Newbury College - Newbury News - Alumni Chef Series

Spring 2009

Newbury's esteemed Roger A. Saunders School of Hotel & Restaurant Management not only provides career relevant education for future chefs - it also has built an impressive group of alumni celebrity chefs who come back to the Weltman Dining Room at Newbury each semester.

Through the Alumni Chef Series, created by associate professor and culinary chef Madonna Berry in 2006, Weltman Dining Room guests are treated to a delectable event. The alumni chef works with Chef Berry and her students to prepare a special, off-the-menu, dining event. The Alumni Chef Series has been well received by guests and by the students who work side by side in an innovative real world classroom with a seasoned chef whose own culinary career began in the same kitchen.

The following alumni chefs are confirmed to date in the Weltman Dining Room on the following dates.

April 6
Alumni Guest Chef
Stephen Nolin, CCC, CFSM
Executive Chef, Stonehill College

After graduating from Newbury College in 1987 Stephen Nolin worked at area restaurants in southern Massachusetts, then secured a position with the Sheraton Hotel chain in 1991.

Mr. Nolan worked under a German chef and learned much about himself and food, including a sit-down dinner for 5500 people for WGBH that established his interests in high-end catering.

Transferred to Miami in 1993, Nolin was involved in all aspects of the kitchen: sauces, butcher shop, fine dinning room and catering. He did many high-end catering functions, including a party for President Clinton for 5000 guests (his first experience with secret service men; he worked with the chef to build the plate for the presidential meal and was the point person for the security detail in the kitchen.)

Transferred again, to Delaware, 6 months into his job the chef was fired. At the time of his transfer, Delaware had a 106% food cost and the worst reputation of all suite properties in the country; within six months the property had turned around to become the best in the country and all costs were in line.

Stephen Nolin found his first executive chef's position in 1996 with a restaurant called the Back Burner. Within a year it was the number one restaurant in the state and was rated by Zagat #23 out of the top 100 in the Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania area.

At Rodney Square Club, a private city club in Delaware, he was given free rein to create wine dinners and holiday meals. Nolin produced a 4 course luncheon menu for all the countries represented by Dole Importers, international delegates of 80 countries, the Chilean ambassador and governor of Delaware.

As a corporate chef with MBNA, Nolin led a team of 15 cooks who fed 2200 employees two meals a day. He was also involved in a BBQ for 25,000 people and cooked for President George Bush (Sr.).

After moving to California with his wife, he began working for Sodexo, working all over the West Coast from San Diego to Washington state as well as Phoenix and Arizona, doing functions and high-end catering. Now back on the East Coast, he is the Executive Chef at Stonehill College in Easton, MA.

Awards
Manager of the Year for the Western Region, Sodexho 2007
Rookie of the Year Nominee, Sodexho 2007
Service Award Nominee, Sodexho 2007
Spirit of Sodexho Award for Safety 2003
Spirit of Sodexho Award for Diversity 2002
Winner of Multi-District Cooking Competition 2001
Manager of the Quarter Sheraton Hotels 1992

Spring 2009

Alumni chefs from past semesters

Fall 2008

Spring 2008

Fall 2007

Spring 2007

Fall 2006