Twelve priests and three deacons were among the participants in the 14th annual Clergy Who Cook event on Friday, Jan. 26 at the Pontifical College Josephinum.
The fundraiser for seminarians was presented by the Friends of the Josephinum, an organization of laypeople founded in 1984 to raise money for men in formation for the priesthood. The group provides annual scholarships for seminarians at the Josephinum and funds for medical and dental expenses, books, emergencies and other needed expenses.
The nearly 300 Clergy Who Cook guests, which included 20 seminarians, had the chance during the evening to sample the culinary creations prepared by priests and deacons and vote for their favorites. Approximately $60,000 was raised during the fundraiser.
Winning the Grand Chef award was Father Peter Gideon, administrator of the Scioto Catholic Corsortium of parishes in the Portsmouth area. Father Gideon prepared Jiffy Lobster Newburg, a hot appetizer that “may be assembled in minutes … Let the Crock-Pot be the chef,” he said in describing his recipe.
Father Tom Gardner (right), winner of the People’s Choice award, is joined by Billy Gardner (left) and Maddy Gardner.
The People’s Choice award went to Father Tom Gardner, pastor of Coshocton Sacred Heart and Millersburg St. Peter churches, for his Blondies and Booze dessert.
Deacon Anthony Bonacci of Plain City St. Joseph Church was named Most Creative for his Minestrone Soup and Italian Wedding Soup. Voted Most Complex was an English Trifle dessert created by the team of Father Dylan James, a faculty member at the Josephinum, and the Propadudes, a group of first-year seminarians.
Winners of the Clergy Who Cook’s Most Complex creation were (from left) seminarians Josh Dyke and Leonard Berglund, Father Dylan James and seminarian Aaron Schaefer. Photo courtesy Abigail Pitones
Other chefs were Deacon Daniel Colby, who will be ordained to the priesthood in May, with Brown Sugar Brownies; Father Sean Dooley, pastor at Columbus Our Lady of Peace Church, with Pasta & Chicken Meatballs al Limone; Father Stephen Dominic Hayes, OP, and Father Michael Donovan, OP, from Columbus St. Patrick Priory with Poached Pear Appetizer; Father Michael Lumpe, pastor at Worthington St. Michael Church, with A Taste of Kentucky; Father Timothy Lynch and Deacon Paul Zemanek of Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare Church with Orange-Glazed Chicken & Chorizo Meatballs; and Father Patrick Toner, administrator at Columbus St. Catharine Church, with Salmon Mousse Tarts.
Michael Rhatican, a diocesan seminarian, and Brother Adam Hayden, CMP, a seminarian from the Fathers of Mercy order, served as masters of ceremonies.
Clergy Who Cook donations are still being accepted online at https://apps.pcj.edu/foj-contribution/.
Friends of the Josephinum also sponsors an annual four-mile run/walk in the fall and offers for its members an annual Mass at the Josephinum’s St. Turibius Chapel and a Day of Reflection.
For more information or to become a Friends of the Josephinum member, visit www.pcj.edu/friends.