Helping culinary students fund their education, the Joe Romanowski Culinary Education Foundation (JOCEF) served as the host to the fifth annual “Recipe for Success” gala.
The Joe Romanowski Culinary Education Foundation, which is headquartered in Red Bank, was established in the memory of chef Joseph Romanowski, who mentored and nurtured many of the Jersey shore’s up-and coming chefs.
Romanowski was chef and owner at his restaurants, Joe and Maggie’s Bistro in Long Branch and Bay Avenue Trattoria in Highlands, according to a prepared statement from JOCEF.
More than 330 locals attended JOCEF’s annual “Recipe for Success” gala on March 19 at the Navesink Country Club in Middletown.
Funds raised are awarded as scholarships to students at the Culinary Education Center, a collaboration between Brookdale Community College and the Monmouth County Vocational School District, according to a prepared statement.
Maggie Lubcke, JOCEF co-founder/president and wife of Romanowski, said when her husband passed away on Aug. 12, 2013, the foundation was created in September of 2013.
“When [Romanowski] passed away, all the chefs from all the restaurants, they were devastated and they just wanted to do something. So we all got together and we had a meeting and the foundation was created,” Lubcke said.
Lubcke said since JOCEF has been established it has raised more than $100,000 in scholarships.
“My husband mentored a lot of students from Brookdale through the years in the restaurant, a couple of them are now restaurant owners that graduated from Brookdale. So we kind of thought let’s give back to Brookdale, because it really meant something to my husband and that has been what we have been doing,” Lubcke said.
At the gala, attendees got to taste foods from more than 20 Jersey shore restaurants. They also got to taste samples of beer, wine and spirits; enjoy an oyster bar; and taste rare wines.
In honor of the five-year anniversary of “Recipe for Success,” chefs who worked with Romanowski at his restaurants grouped together and served dishes that represented their experiences cooking with Romanowski, according a prepared statement.
Students from the Culinary Education Center assisted the chefs at their stations and presented a tasting station to represent the school, according to a prepared statement.
The five chefs included: Chef Drew Araneo, owner of Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, who made Carolina pulled pork tacos with jalapeno cole shaw; Hudson Cafe Culinary Team Member and Chef Ryan Strubbe; Corporate Chef Erik Weatherspool, JOCEF co-founder, made short ribs;Chris Atamian, co-owner and chef of Porcini, made stuffed mushrooms; and Karen Farrell, JOCEF co-founder and event coordinator, made Romanowski’s crab cakes.
Araneo, Strubbe and Weatherspool worked at Joe and Maggie’s Bistro. Atamian and Farrell worked at Bay Avenue Trattoria, according to a prepared statement.
Restaurants and businesses that participated at the gala included: 2nd Floor Restaurant, in Long Branch; B2 Bistro and Bar, in Red Bank; Blu Grotto, in Oceanport ; Cafe Mumford’s, in Tinton Falls; Culinary Education Center, in Asbury Park; Danny’s Steakhouse, in Red Bank; D’jeet?, in Shrewsbury; Drew’s Bayshore Bistro, in Keyport; Lusty Lobster, in HighLands; Piccola Italia, in Ocean Township; Porcini, in Highlands; Raven and the Peach, in Fair Haven; Salt Creek Grille in Rumson; Semolina Catering, in Atlantic Highlands; Sickles Market, in Little Sliver; The Vintage Cake, in Atlantic Highlands; Trama’s Trattoria, in Long Branch; Tuzzio’s Italian Cuisine, in Long Branch; Val’s Tavern, in Rumson; and Ye Olde Pie Shoppe, in Little Sliver, according to a participated statement.
The gala’s wine, beer and spirits drinks were provided by: Astral Tequila;
Constellation Brands; Folio Fine Wine Partners; J Lohr Vineyards and Wines; Opici Wine Group; Shore Point Distributors; and Stateside Vodka, according to a prepared statement from JOCEF.
Before working at Bay Avenue Trattoria, Farrell said she worked in New York City. Once she got laid off from her job, she decided to go back to cooking and started working for Romanowski.
“I went from making almost $90,000 a year to $10 a hour and I would have worked for [Romanowski] for the rest of my life. I would have worked for him for the rest of my life, it [was] the best job I ever had,” Farrell said.
Farrell said when Romanowski passed away, she and fellow co-founders Weatherspool, Lubcke, Lusty Lobster owner Doug Douty and New Jersey 101.5 “Big” Joe Henry created JOCEF.
“It’s our fifth year we are celebrating. One of [Romanowski’s] things [was] ‘go big or go home,’” Farrell said.
Araneo said he went to the Culinary Education Center and his first restaurant job was with Romanowski.
“It’s great, because I went to culinary school locally and then getting to do my internship with [Romanowski]; this is to raise money for scholarships for the school I went to and then, you know, it’s just paying it forward,” Araneo said.
While sampling various foods, attendees got to participate in a live, silent and chance auctions. Henry was the auctioneer for each auction.
Auction items included: a dinner for eight, courtesy of Salt Creek Grille; a Sunset Cruise to Nowhere, courtesy of Capt. Doug Douty; a custom men’s suit, courtesy of Michael Duru Clothiers; “Wagon of Cheer” Cooler of Premium Liquor, courtesy of Fedway; “Cooler of Deliciousness” premium seafood and meats, courtesy of Tiger’s Tale Restaurant and Lusty Lobster; a gift certificate tree, which was a tropical plant laden with gift certificates from the best restaurants at the Jersey shore; and a Wine Pull.
Attendees also were able to participate in a 50/50 raffle.
Lubcke said the foundation gives out scholarships to students at the Culinary Education Center in May.
“I want to be able to give the scholarships to deserving students that have the same passion that my husband had for the business. I want to see some new Joe Romanowskis coming out of school and if we can help them with a scholarship, then that is what makes me happy,” Lubcke said. “That is my goal: to find other passionate people who can’t maybe continue in their education. … This scholarship can help them out a little bit and they don’t have to work as hard and they can pay more attention to their school and getting their degree.”
For more information about JOCEF visit www.culinaryjoe.org/bio/.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].