Master Chef Contrisciani Joins Hocking College Culinary-Arts Program
Alfonso Contrisciani, CMC, recently joined the Hocking College McClenaghan Center for Hospitality Training in Nelsonville, Ohio. Contrisciani has 32 years of culinary experience, including orchestrating several presidential dinners in Washington, D.C., as well as President Obama’s Inaugural Balls, and has been featured on Food Network.
He teaches savory, baking and pastry and meat-, poultry- and fish-fabrication classes at Hocking, and will serve as director of Continuing Education and Contract Food Service.
“Hocking College culinary program currently has all the elements key to training the chefs and hospitality operators of tomorrow,” Contrisciani said. “Located in the center of Ohio's agricultural district, the students have all the necessary sources of local and regionally produced fresh products to learn their craft.”
Contrisciani earned an associate degree from Johnson & Wales University. In 1996, he earned the title of Certified Master Chef from the American Culinary Federation. He has held numerous vice-president and director positions in some of the country’s leading hotels, restaurants, universities and foodservice companies. As vice president of culinary development for Centerplate, Inc., he directed several of the largest convention centers in the country.
Over his career, Contrisciani has garnered more than 75 national and international awards and competed as a member of Team USA in the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung, or “Culinary Olympics.” He is a member of the ACF, World Master Chefs Societies, Global Master Chefs Society and the International Food and Beverage Forum.
Contrisciani believes in sustainable foods and green initiatives and applies them to his daily operations. He is an active member of the Ohio Community Agriculture System and believes our future is in a sustainable, organic farming system to preserve our ecosystem.
“Sustainability, farm to table, all natural and organics is the way of the future,” Contrisciani said. “Hocking’s program is continually improving to meet the needs of tomorrow’s foodservice industry.”