SUNDAY SUPPER
May 5th, 2024
HIRAM HOUSE CAMP
Join us for a one of a kind
CAMP THEMED DINNER benefiting
The Hiram House Campership Fund
Sunday Supper will be prepared by several of Northeast Ohio’s finest Chef’s. Each featured Chef will prepare a main course and a side, including veggie, seafood, pasta, pork, chicken and beef. Appetizers will be prepared by Normandy Catering and dessert by ______________ . Sunday Supper will also include open bar, valet parking, music by TWEED, bonfire, drinks and a signature “BUG JUICE” cocktail.
Featuring:
Cru Uncorked- Chef Sam Lesniak
Coppia- Chef Talia Trovato and Chef Hedy Trovato
Lopez- Restaurateur Brad Friedlander
Stancato’s
Aramark-Chef Steve Schimoler
Normandy Catering-Executive Chef James Thornton
Camp Schedule:
4pm-5pm Camp Cocktails, Appetizers and Music
5pm Dinner Bell
5pm-7pm Buffet Dinner, Drinks, Dessert
7pm-8pm Bonfire (Join us around the fire for our Cinco de Mayo After Party with tequila tastings and cigars. See Tickets for additional information)
Thank you for joining us and come hungry!
Cru Uncorked
Chef John Stropki
John Stropki is the Executive Head Chef at Cru Uncorked. A Cleveland native, John studied at The Culinary Institute of America and The French Pastry School. He apprenticed with American Culinary Federation and has experience in a variety of hospitality offerings including hotels, restaurants, clubs and corporate dining. The artistry of the craft drew him to the industry after high school.
He is passionate about plate design, pastry proficiency and culinary education. As the Executive Head Chef at Cru Uncorked, John feels blessed to express his vision as a chef work while working with the highest integrity ingredients at this world-class organization.
Edwins
Chef Brandon Chrostowski
Founder, CEO and president of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, Brandon Edwin Chrostowski is renowned for changing culinary and hospitality training—in and out of the nation’s prisons—while preserving French cooking traditions. His mission-driven effort to train and staff former prison inmates at his flagship French restaurant and nonprofit has created a national model for re-entry and an educational pipeline for formerly incarcerated to learn the discipline and skill of fine dining. A classically trained chef and sommelier, Chrostowski honed his skills at fine dining establishments in Paris, New York, and Chicago, including Lucas Carton, Chanterelle, Picholine, Le Cirque and Charlie Trotter’s.
Recognition of his culinary efforts include 2022 James Beard Award Semifinalist; IFMA’s 2020 Silver Plate, CNN 2016 Heroes, Crain’s “40 under 40” Awards; The Richard C. Cornuelle Award from the Manhattan Institute for Social Entrepreneurship; being featured as the subject of the Academy Award nominated documentary Knife Skills; and features in notable national media outlets, including The New York Times, Washington Post and TODAY. Chrostowski earned an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Restaurant Management from The Culinary Institute of America. He resides in Cleveland with his wife Catana and their children, Leo, Lilly and Lynx.
JoJo's Bar
Chef Rob Records
Chef Rob Records’ favorite way to research and brainstorm new recipes is to travel around the country — and to eat everything he possibly can in each place he visits. The veteran chef from North Olmsted brings back everything he learns and finds a way to work the best of it into his menus here at home. Which includes work at Lindey’s Lake House and Cedar Creek Grill and Bar Italia. Chef Records also spent 10 years as the Executive Chef of Johnny’s Bar in downtown Cleveland.
Chef Rob Records opened JoJo’s Bar in 2021. JoJo’s Bar is a modern take on the Italian-American Steakhouse tradition. It references the flavors, style and timeless flair of this classic genre. Chef Rob Records runs the kitchen, which produces a menu that offers “prime steaks” and “prime Italian” foods. It also offers soups, desserts, assorted bar foods, select coffee drinks and a number of cocktails.
Normandy Catering
Executive Chef James Thornton
Normandy Catering’s Executive Chef James Thornton has been working in the Cleveland restaurant and catering scene for over 20 years. He was awarded Ohio’s first AAA Five diamond certification for his contributions, as well as winning many local and national culinary competitions.
