Attendees of NCC’s Food and Wine Gala enjoyed The Art of Food

As beautiful as it was delicious, The Art of Food was the theme of this year’s Northampton Community College (NCC) Food & Wine Gala. 

“Your presence tonight is a powerful expression of your belief in our students and in the life-changing impact of NCC,” President of NCC, David A. Ruth, Ph.D., said to the room of nearly 400 gala attendees. 

On May 29, donors, sponsors, and community members spent their evening at the NCC Bethlehem campus in support of NCC students. The Food & Wine Gala has provided over $3.1 million in scholarships since its inception. Seventy percent of NCC students worry about having enough funds to pay for school, and scholarships raised during events like these help students focus on their education without taking on additional financial burden. 

“We are deeply grateful to Mike and Diane Molewsi for their visionary leadership in bringing this event to life 17 years ago, which continues to inspire its success today,” said Dr. Ruth. Now, co-chairs, Ashley Russo and Anthony Onorata, have continued to lead an event that makes a profound impact on the lives of NCC students. 
 
For the third year in a row, the gala was headlined by Chris Cree, master of wine and founder of Cree Wine Company, and Ashley Russo, co-founder and chief community & culture officer of Turnstone Creative and CEO at Magnaplate,   who served as the Master of Ceremonies. An exciting new addition this year was Christopher Heath, executive corporate chef for Paxos Restaurants, who directed NCC’s culinary students on this year’s vision for the menu.   

“Paxos has been hiring from NCC for 20 years, and today, I have lots of students and alum throughout all of our restaurants. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without the exceptional work from students who attend this institution,” Heath said. 

The atmosphere embodied The Art of Food theme, transforming the evening into a celebration of creativity in all its forms. During the cocktail hour, NCC art students, Jess Easley,  Jacob Talijan, and Akira Roman, sketched thoughtfully arranged food still life, inviting guests to observe the artistic process in real time. Their work was displayed alongside a curated collection of student pieces, including past and present winners of the Patrick J. Kraus Freshman Drawing Competition, creating a vibrant showcase of emerging talent. Additionally, NCC Summer Theatre students treated attendees to another art form and sang a piece from A Chorus Line during dinner. 

Lucas Wolk, NCC Alumni Board member and director of community impact at Education Voters of PA, spoke of the impact the College made in his own life. "In 2020, I made the decision to enroll at NCC, about six weeks after losing my job due to the COVID pandemic. My wife and I had just bought our first home. One morning, I woke up without a job, without a plan, and honestly, without much confidence in what came next."

The space itself was a work of art, adorned in a striking palette of black and white punctuated by bold crimson accents, evoking the playful sophistication of the iconic MacKenzie-Childs aesthetic. Floral centerpieces intertwined fruits and vegetables among their blooms, offering a vivid and literal interpretation of food as art. 

Attendees enjoyed a cocktail hour featuring an open bar, passed appetizers, charcuterie and small bites.  

At the heart of the evening was an exquisite three-course meal curated by Chef Heath, artfully matched with three of Cree’s favorite wines. Guests enjoyed a microgreen salad that featured fresh mission figs and green goddess and white peach balsamic paired with Sylvain Morey Bastide Du Claux Chardonnay Echo Vaucluse IGP 2024; herb breadcrumb crusted Chilean seabass with spaghetti squash paired with Danilo Thomain Enfer D’arvier 2024; and braised boneless beef short rib with mushroom stuffed cippolini onion-fondant paired with Pichon Comtesse Reserve Pauillac 2019. Cree educated guests on the history of the wines and how they complemented their meal as they sipped. 

After dinner, guests were treated to music from The Weekenders. The sweet ending to the evening consisted of flambéed strawberry shortcake, hand-piped cannoli, and an assortment of petit desserts. 

A live action featured a one-of-a-kind Martin D-11 Food & Wine Guitar created especially for the evening; a curated Chris Cree Wine Experience; a week at one of Avalon, N.J.’s most sought-after properties; a New York City getaway; a rare series of Silver Oak wines from both Napa Valley and Alexander Valley; and the opportunity for guests to contribute directly to scholarships that impact the lives of NCC students.  

Beyond the extraordinary setting, lively entertainment, top-tier food and fine wine, the evening was a celebration of a community that believes in the power of education to transform lives.  

Thank you to this year’s sponsors and partners for a wonderful and successful evening. See images from the gala below!