Meet the Faculty

Tony Pisacano
Culinary Arts Instructor

Office: Rm 839
Occupational Studies Bldg.
912.688.6029
apisacano@ogeecheetech.edu

A native of Long Island, NY, Chef Tony Pisacano earned his Associates degree in Culinary Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park Campus. Chef Tony began his career at the Williamsburg Inn in Virginia, working for Marcel Desaunliers, author of “Death by Chocolate”. He then moved on to become Chef at Il Fornaio, an Italian restaurant and bakery in Beverly Hills, CA, where he cooked for such celebrities as Barbara Streisand, Orson Wells, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others.

Throughout his thirty plus years in the foodservice industry, Chef Tony enjoyed a busy and fulfilling career as Executive Chef for The Edgewater Hotel and Casino, in Laughlin NV, (a division of Circus Circus), and as Food and Beverage Manager for a resort in Scottsdale, AZ.

Chef Tony is the lead culinary instructor for Ogeechee Tech and has been teaching here since 2003.

Bryan Richard
Culinary Arts Instructor

Office: Rm 839
Occupational Studies Bldg.
912.688.6030
brichard@ogeecheetech.edu

Raised just outside of Philadelphia, in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, a boyhood dream of being a chef drove Chef Bryan Richard to fulfill this passion of the culinary world.

Once out of high school, he began studying Political Science at Kutztown University. However his dream of a culinary career remained. With the unattractive future politics posed, Chef Bryan chose to make the shift into Culinary Arts, thus changing his life forever. After Kutztown University he continued his education at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, obtaining his Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts.

After graduation, Chef Bryan then honed his skills for the next six years in the Philadelphia area, working in places such as: The Valley Forge Brewing Company, Pistachio Bar and Grille, as well as other culinary endeavors. After moving to Savannah with his wife in 2001, he continued his career as Executive Chef of Tango Restaurant on Tybee Island. He was also Executive Chef of the Cobblestone Conch House in Savannah and served a short stint running the brigade at The New South Café.

At Ogeechee Technical College, Chef Bryan strives to teach, lead, and inspire as an instructor of the new generation of food service professionals.

Happenings

Students Participate in First Friday

Graduate Featured

Program Announces Luncheons

Links

www.beryls.com
www.bakedeco.com
www.pastrychef.com
www.progressivebaker.com
www.sugarcraft.com
www.foodallergy.org
www.restaurant.org

Other Information

• Culinary students may become Servsafe ® certified after successfully completing the program class CUUL 1110 Culinary Safety and Sanitation.
  

• Students can also choose to become certified through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) Managefirst program in the following areas: Nutrition, Cost Control, and Hospitality and Restaurant Management.
  

• Uniform/Knife Kit package is required beginning with CUUL 1000 Fundamentals of Culinary Arts.

• Medical Tests, including TB Test, and Hepatitis B Series are required by mid-term of the first semester. (Costs are estimates and are subject to change.)

• Students who are interested in certifications that are not offered through the Culinary Arts program, can find more information on the American Culinary Federation (ACF) website.

Program Goals

1. The objective of the Culinary Arts program and its instructors is to ensure that our students obtain a comprehensive knowledge of the Culinary Arts.

2. Upon completing the program, Culinary Arts students will be able to enter the food service industry with the necessary skills required to prepare food dishes, based on the standards set by the TCSG and the American Culinary Federation (ACF).

3. The students gain knowledge through hands-on training coupled with lectures that parallel lab work. The Culinary Arts program ensures that the student are well-versed in such areas as pastry and bread baking, international cuisines, nutrition and menu planning, food service sanitation and safety, purchasing, garde manger and pantry, classical cuisine, American regional cuisine, front of the house service, and supervisory management, along with the history and professionalism of the Culinary Arts.

4. Our students, through dedication and hard work, can aspire to become the next "Top Chef".