As the school year wraps up, all of us here at Culinary Crossroads would like to congratulate our first two Hardesty Scholars on a great year!
Working with the Hardesty family and Ivy Tech Community College, Culinary Crossroads awarded the first Chef Greg Hardesty Scholarships to culinary students Ethan Wise and Katherine Aliff for the 2023-24 school year. Honoring the legacy of late Chef Greg Hardesty, the scholarships are awarded annually to Ivy Tech culinary students who demonstrate talent, leadership and dedication to the craft of cooking. Chef Hardesty, who passed away in the spring of 2021, left an indelible legacy through the training and mentoring of many of Indy’s premier chefs.
Ethan Wise of Covington, Ind., credits his mom with starting him on his culinary journey. From helping at home with meals to making dinner himself and eventually starting his own baked goods business, Ethan developed a passion for the culinary field and has a goal of owning his own business. He currently cooks at The Local, a farm-to-table restaurant in Covington and volunteered at our Culinary Crossroads Spring Dinner Series.
Baking has always been a part of New Ross, Ind., resident Katherine Aliff’s life, and she has known she wanted to pursue a career in culinary arts since sixth grade. Aliff says her goals in the culinary and baking pastry industry are to work as a pastry chef in a restaurant or hotel and gain experience to eventually own her own bakery or cafe.
Another round of scholarships will be awarded for the 2024-25 school year, noted Culinary Crossroads founder and director Larry Dickerson, with a goal to expand to other Ivy Tech campuses.
“Chef Greg Hardesty was a mentor in the Indianapolis culinary community, and we are proud to celebrate the legacy he created,” said Dickerson.
