For almost 60 combined years, Chef Gregory Babcock of the Ormsby Educational Center and Chef David Caccamise of the LoGuidice Educational Center have helped shape the Culinary Arts programs at Erie 2–Chautauqua–Cattaraugus BOCES. This year, both are retiring, closing out careers defined by hands-on instruction, industry experience, and a lasting influence on generations of students.
Their retirements come as Career & Technical Education classes wrap up for the year, with the last day of CTE instruction on Tuesday, June 16.
For Chef Babcock, cooking has always been more than a profession.
From restaurant kitchens in California and New Orleans to Culinary Arts classrooms across Western New York, food has been the constant thread in a career spanning more than four decades. He is retiring after 32 years in Career & Technical Education, including 29 years at the Ormsby Educational Center.
A graduate of Trott Vocational High School in Niagara Falls, Chef Babcock trained at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute and later at the Culinary Institute of America. His career took him across the country, working in restaurants, country clubs, and fine-dining establishments, where he gained the real-world experience that would later define his teaching.
After once considering opening his own restaurant, he ultimately shifted into education, influenced in part by his uncle, a vocational teacher. That path led him to Buffalo State University for certification and later to a master’s degree in administration from Niagara University.
He began his teaching career with Greater Southern Tier BOCES before returning to Western New York in 1997 to join Ormsby, where he has remained ever since.
In the classroom, Chef Babcock emphasized the importance of mastering the basics.
“You have to perfect the fundamentals,” he said. “When you walk into a professional kitchen, you have to do things the way the chef wants them done.”
Students learned everything from stocks and sauces to knife skills and food safety, building confidence through repetition and real kitchen experience. Many went on to careers in the culinary industry at places like Wegmans, Rich Products, and restaurants across the region. One graduate even cooked at the White House while serving in the Navy, while another — Andrew Suffoletto — returned to the program as Chef Babcock’s teaching assistant and will now take over the program.
“It’s nice to know the program is being left in good hands,” he said.
Beyond technical training, Chef Babcock said some of the most meaningful moments came years later, when former students reached out with handwritten notes about the impact of his instruction.
As he retires, he plans to stay connected to food through part-time work and private cooking opportunities, while embracing a slower pace after decades of early mornings and long days in kitchens and classrooms.
“Every day I came to work, I enjoyed what I was doing,” he said. “I was able to share my experience, help students grow, and prepare them for the future.”
At the LoGuidice Educational Center, Chef Caccamise spent nearly three decades building a Culinary Arts program known for creativity, patience, and real-world learning.
Growing up in Niagara Falls, Chef Caccamise began his career in the hospitality industry, working in a variety of local restaurants and hotels, including the Holiday Inn and, later, the Niagara Hilton. His first job was at Como Restaurant on Route 62.
Like Chef Babcock, he attended Trott Vocational High School. Although he initially planned to become an electrician, a guidance counselor helped him secure a job as a dishwasher, setting him on a path toward hotel management and culinary arts.
After high school, he attended Genesee Community College and Niagara University, later completing his teaching certification at Buffalo State University.
Chef Caccamise discovered a passion for teaching somewhat unexpectedly through a summer culinary program for younger students, an experience that led him into education in 1996. He first joined E2CCB at the Hewes Educational Center, where he spent eight years before moving to LoGuidice, where he would go on to spend the next two decades shaping the program.
Chef Caccamise believes success in the kitchen starts with recognizing that every student learns differently.
“Everyone brings something different to the table,” he said. “You have to be patient and understand that everybody learns differently.”
Over the years, students participated in competitions, classroom challenges, and hands-on traditions such as gingerbread house building, experiences that reinforced teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving. Under his leadership, the Culinary Arts program also became closely connected to community-facing projects, including contributions to initiatives like Empty Bowls and other outreach efforts.
“I always stressed giving back to the community,” he said. “It teaches valuable life lessons.”
Chef Caccamise also played a key role in transforming the culinary space at LoGuidice into a modern instructional kitchen designed to better support student learning and collaboration.
“It’s been a wonderful experience overall,” he said. “I always thought I had the best job in the world.”
Chef Caccamise also recognized his longtime teaching assistant, Rosemary Catalano, who is retiring this year as well. “She’s the kindest person,” he said. “She just adores working with the students.”
As he looks ahead, Chef Caccamise plans to spend more time with his wife, Andrea, their three sons, and several grandchildren, as well as travel, camping, and enjoying family life.
Reflecting on his career, he remains proud of the students he guided and the program he helped build.
“It’s been a good ride,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate.”
E2CCB also recognized several staff members for their years of dedicated service during CTE Senior Recognition ceremonies at their respective sites. Honorees included CTE instructors Denise Heary (24 years), Denise Meyers (12 years), and Gerald O’Brien (11 years); academic liaisons Lea Ann Talbot (26 years) and Mary Ann Basile-Lyons (27 years); and consultant teacher William Chambers, who was recognized for an extraordinary 50 years of service.
