MEET YOUR CHEFS
September 21, 2019 Elks Country Club Iowa City, IA
A night of fun, food and fundraising www.regina.org/regal-eats
EVENT SPONSORS Crown Sponsor
Partnering Sponsors
Additional Event Sponsors Aspen Leaf Basta Blackstone Bo James Bread Garden Market Downtown Association Formosa Iowa Chop House Java House Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack Doug & Judy LaBrecque
Mama's Deli McDonald Optical Mickey's Irish Pub Mosley's BBQ and Provisions Pagliai's Pizza Quinton's Regina Booster Club Regina Spirit Store Roger & Barb Reilly Saloon Sports Column
CHEF LISTINGS SAM & ELLEN ABUSADA Traditional Grape Leaves and Kufta Kabobs
4
KAREN HANES & MARY ANN ALLAN Regina Sugar Cookies
4
HUGH JOHN BARRY Burnt End Sandwiches
5
MIKE BRANDT & TED SUEPPEL Ina Garten's Chicken Chili GLENN PLUMMER Bacon-wrapped, Stuffed Jalapeños and Peppers MYRNA BOYLE Strawberry Cream Puffs P.J. CONLON Field of Dreams Chili
5 5 6 6
MARIA MCCAW Monster Cookies
6
STACY CHRISTIANS Savory Beef Short Ribs over Jalapeño Cheddar Polenta
7
JOE CLARK & ANDY GAHAN Authentic Italian Meatballs and Sauce
7
TIM & TOM FARNSWORTH Sous Vide Steak Crostini with Horseradish or Basil Pesto Aioli
8
JENI GAFFEY & KEELY HINKEL Cheeseburger Sliders with Homemade Pickles MARK & AMY LYNCH Homemade Guacamole and Made-from-Scratch Margaritas
8
ED PANTHER BBQ Smoked Ribs DAN WEGMAN & MIKE VENZON Pineapple Vodka with Pork Chaser
9 9 10
Huge thanks to all our participating chefs for preparing the food for this event!
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes SAM & ELLEN ABUSADA Traditional Grape Leaves and Kufta Kabobs Sam and Ellen made their home in Iowa City, both graduates of the University of Iowa. They have three children, all students of Regina; Zayna (2013), Nourah (2018) and Nicholas in 11th grade. Sam works at HNI as a Category Manager and Ellen is a Laboratory Specialist in the Pathology Department at the University of Iowa Healthcare.
KAREN HANES & MARY ANN ALLAN Frosted Regina Sugar Cookies Karen is a ’9 7 graduate of City High School and currently a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Professionals. She is mom to Dean (5th grade), John (3rd grade) and Shay (2nd grade) all who attend Regina. Karen and her husband Mike enjoy watching/coaching their kid’s activities, traveling and eating! Karen learned to bake from her Great Aunts, Grandma and Mom when she was little a girl and has enjoyed it ever since.
HUGH JOHN BARRY Food Item to Come
Mary Ann is a University of Iowa graduate and is currently the Director of Budget Planning and Analysis at the University of Iowa. She is mom to Jonathan (3rd grade), Will (1st grade), Nora (4) and Olivia (2). She enjoys attending her kids’ activities with her husband, James, and Hawkeye sporting events with her kids (where James is usually working!). Mary Ann is not the main cook in the family, but did get her experience with sugar cookies by making 250 wedding cake sugar cookies for her sister’s wedding. She’s very excited to be a part of Regal Eats this year!
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes HUGH JOHN BARRY Burnt End Sandwiches Hugh John is a 1999 graduate of Iowa City High School and 2003 graduate of UNI. He is currently a Principal Actuary at Mercer Health and Benefits. Hugh John and his wife, Katie, have three children with a kindergartner and second grader attending Regina.
MIKE BRANDT & TED SUEPPEL Ina Garten's Chicken Chili Iowa City Catholic Grade School 6th Grade Class of ‘83. Regina High School Class of ‘89. Friendship began in Kindergarten in ‘77. For over 40 years, Ted and Mike have been involved in each other’s lives. And they both contribute that to the Regina Catholic Community. The family-first environment that resonates through Regina is something they both believe is the reason for their lifelong friendship. As classmates, teammates, roommates, coaches and parents of previous and current Regina students, it’s clear they have many experiences together through Regina, dating back to the early 70’s and running through today. Ted and Mike were extremely excited to be part of the first ever Regal Eats, back again for year two, and look forward to sharing in yet another Regina community experience.
