For over a decade, New York Tech (NYIT) has been cooking up a unique recipe for gratitude by hosting the New York Tech Annual Cast Iron Chef Police Appreciation Event, a high-energy cooking competition that allows officers to trade their badges for custom-made chef coats. This special event is NYIT’s creative way of thanking the police departments that keep their three main New York locations—Old Westbury, Manhattan, and Central Islip—safe. Locally, most of NYIT's 1000-acre Long Island campus falls under the watchful eye of the Old Westbury Police Department.

The stage for this culinary showdown is the magnificent and historic de Seversky Mansion on NYIT’s campus, a 1918 estate originally built for Alfred I. du Pont, later owned by the Phipps family, and ultimately acquired by NYIT in 1972. Year after year, the mansion opens its doors with unmatched generosity, underscoring the deep appreciation the university holds for its protectors. 

Teams of local law enforcement officers—including those from the Nassau County PD, Suffolk County PD, Old Westbury PD, Brookville PD, New York State Police, and NYPD—are challenged to create a culinary masterpiece using specific mystery ingredients, mirroring the intensity of shows like Chopped and Iron Chef.

Judges, who include NYIT leaders, faculty, students, and local culinary experts, score the officers not just on taste, but on essential skills like teamwork, food handling, presentation, and creativity. The event has seen incredible support over the years, with figures like celebrated cookbook author and TV host Lidia Bastianich and French chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud having served as emcees.

At the heart of the New York Tech Annual Cast Iron Chef Police Appreciation Event is its spirit of giving. The de Seversky Mansion and NYIT ensure that every single team walks away knowing they’ve made a difference. The winning team receives a special gift (this year, a set of professional kitchen knives!), but the most important prize is the $2,000 donation made to every single participating team’s charity of choice. This commitment to donate to all the charities, not just the winner’s, truly highlights NYIT's deep connection to the community and the causes championed by these heroic officers.

The New York Tech Annual Cast Iron Chef Police Appreciation Event is more than a fun annual tradition; it’s a powerful, tangible expression of thanks. It cements the supportive, warm relationship between NYIT, the de Seversky Mansion, and the dedicated law enforcement officers who serve the region every day.