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Parkhurst Kicks-Off Spring Traveling Chefs Tour at Wheeling Jesuit University
The Intelligencer: Wheeling News-Register

In response to a growing number of students interested in world culinary traditions, Parkhurst Dining Services has kicked off Traveling Chefs, a college "chefs" tour.

The tour visited Parkhurst's operations at Wheeling Jesuit University Wednesday, March 18. Several Parkhurst chefs brought their culinary talents to team up with Wheeling Jesuit University chefs to prepare the finest in foods from Thailand and Mexico for students and staff to sample in the university's Benedum Room.

While working with on-site executive chefs, Traveling Chefs prepare foods to order and in front of guests using authentic ingredients and food preparation techniques.

Plus, chefs provide a culinary "education" as they describe the dining culture of thefeatured countries, ingredients and local agriculture used to prepare the selections. Traveling Chefs also make recommendations if guests ask for complimentary flavors.

Traveling Chefs will visit cafes across the mid-Atlantic until the end of May.

Parkhurst officials said highlights of the Traveling Chefs tour include:

  • Unique dining experience: Traveling Chefs showcase the food and service Parkhurst Dining provides through a unique dining experience. Some of the featured foods are from the Parkhurst Dining Hemisflavors recipe collection.
  • Culinary education: Traveling Chefs provide a culinary "education" where Traveling Chefs will talk to guests about the ingredients they use (indicative of the featured countries), dining culture and authentic preparation techniques.
  • College-team rivalry: Traveling Chefs create rivalry between Parkhurst culinary teams as well as students. For example, Parkhurst Dining serves colleges that are in the same conference - this creates a "friendly" competition.
  • Career opportunities for chefs: Traveling Chefs features Parkhurst's young and developing managers, sous chefs and hourly chefs. The company's goal is to help promote these young "stars" into executive chef positions.
  • Tools to succeed: The success of Traveling Chefs is based on a consistent format. Parkhurst Dining provides the tools, recipes and marketing for its operators to easily execute this promotion. Plus, recipes change yearly, so it keeps Traveling Chefs "fresh."

"Our guests never have to leave their college campus or office to experience fresh, global cuisine. Plus, Traveling Chefs gives our team members an opportunity to work and learn from each other," said Mike Miduri, general manager of dining services at St. Francis University, who organizes the Traveling Chefs promotions.

Featured recipes include Thai chicken lettuce wrap, Thai fried rice with chicken and basil, pork and chorizo burgers with green chili mayo and beef fajitas.

Parkhurst Dining Services of Pittsburgh provides culinary experiences and dining services to guests at educational institutions, corporations and cultural destinations in its marketing region.

This year's Traveling Chefs include:

  • Kevin Hollenbaugh, executive chef, Washington & Jefferson College. The Pittsburgh resident recently joined Parkhurst Dining Services after serving as a corporate dining chef. After graduating from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a culinary arts degree, he served several resorts and restaurants in Arizona and Pennsylvania such as the Casbah, the Wildwood Country Club, The Stone Mansion and The Springfield Grille.

Hollenbaugh's culinary passion is turning raw material into a finished product and making food more than just fuel for the body. He loves to prepare Japanese, French and American Southwestern foods. What he likes best about working at Parkhurst is the number of creative, scratch-made recipes, as well as "the commitment to never sacrificing quality."

  • Kevin Blinn, executive sous chef, PNC Loan Center. Blinn, of New Brighton, Pa., has been with Parkhurst Dining for six years. He was inspired to cook when he was only 12 years old. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, Blinn enjoys learning new cooking techniques and preparing all types of food.

"What I like best about working at Parkhurst is having the opportunity to create a menu of my choice every week, and to visit different Parkhurst-managed locations during the Traveling Chefs tour," Blinn said.

  • Dan Chiaverini, executive chef, Robert Morris University. A resident of Canonsburg, Pa., he has been with Parkhurst Dining for nine years. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, he began his culinary career working at the Nevillewood Country Club, Top of the Triangle and the Roxy Cafe.

Chiaverini joined Parkhurst Dining as a sous chef at Robert Morris University and next served as executive chef at Bayer Corp. and Wheeling Jesuit University. He enjoys preparing soups, sauces, sausages, prosciutto and homemade cheese. What Chiaverini likes best about working at Parkhurst is "their commitment to quality and freshness."

In addition to visiting the Wheeling Jesuit campus, the Traveling Chefs have made stops at Bayer Corp., Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Allegheny Power, Greensburg, Pa.; Capital University, Columbus, and Sony Technology Center, Pittsburgh.

Upcoming stops on the tour include Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.; University of the Sciences, Philadelphia; Highmark, Pittsburgh; Chatham University, Pittsburgh; Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, Pa.; Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore; American Greetings, Cleveland; PNC, Pittsburgh; Sterling Jewelers, Akron; and Medrad, Warrendale, Pa.