GLENN PLUMMER Bacon-wrapped, Stuffed Jalapeños and Peppers Glenn Plummer is the Regina Junior and Senior High Principal, currently enjoying his 19th year at Regina. Glenn has two children, Liviana (4th grade) and Trajan (6th grade), who attend Regina. Prior to becoming a teacher Glenn cooked at Lone Star Steakhouse and Phil's Country Barn.
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes MYRNA BOYLE Strawberry Cream Puffs Myrna is a graduate of University of Iowa and currently the Chief Risk Officer at Fidelity Company. Her family includes husband Joe Boyle, daughter Claire (7th grade) and son Finn (5th grade), both who attend Regina. Myrna enjoys travel, baking (not cooking!), and attending kids activities.
P.J. CONLON Field of Dreams Chili P.J. married in to the Regina family in 1996. His wife, Shelly (Keating) Conlon, is a 1989 Regina grad and teaches at Regina. P.J. & Shelly are proud parents of three Regals - Mac ‘16, Michael ‘18 & Claire ‘20. P.J. & Shelly feel that the decision to send their kids to Regina was one of the best decisions they have ever made.
MARIA MCCAW Monster Cookies Maria McCaw and her husband Joel are proud parents of Regina Grad Cole White and current students Bre (freshman) and AJ (5th grade). Maria is a partner at Urban Acres Real Estate. Together, Joel and Maria have a total of 4 children. Life is typically busy at the McCaw household. They enjoy the outdoors, family and friends and of course great food! Enjoy!
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes STACY CHRISTIANS Savory Beef Short Ribs over Jalapeño Cheddar Polenta Stacy Christians, mom of Dane and Gray, sophomores new to Regina last year and thrilled to be a part of the Regina Family (and also Maeve, a 7th grader in Coralville). Stacy states, she is not a chef, or even a very good cook, but, she does watch a LOT of Food Network (just ask her hubs, Kevin) which makes her qualified to prepare this dish inspired by Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman. (not really inspired, more stolen) Stacy loves coffee, the beach, and her tribe of five, maybe or maybe not in that order.
JOE CLARK & ANDY GAHAN Authentic Italian Meatballs and Sauce Joe was born and raised in Iowa City. Joe was a Business Manager for a local real estate company until he opened his own real estate firm, Commercial Realty Iowa City LLC in 2014. Joe specializes in commercial property, rental property and land development in the Iowa City area. Joe loves the game of basketball, and played regularly for the first 40 years of his life. He has coached all of his children in youth basketball for the past 10 years. Joe is now an avid cyclist and enjoys spinning daily and riding on Ragbrai. Joe married his high school sweetheart, Beth (LaBrecque) Clark in 1998. They have four beautiful children, Jacob (20), Patrick (18), Abby (16), and Alli (14). All of them attend Regina High School as the third generation of his family in the Catholic education system (his mother Loretta Rocca Clark graduated in 1959). Joe enjoys watching his children on a daily basis play basketball, baseball, softball, track, volleyball, football, golf and dance. Andy was born and raised in Iowa City spending his entire life living on the east side of town. He is currently the Principal at Coralville Central Elementary. Andy was the head high school baseball coach at Regina High for 16 summers from 1999 – 2014 and was also part of the Regina Football staff for 8 seasons (2007 – 2014). Emily (Dickens) Gahan and Andy have been married for 19 wonderful years. They are blessed with three daughters, Elizabeth (Elly, senior) 17, Annabelle (Annie, junior) 16, and Natalie (Nattie, 7th grader) 12. The three girls attend Regina and are very active in all things Regina has to offer.
Reigning Regal Eats Championship Chefs!
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes TIM & TOM FARNSWORTH Sous Vide Steak Crostini with Horseradish or Basil Pesto Aioli Tim Farnsworth was born and raised in Iowa City and a member of the Regina Class of 1991. Tim is married to Mick Farnsworth, also a Regina alum graduating in the Class of 1992. Tim and Mick are proud parents of Will Farnsworth, Regina Class of 2024. Tim is the office manager for Farnsworth Law PLC and enjoys time spent with family and friends. “It’s never too cold to fish.” Tom Farnsworth, though not a Regina alumni, grew up around the school with his older brothers Bob and Tim and younger brother Ryan all having graduated from Regina. He has renewed his appreciation for Regina through his nephew Will’s activities and enjoys the school again from the stands. He is married to Sarah R. Farnsworth who is employed as a talented and gifted teacher with the Iowa City School District. Tom and Sarah have a 4-year-old daughter named Adeline. In Tom’s spare time he enjoys fly fishing and ice fishing with Tim. Tom owns Farnsworth Law PLC and specializes in criminal defense. (Farnslaw.com) Tom chairs the Criminal Core Group for the Iowa Association for Justice and sits as an executive and governor for the board as well. Tom is proud to have been selected by his peers in Johnson County and the 6th Judicial District judge to sit on judicial selection committees.
