Life is sweet for Culinary Arts students at Delaware County Community College.

Marian Haller of Pottstown, Lucas Jenkins-Michl of West Chester, and Alan Pickering of Coatesville received the People’s Choice Award at Sweet Charity 2024, a Chester County Community Foundation dessert competition among some of the finest restaurants, bakeries, and caterers in the county. The event was held last month at the Whitford Country Club in Exton, and it marked the second year in a row that DCCC students took home a prize.

Haller, Jenkins-Michl, and Pickering put their skills to the test against 11 teams. Named “The Blue and Gold Phantom” in honor of the college’s mascot, their mouthwatering entry was a delectable concoction of cheesecake circles with blueberry compote and lemon curd. DCCC students David Bill of Media, Alex Bedford of Folcroft, and Maxx Atkinson of Landenberg assisted their classmates in preparing for the competition, which supports the foundation’s mission to connect people with causes that matter.

The students worked for several weeks under the guidance of DCCC chef instructor Lynn Lindquist and assistant professor Ruth O’Rourke. 

DCCC’s Culinary Arts program offers a flexible schedule and comprehensive curriculum in which students explore everything from baking to international, ethnic, and regional cuisines, as well as menu planning and food service purchasing. 

Students can pursue a Culinary Arts associate degree or certificate while learning the current industry standard for planning, operation, safe food-handling practices, and record-keeping in a restaurant, catering, or food-service operation. Upon graduation, they are prepared to seek employment in a wide variety of commercial and non-commercial food service operations.