Always eager to expand his culinary skills, James has extensive world travels in which he has learned authentic cooking techniques from France, Switzerland, Brazil, Japan, Greece, Peru, Colombia, Spain, Thailand, Egypt and beyond.
Fun Fact: Normandy Catering is Hiram House’s exclusive meal service for summer camp, school camp and weekend retreat!
Thyme2
Chef John Kolar
Thyme 2’s John Kolar didn’t even start cooking until he was almost 30. Fast forward a couple of decades and he is one of the most respected and highly-trained executive chefs this culinary scene has to offer. All through high school, Kolar and his brothers worked at the family business – K&K Portage Market, a provider of meats on Cleveland’s west side dating back four generations of Kolars. A family friend got Kolar in at Moxie in Beachwood, where he worked with renowned Cleveland chef Doug Katz. Katz is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. This inspired Kolar to further his education, as well. So he and wife Kathy checked out CIA, and before the newlyweds knew it, they were moving to New York. Kolar would go on to excel at CIA and then work with some of the industry’s best.
The chef who would eventually train Kolar? None other than French-American culinary sensation Jean-Georges Vongerichten, one of the most famous chefs in the world, who operates restaurants in not only New York, but Las Vegas, London, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo and beyond.
Thyme 2 is located at 113 West Smith Road in Medina. Note: there is no parking on Smith Road. Use City of Medina Lot 4 located on the west side of South Court Street between Smith and Washington.
Dukes N' Boots
Chef Dante Boccuzzi
The opening of his signature DANTE in the popular Tremont section of Cleveland in January 2010 won instantaneous rave reviews. All of this from someone who at the age of 14, while going to high school, began his culinary training working in local Cleveland restaurants. In 1991, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began his career at Charlie Palmer’s New York acclaimed restaurant, Aureole. Boccuzzi spent three years in Europe working in Italy, France, and England, learning techniques in award-winning restaurants such as London’s L’Escargot, the famed Les Muscadin in Mougins France and the Michelin three-star Gualtiero Marchesi in Brescia, Italy. Boccuzzi also spent time in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan in his pursuit to explore influential culinary traditions from around the world.
In 1997, Boccuzzi returned to the states to head Silks at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco where he earned two James Beard nominations for Rising Star Chef. In the late 90’s Boccuzzi moved to Milan, Italy to become the executive chef at Nobu/Milan, working directly with Nobu Matsuhisa and Giorgio Armani at the Armani flagship establishment.
In 2002, Boccuzzi returned to Aureole as executive chef, where he was selected by Star Chefs as one of their first Rising Stars. Under his leadership, Aureole earned its first Michelin star in 2006. Returning home to Cleveland, Boccuzzi opened Dante in 2007, moving the location to the hot restaurant row in Cleveland’s Tremont section in 2010. His dreams continue to become a reality with the opening of Ginko in 2011, a New York Times acclaimed sushi restaurant located in Tremont, featuring a traditional style sushi and a modern Japanese cuisine. In 2012, DBA in Akron opened, followed by Dante Next Door in 2014. Coda, a live music venue, featuring small plates, local beer and local, national, and international musical acts opened in 2015, Dante’s Inferno at Progressive Field in 2016, Northside Speakeasy in 2016, Goma in 2021 and his newest Dukes N’ Boots this spring. Dante also appeared on Guys Grocery Games featuring fellow James Beard nominees.
Flour
Chef Matt Mytro
Matthew Mytro never considered anything other than cooking. It simply felt natural and he quickly became determined to find a way to turn this raw instinct for food into something real. At 19, he sold his collection of turntables and used every last dime on cookbooks and never looked back. A fellow Clevelander, Mytro attended Euclid High School. Upon graduating, he literally begged for a job at Chefs for Hire catering. As part of his responsibilities, he had to wash dishes by hand. The sooner he was done, the sooner they would allow him mirror other chefs, learning and practicing. Mytro spent four years at the catering company, working his way up from dishwasher to a promising sous chef. Here, Mytro was exposed a wide spectrum of events and gatherings, from intimate dinner parties to lavish weddings, corporate parties and bar mitzvahs. He tirelessly worked above and beyond what was asked of him to further craft his education and skills.
