CHILI COOK-OFF JUDGES
Chef Earl R. Arrowood, Jr.
Chef Earl has over 40 years of hospitality industry and culinary experience. Currently he is the Program Coordinator of Chef Apprenticeship and Culinary Arts Programs at Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA. He is a Certified Chef d’ Cuisine, Certified Culinary Educator, and Member of the American Academy of Chefs – A.C.F.
He has been a judge for the Kansas City Barbeque Society and joins the Chili Cook-Off judging team for the sixth year.
Chef Joe Cilenti
As a graduate of Lafayette College in 1994, Joe received a Bachelor of Arts with Majors in Economics and International Affairs. Upon completion, he worked on Wall Street for a short time. In 1996, Joe joined the Carpenters Union Local 157 in New York City, where he gained experience in Labor and Industry. At the time, he formed Cilenti, Inc. for the purpose of historical restoration in the Lehigh Valley, PA. With that, he created and was General Manager of 1902 Associates, as well as Northampton Street Associates. In 1998, Joe was a Board Member for the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of America, as well as a member of the Pomfret Club.
Joe and his family moved to Virginia Beach in 2003 where he was the Executive Vice President for a construction company that built Assisted Living Facilities, Religious Facilities, as well as Tenant Interiors. In 2005, Joe created Commercial Construction Services, LLC and was Managing Member. CCS provided employment for 50+ Carpenters for several years.
In 2009 the family moved to New Hope, and Joe, tired of Construction, incorporated Giuseppe’s Gravy, while simultaneously, his wife Patti incorporated Simply S.O.T.A., an Artist’s Marketplace on Main Street. Patti also wrote a children’s story about their youngest daughter, called What’s That Noise?, based on the sounds of New Hope, and is also an author in the book Embraceable You, also based around New Hope.
Prepared at Mother’s Restaurant on Main St, Giuseppe’s Authentic Sicilian Gravy can be found at 30 locations across four States, and has become increasingly popular. Several of the locations can be found on the website at www.giuseppesgravy.com. Joe has also expanded his catering business including such annual events as the Boy Scouts of America Blue and Gold Banquet, as well as the Bucks County Audubon Society Cabin Fever Fest.
This is the first year Joe will be a Judge for the Winterfest Chili Cook-Off.
Chef Dave Demko
David Demko, the Executive Chef at JustFood, Buckingham, Pa, will be joining us for his rookie season this year. He brings over 15 years of culinary experience. He has held the distinguished position of Executive Chef at Kat Man Du and Champps Restaurant. Dave’s creative catering menus and tasty treats can now be enjoyed every day at JustFood in Buckingham.
Though this is Dave’s first year judging with us, we know we can trust his palate for great “Game Day” foods. www.justfood.com
Geri Delevich
Geri is a life long resident of Bucks County, having spent the last thirty - three years, enjoying living in New Hope. She has served on the Borough Council for the past eleven years and is the Chairperson of Community Affairs. She was the 2006 Lambertville-New Hope Rotary Club Citizen of the Year.
After spending thirty-three years as an elementary school teacher in the Central Bucks School District, Geri retired to seek new challenges. She is the driving force behind Up River Productions, Inc. and the Embraceable You Project. The project has evolved into a documentary, a book and a CD. All three components focus on the embracing qualities of the New Hope community.
The Greater New Hope Chamber of Commerce presented Up River Productions and Embraceable You with the Community Award for 2009. Additional information about Embraceable You can be found at: www.up-river-productions.com.
For those of you who are unaware, Geri does have culinary experience, while attending Bucks County Community College; she was a short order cook for the college and spent her summers in the window of Johnson’s Ice Cream and Candy Shop on the boardwalk at Ocean City. She was a chocolatier, whose job it was to hand dip the chocolates and make non- pareils. These days Geri loves when someone else is doing the cooking. This will be Geri’s second year as chili cook-off judge.
Chef Linda Jacobs
Linda Jacobs is the Chef/owner of Soup to Nuts Caterering in Washington Crossing, PA. Soup to Nuts is the 2009 Winner of the Bride’s Choice Award by Weddingwire.com, as well as the 2008 Inquirer’s Neighbor’s Choice Awards for Best Caterer in Bucks County.
Linda’s culinary career began when she graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. 2009 was an exciting year for Soup to Nuts Catering, her business was given the opportunity to participate in several local Farm Dinners with an emphasis on local fresh produce, including her participation with the New Hope Farmers Market farm dinner. Soup to Nuts niche continues to grow including becoming a favorite for vegans offering many vegetarian options for fine dining. For many years she worked as a Chef at many fine dining restaurants on both the east and west coasts.
For more than ten years now, Linda has combined her classical training with Grandma’s homemade cooking to create Simple Elegance and traditional comfort foods. Soup to Nuts offers home entertaining, weddings, special festivities, corporate catering and more. For more information visit her web site at: www.souptonutscuisine.com. This will be Linda’s second year as a judge for the chili cook-off.
Janet McLaughlin
Janet McLaughlin has been a Commissioner on the Ewing Township Redevelopment Agency for the past eleven years as well as serving on Ewing Township Site Review Committee for eight years. She enjoys cooking classes at local colleges and entertaining at home. Mrs. McLaughlin is a seasoned veteran chili cook-off judge, 2010 will be her sixth time.
Chef Thomas C. Schmierer
Thomas Schmierer has been working in the restaurant industry for thirty nine years. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors for The New Jersey Restaurant Association, having served for the past ten years. He also serves on the New Jersey Alcoholic Beverage Control Advisory Board, The NJ Department of Health, Senior Services Advisory Board as well as the NJ Produce Safety Task Force for the NJ Department of Agriculture. He is also a certified instructor for both ServSafe Food and ServSafe Alcohol. He owned and operated the Alchemist & Barrister Restaurant located in Princeton, NJ for twenty nine years. He began his career at the restaurant as the Executive Chef before becoming the General Manager/Owner. This will be Thomas’ first year as a judge for the Chili Cook-Off; however, he and his family have been fans and attendees for years.
