2024 Faculty Holiday Party by Ashley Ruiz

On December 6, 2024, Dr. Rose hosted the 2024 Faculty Holiday Party in collaboration with the culinary arts department. The celebration took place until 5:30 PM. The event gave PCCC’s faculty and staff the chance to come together as a community to celebrate the holidays. The celebration was an opportunity for staff to get into the holiday spirit with festive music and food. Food, desserts, and refreshments were provided and prepared by the culinary arts department. This year, the celebration took place in the Institute of New and Emerging Technologies (The Firehouse). The building consisted of three floors in which the third floor provided food and the second provided pastries and desserts for faculty to enjoy.  

A Closer Look into the Culinary Arts Department and Their Process: 

Additionally, the event allowed culinary arts students from the Baking Program to display what they have learned from their classes. Chef Philipp Kaemmerle was the overseer of the baking process for this event. His students had the opportunity to prepare and make the desserts for the holiday party. The process consisted of three-day planning and a two-day intensive preparation. This holiday party gave culinary students the ability to display their knowledge, talent, and skills. The process required close attention to detail. Details such as decorating, presenting, temperature accuracy, and garnish. The culinary arts students mentioned that the process was rewarding, such as the result and knowledge learned during the preparation.  

The rest of the food was provided by the college’s food service department. Twelve employees worked on the dishes extensively. Similarly to the pastry process, kitchen preparation took two to three days. Logistics such as timing and organization were crucial for this culinary process. A timetable had to be followed along with details such as temperature, allergy labeling, employee schedules, as well as placing food and linen orders ahead of time. The culinary department found that receiving positive feedback and witnessing people’s enjoyment of the food was the most rewarding part of the process.  

Special Thanks To: Dr. Rose, Chef Grossi, Chef Philipp Kaemmerle, Chef Hernandez, Culinary Arts students (Kayla, Germaliz, Chanel, and Esmeralda), and the Culinary Arts Department.