will travel to Italy from May 26 to June 6 to take part in a 17-day educational excursion featuring informative lectures and hands-on instruction from culinary and food and beverage professionals across various sectors of the culinary industry, including vintners, farmers, cheese producers, olive oil producers, balsamic vinegar producers, coffee producers, cured meat specialists and chefs.
The students will take part in 25 hours of hands-on cooking classes, 26 hours of field trips to wineries, food producers, farms, as well as 26 hours of cultural tours to Cinque Terre, Rome, Turin and Venice.
The Marco Polo Study Abroad program offers students the opportunity to study the cuisine and culture of three distinct Italian regions - Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Piemonte. The focus will be on learning and working with many of the key ingredients that make Italian cuisine known worldwide. These ingredients include wines, charcuterie, breads, cheeses, pasta, coffee and other regional specialties.
“International travel provides students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in diverse culinary traditions, enhancing their skills and broadening their perspectives. This experience not only shapes their personal growth, but also makes them more marketable to employers,” Sheridan said. “The scholarship funds raised from the Italy dinner, along with the generous support of the Atlantic Cape Foundation, are instrumental in helping ACA students take advantage of these opportunities, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and realize their dreams.”
Students may use this trip towards their degree as a general education elective course.
Visit atlanticcape.edu/aca for more information on the Academy of Culinary Arts.
