WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Things are heating up in the kitchens at the Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport.
Culinary students and instructors are preparing for a week of cooking at the Kentucky Derby.
"Prep for the Derby is mental," said Charles Niedermyer, a chef instructor at the college. "It is getting everything ready here at home and getting all of your classes taken care of, academics first then when we arrive on Monday we will go right into orientation and Tuesday we will be right on the track prepping hard."
Student chefs will be catering in the hospitality and premium suites at the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby during the first week of May. Niedermyer says this event will be a learning experience for his young chefs.
"We are moving thousands of pounds of food. Feeding tens of thousands of guests. So, I always tell the student to pace yourself. It is a marathon not a race," said Niedermyer.
"Having people taste your creations is an honor, it is great," said Autumn Stanley, student chef.
More than 20 student chefs are heading down south for the event. It will be both Stanley and Kade Chrostowski's first time catering an event of this size.
"This is the first high production thing that we have done and it is the biggest thing that you can do here and it is a great opportunity," said Stanley.
"I think it is a different style of cooking than what we are learning here, so, a new experience to grow my skills and further myself as a chef. It is really exciting," said Kade Chrostowski, student chef.
This is the 30th year that Penn College has sent student chefs to help out at the Derby.
"Every time I go down the student's reactions and their ability to step up just blows me away. It is truly a pleasure to take them," said Niedermyer.
The students will leave for Kentucky on Monday, May 1, and cater through Saturday, May 6.
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