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First Posted: 10/14/2012 Executive Chef John Hudak has been cooking up a marriage between fine dining and education in Northeastern Pennsylvania for 25 years. 
Hudak, of Lehman Township, started in the restaurant business at age 15 when he got a job as a sandwich maker at the Hoagie Bar in Dallas. 
"I've always enjoyed cooking," he said.
After graduating from high school, Hudak took a six-month cooking course at Luzerne County Community College. His professors encouraged him to pursue his education even further so when he graduated from the LCCC program in February, he immediately started classes at Johnson and Wales Culinary Arts program in Rhode Island.
Hudak, CEC, AAC, ACE, is now the co-owner of Vanderlyn's in Kingston and has been involved with the American Culinary Federation's Northeastern Pennsylvania chapter for 23 years. The ACF is the largest organization for cooks and chefs worldwide, with over 250 chapters, and serves as the certifying body for chefs while focusing on the importance of education in the world of food preparation.
Hudak currently serves as president of the NEPA chapter.
"Like any organization, it is what you put into it," he said of the ACF. He explained chefs must continually take and retake certifications to keep their skills fresh and their practices up-to-date.
Each year the ACF of NEPA holds a Progressive Dinner as an opportunity for these artists to give back to their community. Chefs volunteer their time and food for the dinner is donated. The organization uses the dinner as a fundraising event and an opportunity to present scholarships to the next generation of culinary experts. 
"It's just unique to get all those chefs in one area, working toward a common goal," said Hudak. "The person across the street that is my competition today is my ally on that day."
After the flooding of the Wyoming Valley last year, the organization held a dinner for victims and crews affected by the disaster, feeding approximately 300 victims. Hudak said it seemed like the right thing to do.
The dinners are not the only way Hudak has found to give back to his community. Following in the footsteps of his mother who was a teacher for more than 30 years, Hudak taught a culinary arts program for five years, has been an adjunct professor at LCCC and has given speeches and demonstrations at Keystone College and Penn State Wilkes Barre. 
In addition to his chef duties at Vanderlyn's, Hudak can be seen regularly on WNEP-TV's "Home and Backyard."
He carries his passion for cooking home with him. "I cook more comfort foods at home," he said. "I'm a meat and potatoes guy," explaining that his home kitchen is equipped with a stainless steel hood, 2 four-burner cook top ovens and a smoker. 
"I love to smoke things," he said, "and grill all year round."
Although he prefers comfort foods at home, Hudak enjoys preparing fine dining foods in his professional kitchen, admitting it allows him more creativity in the dishes. 
He said cooking is taking someone's idea of what they hope to eat and creating it for them. "You are only as good as the last meal you prepared," he said. "Whether that was a hamburger and fries for a child or a veal dish for an executive, you are always judged on every plate you put out."

Marriage of fine dining, education