JENI GAFFEY & KEELY HINKEL Cheeseburger Sliders with Homemade Pickles Jeni Gaffey has been married to husband Robert for 10 fun and crazy years. They have 4 kiddos with 3 of them attending Regina, the place they met. Jeni is excited to be a part of the second annual Regal Eats fundraiser and she hopes it continues on for many years to come! Keely Hinkel is the mother to 2 amazingly active and sweet boys--Holton (4th grade) and Huxin (1st grade). The famous Ed Hinkel is LUCKY enough to have been married to her for the last 12 years and has been putting up with her since freshman year of college! Their family enjoys spending time outdoors, playing or watching sports and playing games. Keely is happy to be taking part in her second Regal Eats event with one of her WEIRD friends, Jeni Gaffey!
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes MARK & AMY LYNCH Homemade Guacamole and Margaritas from Scratch Mark Lynch – (’9 5): Mark’s first exposure to the world of food came in the way of a strong base of ingredient knowledge. Beginning at age 15, he was stocking shelves and unloading pallets at First Avenue Hy-Vee. Just one year later, he had quickly risen through the ranks to Assistant Dairy Manager. He then discovered his culinary identity at the age of 17 when he started as a delivery driver for the famed Airliner. (Apologies to anyone that had a few French fries missing from their order in the mid-90’s .) During college, Mark developed an appreciation for traditional German food (and beer) in his time at Historic Turner Restaurant in Milwaukee, WI. He interned at St. Mary’s Lodge & Resort in Montana and witnessed the art of making Rocky Mountain Oysters. From there, Mark went on a journey to explore his culinary palate studying at noted restaurants including Bo James Bar & Grill, Bob’s Your Uncle, and The Vine & Eatery. Mark’s most acclaimed dishes feature such delicacies as lasagna bolognese and homemade guacamole (being served tonight). He is also a master bartender; hence the specially-mixed margaritas paired with this evening’s dish. Mark wants to thank Bobby Flay (for his southwestern flare), The Pioneer Woman (for her cinnamon rolls), and Giada De Larentiis (for her cleavage). He is honored to return to his roots and cook for family, friends, and Regals. Amy Lynch – (’9 6): Amy does all the laundry.
ED PANTHER BBQ Smoked Ribs Ed is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also attended Catholic school from 1st grade through his senior year of high school. He is a Senior Mechanical Engineer for PRVN Consultants, Inc. in North Liberty. Ed is married to his wonderful wife Jen and they have two fabulous Regal daughters, Emma (11th grade) and Jillian (9th grade). He enjoys his time spent watching his daughters play volleyball, basketball, track and softball throughout the year, becoming a connoisseur of River Valley Conference concession stand food. Ed and Jen are so happy that Emma and Jillian are part of the Regina family and look forward to the new few years as they complete their high school careers. In his free time, Ed likes to fire up the smoker and make ribs, pulled pork, chicken and the occasional brisket. He also likes to play golf and watch the Hawkeyes and the St. Louis Cardinals.
CHEF BIOS
Regal Eats 2019 Chefs and Specialty Dishes DAN WEGMAN & MIKE VENZON Pineapple Vodka with Pork Chaser Dan is looking forward to teaming up with his brother-inlaw Mike Venzon for Regal Eats. Dan is an Iowa City native and is a University of Iowa graduate. Although Dan was a Little Hawk, he was introduced to the Regina community by his wife Bobbie (Jensen). Dan loves to cook at home for his family and enjoys planning out food for Hawkeye tailgates year round. Dan and Bobbie have two daughters with a little guy expected in early 2020. Annie is in 1st grade at Regina and Mollie is three and has joined her big sister as a Regal in the preschool rooms. Dan sells insurance for AW Welt Ambrisco insurance. Dan and Mike are frequently found chatting “food” and hope you enjoy what they have prepared for their second Regal Eats event! Mike is teaming up with his brother in-law Dan Wegman for tonight's event. Mike moved to Iowa City in 2003 after graduating from St. Ambrose University and became a part of the Regina family when his son Brady, who is now in 5th grade, started at Regina preschool. Mike then won over Regina alumna Jamie (Jensen) with his mad cooking skills and they married in 2016. They welcomed son and future Regal, Mack this past summer. Mike is excited to be a part of Regal Eats again this year after being an inaugural chef at last year’s event. He hopes you enjoy what he and Dan have prepared for you!
2019