Hotel & Restaurant Management serves up delectable dining events
By Drew Stewart, 3/22/06

Hotel and Restaurant Management has started to sizzle with its spring 2006 dining events, and just when some thought calorie cutting was becoming more bearable.

The dining experiences, which range from an all Cajun meal to one consisting completely of chocolate, are planned and run by students of HRM 4235: Commercial Food Management. Executive chef Leslie Jett emphasizes the importance of these events on the development of the students.

“These events give the students a little taste of all they need to know about food service operations,” Jett said.

Hotel and Restaurant Management kicked off the 12th year of these dining events on February 21 at the Commodities Council room in Eckles Hall. This first event offered a four-course meal featuring a wide range of traditional Hawaiian dishes entitled: “A Culinary Oasis.” The courses included bacon-wrapped bananas, sautéed Mahi Mahi with mango chutney and Hawaiian Fudge pie. This was the first time the Hawaiian-themed meal had made the calendar of events in eight years, Jett said.

“We made some modifications with the [‘Culinary Oasis’] meal and decided to put it back on line,” Jett said. “It’s still one of my favorite meals to cook.”

The following meals would provide tastes just as diverse. “Fat Tuesday- A Cajun Celebration” (February 28) brought the flavor of New Orleans to the MU campus, featuring dishes such as gumbo, Creole lobster alfredo, and bread pudding. The next dining event was “Chocolate Devotion” (March 7), highlighting a meal that featured chocolate in every course. Grilled Chicken in a cranberry, walnut, and white chocolate sauce was one of the entrees guests could expect. Yet the night’s devotion to chocolate didn’t quite stop at the meal.

“I was asked to create two chocolate sculptures for the event,” MU junior and HRM major Greg Chase before the meal said. “It should really help out with the chocolaty décor.”

HRM’s dining events will continue until April 25. The upcoming events will occur as follows:

• “A Little Taste of the World” (March 14). Guests will be treated to food and wines from Chile, France, Italy, and Australia. Reservations for 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. only.

• “The French Café” (April 4). Features authentic French cuisine. Reservations for 5:45 to 7:30 p.m.

• “A Taste of Missouri- Spring Feast” (April 11). A buffet event featuring Missouri’s finest dishes. Seating from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m.

• “Spanish Fiesta Demo and Dinner” (April 25). An authentic Spanish meal which also features a tapas making demonstration. Seating from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m.

All of the above events will be held in the Commodities Council room in Eckles hall and will be priced at $25 per person. To make reservations, call (573) 884-3899 or send and email to umcfsbhrmreservations@missouri.edu.

As Hotel and Restaurant Management continues its series of spring dining events, some take pride in knowing what makes them successful in the first place.

“It shows off the talent of the entire HRM department,” Chase said. “I think the public is impressed with it every time.”

> Back to Corner Post Home