Never Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

More than 500 students learn the fine arts of gourmet cooking and baking at the nearby Restaurant School. You might see them walking on Walnut Street, carrying a backpack or just biding some time before their next class. And while they may act like typical Penn students, their uniforms of black slacks, bleach-white shirts and puffy hats soon give away the nature of their unique studies. The students attend the Restaurant School, an accredited two-year university at 42nd and Walnut streets, just blocks from campus. Established in 1974, the school is home to about 500 students, ages 17 to 67, who study and cook their way to associate degrees in hotel management, restaurant management, culinary arts and pastry arts. Many of the school's programs, including a bakery/pastry shop and several restaurants, are open to the public. Next week, the school opens its new Courtyard complex, which includes four restaurants and spaces for vendors selling pastries and other foods. It is designed to give students a "lab" in which to test their culinary skills while offering the public diverse, gourmet food. Hospital to hospitality One student is Gloria Maggitti, who made a complete career transition when she was 40. A nurse who worked in anesthesia, Maggitti -- who refuses to give her current age -- suffered spinal-cord injuries in a car accident when she was 34. After undergoing multiple surgeries, she was left with permanent nerve damage in her hands, chronic pain syndrome and loss of fine motor control. When Maggitti could no longer handle the demands of her position, she was forced to leave the job and start again. " 'Hospital' can easily become 'hospitality,' " she said. "They are both concerned with service above all else." Maggitti enrolled in the Restaurant School, where her instructors took extra time to show her how to handle a knife and refine her techniques. She also had to practice on her own to become more skilled and advance in the field. Maggitti's hard work and dedication has paid off. She was recently offered a year-long work-study managerial position at London's Clivton Hotel. One might imagine that Maggitti would feel awkward in a class with teenagers. "I was only the third-oldest in my production class," she said with a smile. "But the student mix is really diverse here?. I kind of adopted a lot of people, and they call me 'Mom.' I guess no matter where you are, you have to be able to do the job [younger students] are doing. You have to be able to prove yourself, over and over, to gain respect." Restaurant School President Daniel Liberatoscioli, who has been with the school since 1981, echoed Maggitti's sentiments. "The common denominator is always that love of hospitality, whether the student is a fresh and energetic 18-year-old, or a 35-year-old, charged about doing what they really love. The majority of the students are not right out of high school, so we are catering to an adult market," he said. Mouth-watering studies Applications to the school are similar to those at other colleges and universities. They include essays asking prospective students what their "goals" are for college and beyond, and an interview. "We like our students to have passion, and a vision for success. We want them sitting on the edge of their seat," Liberatoscioli said. "If a student tells us they are in love with a certain aspect of the school, we will immerse him in it." Tuition for the entire two-year period is about $20,000, with books, equipment, and uniforms amounting to another $1,500. Thanks to the small size of the classes -- some have only nine people -- students can literally expect a call home when they miss a session. "The school is reflective of the classical, traditional part of the industry. [Students] are taught to respect the industry," he added. Despite the hectic nature of the kitchens, there is a no-nonsense air of professionalism. "[The students] get right into it," said Chef John Gallagher, gesturing to his pastry production class. His group was busily preparing a tantalizing array of desserts, from rich fudge brownies to buttercream-iced cakes and cookies. That day, "senior day," the graduating class had its last hurrah. Choosing a theme mixing Polynesian cuisine with classic desserts, members of both morning production classes -- savory and pastry -- worked to create tons of mouth-watering goodies for the special event and for the school's pastry shop. While Penn provided new students with a freshman barbecue of burgers and hot dogs, the Restaurant School indulged its seniors with an enormous roasted pig, braised lamb shanks, curried chicken, ribs, stir-fried rice and even hand-squeezed lemonade. Production classes run from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., and students are responsible for nearly everything -- including measuring, mixing, baking and cleaning. The morning classes usually only stock the pastry shop, while their evening counterpart is responsible for the actual restaurant. As Gallagher explained, "we make mistakes, but we don't sell them." "Everything is based on technique," said Chef Gerald Scanlan, "professor" of the savory production class. "If you learn a technique and you can execute it, and if you can master it and use quality food, it will always come out well." On top of all of the coursework, the Restaurant School requires 900 hours of work experience in the field, most of which is usually done at the in-house restaurants and pastry shop. "Most students also have part-time jobs," Gallagher noted. Standard courses include the food-related ones, such as "beef preparation" and "advanced game -- fur and feather" along with hospitality and service classes. There are also business courses, such as management, cost control and business law. Restaurant management majors are required to create a hypothetical dining establishment, all-inclusive -- menu, location, decor -- and make a formal presentation in front of a group of bankers, to encourage them to invest in their business. The pastry majors' senior project requires them to bake and decorate an elaborate wedding cake. The prettiest, most ornate ones are given extra credit and put on display in the pastry shop. Student life and beyond One pastry major, Michael DeWalt, never intended to be a chef. After attending Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) in New Jersey, he originally wanted to be a teacher. "There are 500 applications for every one [teaching] opening," the 27-year-old said. "I didn't have the qualifications to beat the other 499 people." Since he had been "cooking his way through college" -- as a kitchen manager, restaurant manager and a cook -- he said enrolling in the Restaurant School seemed like the "natural thing to do." Many students said they were drawn to the school for its small, cozy atmosphere, as well as better opportunities than competing cooking schools. Gallagher noted that he knows where 60 percent of his former students are working at any one time. "If at anytime you need anything, a recipe, advice, to yell at someone, call me," he tells graduates. At the time of graduation, 98 percent of Restaurant School students have a job "ready to go," according to Gallagher. Indeed, many students were quick to point out the good reputation that the school's graduates have in the restaurant industry. Philadelphia-area restaurants, along with ones in Atlantic City, N.J., constantly call the school for all kinds of cooking staff. Graduates move on to careers as restaurant owners, chefs, cookbook writers, even food stylists. In addition, to accommodate "continuing education" students, the Restaurant School offers night classes. For around $300, anyone can enroll in the school's seven- and eight-week courses in subjects such as bread baking, wedding cake construction and basic cooking techniques. Daily Pennsylvanian Associate News Editor Jennifer Arend contributed to this article.