Page 27 - NOV 2018 proof 1 The Castle Pines Connection

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Postsecondary culinary extravaganza By Catalin Varela, photos courtesy of Noah Kelley
CastlePinesConnection.com
Noah Kelley, culinary student at Johnson and Wales, a private university. Kelley is working part time as a chef at Legacy Village at Castle Pines.
Noah Kelley, a student with Johnson and Wales (JWU), knew that his educational
path was going to look di erent than the “norm” for many students. While in high school, Kelley came to the conclusion that working in a cubicle the rest of his life would not be ful lling and thus he needed to get creative with his postsecondary adventures. After working with the Renaissance Festival in 2016, he realized how much he enjoys working with food and interacting with guests. He then went on to apply and get accepted to Johnson and Wales, a private, career-oriented university with a remarkable College of Culinary Arts. Kelley said he likes to work with his hands, create di erent dishes, and play with avors...which is why he is so engaged and excited about his learning.
What does the life of a culinary arts student look like? Kelley reported that the very
rst task every week is to clean and iron all uniforms so as to look professional when working with the chefs. The class spends time checking food deliveries, setting up stations, and attending lectures from the chefs. JWU Culinary students attend lectures on everything from sustainability, to global cuisine, to food allergen and sensitivity awareness. When asked about the latter, Kelley stated “It’s just not good business to not serve those people with speci c diets.”
Kelley was hard pressed to pick a favorite kind of cuisine, but says that right now he is enjoying experimenting with the spicy avors of South American food. He loves making many seafood dishes for his Pescatarian family, and said that his all time favorite thing to make is marina sauce. I was ba ed because this seems like a very simple food, but Kelley informed me that “the simplicity is what makes is possible to focus on each ingredient and ne tune the recipe.”
The class sizes are small and feel like such a welcoming and friendly community. There are so many job opportunities for Kelley and he is beyond excited to explore them all. He stated that eventually he’d like to open his own restaurant. I, for one, can’t wait to be Kelley’s rst guests!
Appetizer with hummus, homemade pretzels, mango salsa and grape leaves.
Delicious spring role with miso soup and grilled vegetables.
Neighborhood gathers around food for nearly a decade
Information and photo provided by Laurie Jacobs
September 30th was the 9th annual Turweston Lane cul-de-sac Chili Cook-O . “It’s a great way to meet new neighbors and catch up with everyone else,” stated Laurie Jacobson, organizer of the event. “The
weather was perfect for chili – sunny and a bit chilly!” Congratulations to the winners:
Chili/Main Dish: 1st Place: Laity family, “Green Machine;” 2nd Place: Landon Benedict, “It’s Not Your Wife’s Chili;” 3rd Place: Rob Sadler, “Smoked Baby Back Ribs.” Side Dish: 1st Place: Squires family, “KC Mac & Cheese;” 2nd Place: Susanne Sadler, “Chorizo Queso Dip;” 3rd Place: Ramsey family, “Cheesy Corn.” Dessert: There was a three-way tie for 1st Place: Melina DePasse “Lemon Chi on Bundt Cake,” Anna Allison, “Arrowheads” and Sophia Wagner, “Coconut Dream Bars.”