Graze, Grapes, & Grains celebrates the PSC Foundation’s President’s Circle donors while showcasing the creativity and skills of culinary and hospitality management students.
Annual event spotlights culinary arts and hospitality management students at PSC
The Pensacola State College Foundation hosted its annual Graze, Grapes, & Grains donor appreciation event on Wednesday, July 22, in the G. Thomas Delaino Student Center on PSC’s Pensacola campus. Each year, the evening celebrates the foundation’s President’s Circle donors while highlighting the creative skills and talent of the College’s culinary and hospitality management students.
“This is a special donor appreciation event for those giving annually to the PSC Foundation at the $1,000 level or above. We have about 260 President’s Circle donors, and they contributed more than $1.4 million in scholarships and program support in the last year,” said PSC Executive Director of Institutional Development Andrea Krieger. “What better way to say, ‘thank you,’ than with gourmet food and the wonderful opportunity to engage with the talented students they support through their gifts?”
Now in its 17th year, Graze, Grapes, & Grains has become a beloved tradition among the college’s supporters, bringing them together for a culinary showcase of gourmet hors d’oeuvres. PSC students from the Molly McGuire School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management create and present their own individual menus and themed tablescapes, competing for top honors and cash prizes. Winners are determined by attendee votes, giving guests a role in recognizing the students’ creativity and skills.
Winners of the Graze, Grapes, & Grains student-chef competition, in front: Allison Carlock (third place) and Hayden Brojanac (first place); back row from left: Robert Shultz (second place), Chef Tatyana Hulsey and Chef Kristin Bonnell (PSC faculty), Nathan Pletcher and Bradley McCollum (tied for fourth place).
Led by PSC faculty members Chef Kristin Bonnell and Chef Tatyana Hulsey, this year’s competition featured 13 student-chefs tasked with creating presentations celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and supporting this year’s “Red, White, & You” event theme.
First-place honors and a $500 cash prize were awarded to Hayden Brojanac. Robert Shultz won second place and $250; Allison Carlock won third place and $200; and Bradley McCollum and Nathan Pletcher tied for fourth place and a $100 cash prize.
“Eleven years ago, I was a student here, and I remember my day to shine at this event. So, it’s fun for me to see these students recognized for their dishes and creativity, and I’m so proud of every one of them,” said Hulsey.
Other competing culinary majors were Zoe Anton-Peat, Madeline Currin, Lauren Kahaunaele, Shelby Leurck, Giavonni Montgomery, Evan Moran, Ruth Pabalan and Ma Elena Young. Hospitality management majors providing service at the event were Caelyn Brown, Lukas Chapron, Lyndsey Currence, Jolene Fink, Luis Perez Flores, Matthew Fountain, Kylie Moran, Wesley Ollom, Mallory Pancelli, Lamaria Stallworth, Maricel Timbang, Brittany White, Jayla Winns and Kayla Zarkie.
“Graze, Grapes, & Grains is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the generosity of our President’s Circle donors while giving our culinary and hospitality management students a platform to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have developed at Pensacola State College,” said PSC President Ed Meadows. “The event reflects the strong connection between our donors and student achievement.”
The Newcomers Club of Greater Pensacola traditionally presents their annual donation to the PSC Foundation during the “Graze, Grains, & Grapes” event. From left: Jayne Showalter, Teri Ullon, Judy Shiver and Debbie Vitulli.
The PSC President’s Circle funds critical needs for students and programs across all areas of the College. Learn more at foundation.pensacolastate.edu/presidents-circle.