Earning a Degree in Delicious
story by Allison Staddphotos by Erika Yamasaki and Olivia Coffey
"It’s corny but cute,” gushes Marie Stecher, Pastry Instructor at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. She proffers a tray of miniature golden delicious cobblers made with sage-infused raisins, each crust constructed from tiny heart-shaped pieces of dough. Under her tutelage, her class has crafted the desserts for a Valentine’s Day treat. Stecher has been whipping butter and icing cakes at The Restaurant School for nearly four years, and she herself earned an associate’s degree in pastry arts here. She went on to serve as a pastry chef at Philly favorites such as Susanna Foo and Tangerine.
The Restaurant School, just a mere three blocks off campus at 42nd and Walnut, was Philadelphia’s first hospitality education-focused college. Since its 1974 inception, The School has garnered national acclaim for its associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in four concentrations: culinary arts, pastry arts, restaurant management, and hotel management. Coursework blends kitchen experience with business acumen; regardless of major, pupils receive basic training in every area.
“Food is always the answer!” reads the sticker on the office door of Tom Delcamp, Vice President of the School and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. This is his twenty-third year at the School, with a background in hotels, country clubs, catering, and restaurant entrepreneurship. Delcamp has worked in cuisines ranging from classical French to American diner, and is the former owner of Sweet Bay Café in Reading, PA.
The School’s growth since Delcamp started has been remarkable. “My first class had five students,” he recalls. Now the student body is over 400, with an expanded range of training.
The average age has also shifted from around 23 to around 19, says Dean of Academic Affairs Lenore Boccia. She says it has become increasingly common for high school students to segue straight into culinary education at The Restaurant School; in the past students have more commonly been adult career changers. Boccia is in her thirteenth year at The Restaurant School and teaches nutrition and a “College Success” course for first-year students.
One draw for students is the reasonable tuition: $21,000 per year, including books and travel. Travel is important: one curricular component is globalization, including a gastronomic tour through England for bachelor’s candidates. “Not only do you need to come here with your knives, you need a passport,” says Delcamp.
Off-campus experiences can be local, too: starting sophomore year, students participate in internships in venerated kitchens like those of Le Bec Fin, The Four Seasons, and Waterworks. “We shoot for the top,” says Delcamp.
Despite The Restaurant School’s proximity to campus, most Penn students remain unaware of the gustatory riches of its four student-run restaurants: the Great Chefs’ Room for elegant fine dining, the European Courtyard for more casual fare (lunch is just $5!), the Italian Trattoria for low-key pasta and salad, and the American Heartland (styled as an Idaho farmhouse) for traditional home cooking. There is also a fully stocked bar, with an extensive wine list starting at just $20 per bottle. The pastry shop, full coffee bar included, has glass cases bursting with fresh products made each morning, ranging from scones to sticky buns. The velvet torte and éclair in particular are divinely rich and creamy.
Other opportunities for engagement include cooking courses open to the community, ranging from “Fun With Sushi” to “Spanish Tapas.” Classes are available for all levels of culinary expertise, and range in price from around $60 to around $300. Some classes meet several times; others are one-day affairs. Most require attendees to bring their own equipment. Heather Flemke, Director of Marketing and brand new to the School, recently took “Cocktail and Hors D’ouevres” and “Cooking With Thai.” “They were really fun,” she says. “It’s very hands-on, and fun to have a buddy with you.”