Perigee Grand Opening will benefit Pittsfield culinary students
LEE, Mass. Dawn LaRochelle, owner of Perigee Restaurant in Lee, thinks the Pittsfield Public Schools Culinary Arts program has been a well-kept secret for long enough.Impressed with their breadth of knowledge and passion for cooking, LaRochelle invited the culinary arts students to put their skills to work at Perigee's Grand Opening Celebration Dinner on Thursday, Dec. 10.
"I was very impressed with the quality and the creativity of the students' work," she said. "Working with them to host our Grand Opening celebration will allow them to see one example of how and where their talents can be used, and to get a feel for the fast-paced restaurant experience."
The Pittsfield Public Schools Culinary Arts program is the only program of its kind in the Berkshires, aiming to prepare high-school aged students for various types of careers in culinary arts. Open to any student in North or South Berkshire County, the program has received acclaim of late due in part to students' strong showings at culinary competitions such as those offered by ProStart, a national career-building organization for high school students interested in culinary arts and food service management. ProStart involves approximately 80,000 student participants across 47 states, and tests students' skills in several different areas of hospitality and food preparation.
Jeff Wallace, culinary arts coordinator, said students took first place in the national competition last year, and the Perigee experience falls during a time when the culinary students are preparing for this year's competition in January. If they place well, the students could receive renewable scholarships as part of their prize.
"Our students are given the chance to attend some of the most well-heeled culinary schools in North America, including the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the New England Culinary Institute, so scholarships are a major incentive," he said, adding that the hands-on experience the students will glean through the collaboration with Perigee will only add to their strengths in front-of-the-house service, management, plating, and other disciplines. "To see first-hand how creative cuisine is prepared and how they can already use their skills in a meaningful way is huge."
The day of the event, students will work alongside Perigee staff to prepare tapas and entrees, and to host and serve guests. The Grand Opening dinner will offer a four-course meal, including salad, an entrée, dessert, and assorted, passed tapas as part of a prix fixe menu. Each dinner guest will also receive a complimentary glass of wine; reservations will begin at 6 p.m., and a portion of the proceeds will support the Pittsfield Public Schools Culinary Arts program.
LaRochelle, who also owns and operates Bete' Avon! Kosher Catering and Apogee Catering, said she hopes this will be the first of many community-oriented events at Perigee, which opened in November. The restaurant serves all types of diners, offering a diverse menu with the common theme of 'Berkshire Cuisine ' LaRochelle's term for locally sourced New England ingredients paired with cosmopolitan recipes.
"But our Berkshire Cuisine concept is not just about the food," she says. "It's also about raising the next generation of Berkshire chefs, and I'm thrilled that Pittsfield students will be our first ambassadors in this endeavor."
Perigee will be also open for business Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. For more information, visit Perigee's Web site at http://perigee-restaurant.com.
About Perigee & Apogee
Culinary artist Dawn LaRochelle launched Apogee catering in the Berkshires in 2007, and followed the success of her business by opening Perigee restaurant in 2009. With LaRochelle and Perigee's executive chef Michael Morelli at the helm, all three businesses are pioneering the Berkshire Cuisine concept offering unexpected dishes prepared with local ingredients whenever possible from a newly renovated, historic brick building in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
per € i € gee The point in the orbit of an object nearest to the body being orbited. Localized, irresistible, sensational.
ap € o € gee The point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited. The premier, the peak, the ultimate.
About Bete'Avon! Kosher Catering
Dawn LaRochelle launched Bete' Avon! (Hebrew for bon appetit) Kosher Catering in 2007, in conjunction with the launch of her sister catering business, Apogee. Bete'Avon! is the first and only Vaad-certified, glatt Kosher catering facility in the Berkshires, and serves all of western Massachusetts, Worcester county, Greater Boston, Connecticut, and Columbia, Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester Counties in New York. A boutique catering company, Bete' Avon! offers cutting-edge Kosher cuisine, using the finest ingredients available on the market, and showcasing local and organic meat and produce whenever possible. Bete¹Avon! handles all catering events, from intimate dinner parties to lavish weddings, and offers Kosher take-out and delivery menus for Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur break-the-fast, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and Passover. Rabbi Fred Hyman of the Vaad HaKashruth of Springfield certifies Bete'Avon!'s meals. http://www.beteavonkoshercatering.com.
