Pikes Peak State College's 7th Annual Fran Folsom Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund Dinner,
the region's premier student-driven culinary event, is planned for April 14 at its
new location, the Garden of the Gods Club, 3314 Mesa Road.
Proceeds from the dinner will fund the highly competitive PPSC Fran Folsom Culinary
Arts Scholarship, which provides full tuition for the final year of culinary arts
study for students who show both academic and practical excellence. The success of
last year's dinner resulted in nine students receiving scholarships this year, more
than ever before.
The PPSC Culinary Arts program achieves a 95% job placement rate and many graduates
stay in the region. The student chefs at the dinner are the future of our area's culinary
scene. Guests attending the dinner will be the first to taste that future.
For several months, PPSC culinary students have worked closely with faculty and community
mentors -- Andres Velez, Chef/Owner, Pig Latin Cocina and Josh Davies, Executive Chef,
Sonterra Grill -- to guide them through the process of developing the menu refining
each recipe and taking their skills to the next level in order to perfect the ultimate
feast.
Students presented their finished plates to a panel of judges, including Folsom, Lisa
James of the PPSC Foundation and PPSC Dean/Chef Rob Hudson. Input received helped
them fine-tune and finalize the menu.
The event, hosted this year by John and Becky Medved, begins with a wide variety of
passed hors d'oeuvres paired with wines. The four-course meal will include salad,
a fish course featuring prosciutto-wrapped scallops, an entrée featuring osso bucco
alla milanese and a dessert trio. Wine pairings for each course have been provided
by Sovereignty Wines.
The event honors Fran Folsom, whose gourmet tastes and talents have made her a long-time
star in the local culinary community.
Tickets are available at ppcc.edu/franfolsom or by calling (719) 502-2013. Ticket
prices start at $150. Please rsvp by April 5. The venue has limited seating and the
dinner has historically sold out.
Event Details:
Sunday, April 14, 2019
5 p.m. l wine & hors d'oeuvres
6 p.m. l dinner
Garden of the Gods Club
3314 Mesa Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
About Fran Folsom
Fran Folsom, a local legend, has helped elevate the level of culinary awareness in
our community. Her background includes extensive travel where she has dined in cutting
edge restaurants, cooked in front of large audiences and met many culinary legends.
After years with Hotpoint Division of General Electric, Fran opened the Broadmoor
Cooking School, served as Food and Wine Columnist of Colorado Springs Sun and was
instrumental in the creation of the ACF Chef's Gala Benefi
About PPSC Culinary Arts
The PPSC Culinary Arts Program is the largest culinary program in the region. Serving
more than 460 students and generating more than 95 graduates annually to meet the
demands of the culinary industry, PPSC offers both certificates and associate degrees
in a wide range of culinary fields, including Baking and Pastry, Culinary Arts, Food
Service Management, and Sustainability and Dietary Cuisine. Graduates are certified
as either a Certified Culinarian or Certified Pastry Culinarian. Our graduates have
a 95% employment rate upon graduation and the program received an Exemplary Status
by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accreditation Committee.
About Pikes Peak State College
Established in 1968 and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, PPSC offers
associate degrees and certifications in career and technical fields and its first
bachelor degree starting fall 2018. With three campuses, two learning centers and
two military education centers, PPSC provides access to a quality, affordable and
flexible education to 20,000 students annually.