2009 Award Recipient
Nicholas A. Mercagliano, CC
How I Came to Love Cooking
From a young boy, I would watch with fascination as my Grandmother cooked meals for our family. Her food was so delicious. As I got older, she would let me help with the mixing and ingredients, and she would explain what she was doing. I took a big interest in what went into a recipe and how the food was cooked.
By the age of thirteen, I was applying to high school, I found out about Freehold Boro High School's culinary program combined with a high school education. I knew then that my passion was cooking, so I applied and was accepted.
I was learning the basics of cooking from culinary experts in the program. That same year, I landed a job as a bus-boy at a small local restaurant named Christopher's Cafe. That is where I met Christopher Klopsis, the owner, and Executive Chef. While performing my bussing duties, I could not contain my fascination with what else was going on in the restaurant. Every opportunity I had, I would speak with Chris. He was more than eager to explain the workings of the restaurant and explain, or brag about, how he prepared some of his special dishes. Chris saw something in my desire and my abilities. He quickly moved my job responsibilities into the kitchen. Here I was, at the age of fifteen, working side by side with a great chef in his kitchen. Chris was amazing. He took the time to show me his techniques. He taught me the basics of recipes and many of his own special recipes. He even took me on his shopping trips and explained how and why he was buying all different food and supplies for his restaurant.
Chris explained the business from the chef s perspective. He loved his profession. You could hear it when he talked about his career. You could see the pride in his face when he talked about "Christopher's Cafe". I was hooked. I knew that I was definitely becoming a chef and I was going to own my own restaurant someday. I worked with Chris for a little over two years. He was not only my boss, but also my mentor and my friend. Unfortunately, medical problems forced Chris to make the hard decision to sell his beloved restaurant. We still keep in touch regularly. I still work for Christopher's Cafe. The new owner, Jimmy, has been adding a little of his own touches to the original menu. It has been a continuing learning experience, but he relies on me, now one of his part-time head cooks, to prepare and present some of Chris' legacy dishes. My Grandmother passed away last year. I now cook meals and individually package them for my Grandfather to take home. He never learned how to cook anything. He compliments me on how if he closed his eyes, he would swear that my Grandmother had made them for him. These are some of her precious recipes that I will hold dear forever.
I am graduating this year from the culinary program. I plan on continuing my education by pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America. I applied early and was accepted in October 2008 to start this upcoming summer. I hope that an education from CIA will build upon my passion for food, and give me the background, skills, and creativity, to become a leader in the culinary profession, and one day become the proud Owner/Executive Chef of several of my own restaurants.
An update from Nicholas Mercagliano - Dated 05/17/2011
I am a recipient of the Anthony Greco III Culinary Scholarship. I graduated from the Freehold High School Culinary Arts Academy in 2009. During high school, I took independent certification classes and achieved certification from the American Culinary Federation as a certified culinarian. I accomplished this at the age of seventeen; making me one of the nation’s youngest certified Culinarians. While attending school, I gained professional work experience at a local restaurant, Christopher’s Café, in Colts Neck, New Jersey. I also participated in operating the school's public, Five Star Café. I independently studied to obtain certification from the National Restaurant Association in ServSafe: Food Safety, as well as ServSafe: Alcohol Certification. I also became a certified as a ServSafe instructor and registered examination proctor. I won second place in the SkillsUSA - NJ State Culinary Arts Competition, in May 2009, and a partial scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America.
I continued my education at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), where I earned my associate degree in Culinary Arts in April 2011. While at CIA, I completed a six month externship at The Bay Head Yacht Club, in Bay Head, New Jersey. I am currently employed with Gourmet Dining Services, as a Kitchen Supervisor/Chef at Cougar's Den dining facility, on campus of Kean University. I oversee a kitchen staff of ten and I am responsible for the menu, ordering, and cost control. I am also pursuing a bachelors degree in Culinary Management from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College. I am a member of the American Culinary Federation, the Jersey Shore Chefs Association, and the New Jersey Bakers Association.