Students begin series dinner

By Kelsey VanArsdall
Staff Writer

The menu consisted of delicacies like wild mushroom bisque, poached salmon with dill hollandaise and grilled lamb chops — a meal fit for a king, or anyone who made reservations.

Hospitality and Tourism Management 492, "Advanced Food Service Management," is the last class that HTM seniors need to complete in order to graduate. One of their assignments is to hold a dinner series. The first in this year's series was held Wednesday night in the John Purdue Room of Stone Hall.

The series runs throughout the semester; there are 18 international themes and 36 total dinners. Each theme is repeated once. The whole series is student-run; the groups set up the menus, pick the entrees and serve the dinner. A teaching assistant supervises the students during their project.

"I’m just here to make sure it runs well, and it usually does," said Robby Robertson, the HTM 492 teaching assistant. "The students do a great job."

The students are in charge of bringing customers to the dinner — they are instructed to get at least 50 people to come. Robertson said they usually meet the requirement.

Wednesday’s theme was a Gourmet Fall Cuisine, and all the students in the class eagerly awaited the chance to put everything they’ve learned to use.

"I like it because it’s not a typical classroom setting; it gives us a chance to use our skills," said John Folta, a senior in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences who hopes to move to the Virgin Islands after he graduates.

The students said the dinner is not a simple assignment to pull off; it takes planning and a lot of work outside the classroom.

"It’s a good experience. It’s challenging, yet fun at the same time," said Erin Kessler, a senior in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences. Kessler hopes to move out of the Midwest someday and work at a hotel or resort on a beach.

The students have their choice of working as a server or working in the kitchen.

The series brings in students, professors, residents of the Greater Lafayette area and even people from out of town. The dinner gives parents a chance to see their children in action. Joseph and Carole Chikar drove from Osceola, Ind., to see their daughter Amy, a senior in the School of Consumer and Family Sciences and member in the group, take part in Wednesday’s dinner

"This is the culmination of everything Amy has worked for," said Joseph. "So far, the meal has been excellent."

The series will continue the rest of the semester with different seasonal and international themes. The dinners, which are all four-course meals, range in price from about $12.50 to $16. Reservations are required and can be made at 494-6845.

The dinners take place three times each week — Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Next week, Tuesday's theme is gourmet, Wednesday's is Greek and Thursday's is German.

The following week, Oct. 30 is New England, Oct. 31 is Mexican and Nov. 1 is Indian.

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