‘A community event’
WAYNESBURG – When the culinary arts department at Greene County Career and Technology Center began offering a holiday buffet to the community, it started with just two buffet tables. The school was still called Greene County Vocational Technical School and instructor Dan Wagner was in the early days of his career.
Twenty-five years later, the tradition continues and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Friday, there will be 10 buffet tables, three carving stations and a flaming dessert station at the school. The event serves an average of 250 guests each year, and since its inception, Greene County culinary students served the annual feast to an estimate of 5,000 people.
“It is just $12. McDonald’s costs you around $8, and instead, you can come here and get all of this,” said visiting chef Jeff Cecil of Sullivan University, who will be one of three guest chefs adding to the buffet for the 25th anniversary.
Over the years, the event branched out to include musicians and vocalists from Waynesburg High School’s music department providing a festive atmosphere during the buffet. Students from other programs within GCCTC joined in as well, providing services such as traffic control. Many businesses and groups turned the event into a ready-made holiday office party, arriving in groups to eat, listen to music and celebrate the season together.
For the 25th anniversary, Wagner tapped a resource from a little farther away to bring a new flare to the production. A member of the high school education council for Sullivan University in Louisville, Ky., Wagner asked chefs there if they would be willing to take part in the preparation of the food while mentoring GCCTC culinary students. The answer was a resounding yes that resulted in a variety of new menu items being added to the traditional offerings.
Wagner became involved with Sullivan U. when it selected GCCTC as one of its top 50 schools in the nation. As part of the Sullivan U. elite 50, students from GCCTC have opportunities for scholarships, as well as mentoring by the school’s chefs.
Cecil, 38, who works in recruitment for Sullivan, is one of them. Once an Sullivan U. student himself, Cecil brought a southern Kentucky-style menu to Greene County, including Kentucky Cassoulet, shrimp and lobster grits, creamy smoked cheddar grits, cayenne butter poached shrimp and lobster, smoky corned beef brisket with bourbon mustard, scalloped cabbage, horseradish mashed redskin potatoes and more.
Cecil came back to his alma mater in October, following the chance of a lifetime by working as a personal chef on tours with the Trans Siberian Orchestra, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett.
“I was doing that for a long time, and I was ready for a change. I was in town (Louisville) last summer, and I contacted the career services department at Sullivan to help me update my resume and help me see what was out there,” Cecil said. Soon, he received an email about the recruitment job and the timing was perfect. He joined a group of other culinary professionals working in recruitment at S.U. who have firsthand knowledge of the industry. Cecil said their experiences provide a unique perspective to students who are considering a career in culinary, whether it takes them to Sullivan or another route.
Joining Cecil as a visiting chef for the Greene County buffet will be his colleague, American Culinary Federation Certified pastry chef Kathleen Kenney. A fellow Sullivan graduate, Kenney worked for such notable establishments as the historic Brown Hotel in Louisville and Paris Bistro.
Kenney created a pastry menu that will offer guests Croquembouche, also known as French wedding cake, Éclairs, and mini chocolate cupcakes with ganache filling and a peppermint marshmallow frosting.
Also working with the students on the buffet is award-winning pastry chef Heather Gapen, a graduate of GCCTC culinary arts program. Gapen is co-owner of Willow Tree Farms of Greensboro with her husband, Harley.
The traditional items on the menu are barbecue ribs and chicken, hot sausage, kolbassi, chili, pork stir fry and bananas foster.
“It is always an exciting time doing the buffet, and it is extra special this year with such amazing chefs here to work with the kids and teach them new things,” Wagner said. “It is hard to believe we started with just two tables and now it has grown into such a community event that people look forward to and come to year-after-year. The kids are excited. I’m excited. We hope everyone comes out because there will be some really great additions this year.”