Parkhurst Kicks-Off Spring Traveling Chefs Tour at Wheeling Jesuit University
The Intelligencer: Wheeling News-Register

In response to a growing number of students interested in world culinary traditions, Parkhurst Dining Services has kicked off Traveling Chefs, a college "chefs" tour.

The tour visited Parkhurst's operations at Wheeling Jesuit University Wednesday, March 18. Several Parkhurst chefs brought their culinary talents to team up with Wheeling Jesuit University chefs to prepare the finest in foods from Thailand and Mexico for students and staff to sample in the university's Benedum Room.

While working with on-site executive chefs, Traveling Chefs prepare foods to order and in front of guests using authentic ingredients and food preparation techniques.

Plus, chefs provide a culinary "education" as they describe the dining culture of thefeatured countries, ingredients and local agriculture used to prepare the selections. Traveling Chefs also make recommendations if guests ask for complimentary flavors.

Traveling Chefs will visit cafes across the mid-Atlantic until the end of May.

Parkhurst officials said highlights of the Traveling Chefs tour include:

  • Unique dining experience: Traveling Chefs showcase the food and service Parkhurst Dining provides through a unique dining experience. Some of the featured foods are from the Parkhurst Dining Hemisflavors recipe collection.
  • Culinary education: Traveling Chefs provide a culinary "education" where Traveling Chefs will talk to guests about the ingredients they use (indicative of the featured countries), dining culture and authentic preparation techniques.
  • College-team rivalry: Traveling Chefs create rivalry between Parkhurst culinary teams as well as students. For example, Parkhurst Dining serves colleges that are in the same conference - this creates a "friendly" competition.
  • Career opportunities for chefs: Traveling Chefs features Parkhurst's young and developing managers, sous chefs and hourly chefs. The company's goal is to help promote these young "stars" into executive chef positions.
  • Tools to succeed: The success of Traveling Chefs is based on a consistent format. Parkhurst Dining provides the tools, recipes and marketing for its operators to easily execute this promotion. Plus, recipes change yearly, so it keeps Traveling Chefs "fresh."

"Our guests never have to leave their college campus or office to experience fresh, global cuisine. Plus, Traveling Chefs gives our team members an opportunity to work and learn from each other," said Mike Miduri, general manager of dining services at St. Francis University, who organizes the Traveling Chefs promotions.

Featured recipes include Thai chicken lettuce wrap, Thai fried rice with chicken and basil, pork and chorizo burgers with green chili mayo and beef fajitas.

Parkhurst Dining Services of Pittsburgh provides culinary experiences and dining services to guests at educational institutions, corporations and cultural destinations in its marketing region.

This year's Traveling Chefs include:

  • Kevin Hollenbaugh, executive chef, Washington & Jefferson College. The Pittsburgh resident recently joined Parkhurst Dining Services after serving as a corporate dining chef. After graduating from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a culinary arts degree, he served several resorts and restaurants in Arizona and Pennsylvania such as the Casbah, the Wildwood Country Club, The Stone Mansion and The Springfield Grille.

Hollenbaugh's culinary passion is turning raw material into a finished product and making food more than just fuel for the body. He loves to prepare Japanese, French and American Southwestern foods. What he likes best about working at Parkhurst is the number of creative, scratch-made recipes, as well as "the commitment to never sacrificing quality."

  • Kevin Blinn, executive sous chef, PNC Loan Center. Blinn, of New Brighton, Pa., has been with Parkhurst Dining for six years. He was inspired to cook when he was only 12 years old. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, Blinn enjoys learning new cooking techniques and preparing all types of food.

"What I like best about working at Parkhurst is having the opportunity to create a menu of my choice every week, and to visit different Parkhurst-managed locations during the Traveling Chefs tour," Blinn said.

  • Dan Chiaverini, executive chef, Robert Morris University. A resident of Canonsburg, Pa., he has been with Parkhurst Dining for nine years. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts, he began his culinary career working at the Nevillewood Country Club, Top of the Triangle and the Roxy Cafe.

Chiaverini joined Parkhurst Dining as a sous chef at Robert Morris University and next served as executive chef at Bayer Corp. and Wheeling Jesuit University. He enjoys preparing soups, sauces, sausages, prosciutto and homemade cheese. What Chiaverini likes best about working at Parkhurst is "their commitment to quality and freshness."

In addition to visiting the Wheeling Jesuit campus, the Traveling Chefs have made stops at Bayer Corp., Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Allegheny Power, Greensburg, Pa.; Capital University, Columbus, and Sony Technology Center, Pittsburgh.

Upcoming stops on the tour include Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.; University of the Sciences, Philadelphia; Highmark, Pittsburgh; Chatham University, Pittsburgh; Washington & Jefferson College, Washington, Pa.; Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore; American Greetings, Cleveland; PNC, Pittsburgh; Sterling Jewelers, Akron; and Medrad, Warrendale, Pa.