From there, Mytro caught the attention of Boulevard Blue and Paladar where he helped run these kitchens, developing the menus and training others. His efforts named him Best New Chef in 2007 via Scene Magazine. Mytro left Cleveland for a bit and spent time at Boca Raton Resort and Club and was part of the grand opening at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando where he ran the kitchen. He eventually returned home when chef Paul Minnillo – someone he grew up admiring – saw a genuine talent and passion in Mytro and brought him to Flour as his executive chef. Mytro knew the opportunity to cook with and learn from Minnillo was something he could never pass up.
At Flour, chef Mytro has helped craft a menu based on the seasons, balancing texture with flavor and presentation. He views the kitchen as his playground and has a genuine desire to please, delight and surprise each diner. And it’s working, as Mytro continues to receive accolades and props from local media and food bloggers alike. The combination of chefs Minnillo and Mytro has even earned Flour the reputation as Cleveland’s best Italian restaurant by none other than Iron Chef Michael Symon. In 2012, Minnillo made Mytro a partner in the restaurant, further solidifying their relationship and proving that the concept and partnership of these two minds and talents works – and works well. That partnership and admiration for each other has grown beyond their flagship restaurant. Today, their work now includes the launch of the Flour Pizza Co at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Flour Pasta Company, handmade pasta sold at many regional grocers, and has significantly grown the catering arm of the restaurant into one of the most well-respected and sought-after caterers within Northeast Ohio.
Luna Bakery & Cafe
Pastry Chef Bridget Thibeault
Bridget Thibeault, chef/owner of Luna Bakery & Cafe, began her career in advertising in Chicago after earning a degree from Marquette University. A love for cooking and creativity led her to make a career change at age 29 where she earned a culinary degree from the Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Bridget moved to NYC to become a food stylist and launched Flour Girl, her cake/pastry business. She returned to Chicago in 2004 to work as culinary director at a culinary consulting firm, doing recipe development, writing, testing and product ideation.
In 2006, Bridget relocated to her hometown of Cleveland, working as pastry chef at Fire Food & Drink while growing Flour Girl. In 2011, she partnered with The Stone Oven Bakery to open Luna Bakery & Cafe. Luna, a cozy European-style pastry shop & cafe in Cleveland Heights, offers fresh breakfast, lunch and dinner options including crepes, salads, paninis and local coffee. Specialties include made-from-scratch pastries and wedding cakes. In early 2017 Bridget bought her partners shares of Luna and is now the sole owner of the business. Luna opened a 2nd location in Moreland Hills in June of 2018, opened a production facility in midtown Cleveland in 2021 where they create their croissants, wedding cakes, sugar cookies and macaron.
Bridget just signed a lease on a downtown Luna location with plans to open in June 2023. Bridget is a member of EO (Entrepreneur Organization), Cleveland Independents, and a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program. Bridget lives in Shaker Heights with her husband, 13 year old son and 8 year old daughter.
Kenny Crumpton
Fox 8's Kenny Crumpton
Kenny Crumpton arrived at WJW in the winter of 1999 from KJEO-TV in sunny Fresno, Calif. His adventures on Fox 8 News in The Morning started on a cold day. Shortly after viewers toured his “empty” apartment, they found him swimming with dolphins in 19 degree weather!
His antics have placed him standing atop Terminal Tower (575 feet above ground), wrestling a bear, jumping off a 30-foot platform into Lake Erie, skydiving out of a plane at 12,000 feet, riding a circus elephant, feeding a 500 pound tiger “inside” the cage, hanging out in a shark tank with eight sharks and trading steps with Broadway-great Ben Vereen.
When he’s not pushing the envelope for viewers, Kenny served on the boards of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s ” Halloween Bash” and The Celebrity Soul Food Cook-off. He has also helped raise money for the Easter Seals, United Way Foundation, Cleveland Food Bank, NFL Charities, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Diabetes Association, to name a few.
Sunday Supper Co-Chairs
Tim Angbrandt ♦ Malcolm Chandler ♦ Salwa Clemenson ♦ Roberta Gerz ♦ Carol Nicolai ♦ Courtney Nicolai ♦ Jackie Rothstein ♦ Michele Rothstein ♦ Steve Schimoler ♦ Jessica Trioke ♦ Nicole Twells ♦ Scott Wachsberger ♦