Catering company president Paul Neuman joins students from Truman High School's culinary arts program as they compete in a cake decorating contest.
Students at Harry Truman High School in the Bronx got to participate in their own version of “Top Chef” earlier this month, when they faced off in a cake decorating contest judged by a former pastry chef at the restaurant Nobu.
Forty students in the school’s Culinary Arts program divided into seven teams and had 20 minutes to decorate cakes using icing, sprinkles, and sophisticated pastry tools.
Before the contest, judge and pastry chef Roni Ross gave a demonstration of baking and professional cake decorating. Students also received guidance from Paul Neuman, president of Neuman’s Catering, which has formed a partnership with the school to increase students’ exposure to culinary arts.
"It's a great experience to have Neuman's Catering come to demonstrate cake decorating. The competition pushed us to achieve the next level," said eleventh-grader Aurea Robles.
Neuman and Ross judged students’ cakes based on uniformity, neatness, appearance and creativity. The winners, eleventh-graders Angelica Greene, Brandi Solomon, and Shemekiah Haughton, were invited to shadow Neuman and colleagues at his company’s bakery to learn more about the industry.
Finding jobs in the culinary industry will be a piece of cake for students in the Culinary Arts program, which has worked with Neuman’s for four years. Through the partnership, organized by the non-profit PENCIL, Neuman’s has provided students with internships, field trips, and career guidance.
"Working with Mr. Neuman during the past three years has helped me plan my career path and inspired me," said Terrence Trotter, a senior.
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