Penn Manor MAY 24, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
Penn Manor graduate selected for internship at Kentucky Derby BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
or over a century, droves of spectators have flocked to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. for the annual Kentucky Derby. The sheer scale of the event, combined with the number of VIP guests who attend it, means that
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the hospitality staff must include elite chefs from across the country. For the 149th annual Kentucky Derby on May 6, Penn Manor High School graduate Carter Gordon joined the kitchen team at Churchill Downs through a partnership with Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT).
Carter Gordon
Gordon is one of 23 students from PCT’s business and hospitality division who were selected for a paid internship for derby week at Churchill Downs. Staff members from Levy Restaurants, which provides hospitality services for the Kentucky Derby every year, interviewed students at PCT to find the young chefs who would be able to meet the event’s high-end and high-volume demand. Students from PCT have been selected to staff the kitchens at Churchill Downs every year since 1994 as a way for them to gain experience while working beside expert chefs in a prestigious environment. “Carter has done a terrific job at the college. He has great technical skills but also a great attitude,” said Charles Niedermyer, instructor of baking, pastry arts and culinary arts at PCT. Gordon graduated from Penn Manor High School in 2022 and attends PCT in the baking and pastry arts certificate program. Although he first became interested in the culinary world as a cook, he shifted his focus to baking while at home during the coronavirus pandemic. PCT students working derby week were accompanied by Niedermyer and Mike Dinan, sous chef for Le Jeune Chef Restaurant on PCT’s campus. The group traveled to Churchill Downs on the Monday prior to the race so the students could attend orientation, and the prep work began the next morning. “We’re cooking right out
of the gate. It’s five days of intense, hands-on work leading up to the race itself,” Niedermyer said. “There’s so much for students to participate in and learn from. Our students are exposed to a very high caliber of professionals.” Niedermyer added that many PCT alumni now work for Levy Restaurants at the event. “The biggest challenge I faced was keeping up with the amount of food I needed to serve,” Gordon said. “I was in charge of supplying some buffet lines on a floor and toward the end of the week, I was serving up to 1,000 people each day.” In the world of massive sporting events, the Kentucky Derby has unique challenges for its hospitality staff. For events such as football championships or the Olympics, spectators receive their food and then sit down to watch the game. The Kentucky Derby, however, is a race that lasts for only two minutes, which means that spectators spend much more time engaging socially and enjoying the food. The festivities are not limited to the day of the race, either. Horse races happen throughout the week and guests are constantly on the property, so the kitchen staff has to be ready to prepare a lunch for thousands of people. “I feel that my time at the derby gave me more insight into what I’d want to pursue in my career,” Gordon said. “I have thought about catering, and this just showed me some of the work going on behind the scenes.”
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Fans of the year BY ADRIAN ESCHENWALD
On April 26, Katie Overly and her son, Bryce Rhoades, of Willow Street traveled to Kansas City, Mo., for the 2023 National Football League (NFL) draft. Overly and Rhoades, who is a student at Marticville Middle School in Pequea, were invited to attend the event to represent their favorite football team: the Baltimore Ravens. Dressed from head to toe in their team’s colors of black and purple, the motherand-son duo got to meet other fans and players and announced two of the Ravens’ official draft picks. “When we first got there, I was impressed with how friendly and kind everyone was,” Overly said. “Everyone was so welcoming and supportive of every team.” Upon arriving in Kansas City, Overly and Rhoades traveled to Union Station, where a variety of activities were offered over the course of the three-day event. Players signed autographs, and kids had a chance to participate in football kicking and throwing contests. When it came time for the actual draft announcements, fans sat in designated areas for their respective teams. Overly and Rhoades were front and center in the Ravens’ section. On the third day of the event, Overly was invited to announce the Ravens’ 124th draft pick of Tavius Robinson, and Rhoades announced the team’s 157th draft pick of Kyu Blu Kelly. They See Football fans pg 8
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