By Katy Agans
Contributing Writer
A sweet smell lingers in the air, food sizzles in frying pans, and sounds of laughter and chatter fill the busy kitchen.
It’s 4 p.m. on a recent Thursday, and the nutrition lab in Parmer Hall is full of life. Students in Allyson West’s Quantity Food Production and Services class move swiftly around the lab as they are in the midst of a three-hour endeavor to prepare meals for this week’s Recipe Box Café.
In the kitchen, students dressed in white chef’s coats, stand over frying pans preparing the entrée. Other students, who are the front-of-house staff, are dressed in all black. They talk and laugh as they rush in and out of the room, grabbing tablecloths and centerpieces to set the tables.
The theme of the week’s Recipe Box Café was Greek-style “Aphrodite’s Delight” with an appetizer of chargrilled halloumi cheese with a side of cucumbers, tomatoes and a warm whole wheat pita. The entrée consisted of Greek marinated chicken thighs, served with crispy garlic roasted kale, and herb-crusted red potatoes. This was all followed by a creamy yogurt with raw honey topped with grilled peaches and roasted walnuts for dessert.
Students are in charge of coming up with the menu for each Recipe Box Café. They are also in charge of managing the preparation process, delegating tasks to kitchen and wait staff, and making sure their meals fit into the given nutrition guidelines, according to West.
Senior Tiara Lopez, is grateful for the experience that Recipe Box Café gives her.
“It’s a very hands-on experience,” she said. “It’s great to be able to do all of this in school.”
Alla Koz, also a senior, said she loves how this experience helps to bring her creativity to life.
“We get to see what we create be implemented in real life,” she said.
The dining area is set to reflect the beaches of this week’s Greek-inspired theme. The set-up of the dining area looks polished and put together, with blue napkins folded into the shape of roses, and seashells decorating every table. Glass bowls filled with blue rocks, white flowers, and candles, make up the center pieces and are the perfect detail to tie the whole theme together.
Around 5 p.m. everything is starting to come together as students prepare to start serving at 5:30 p.m. Candles are being lit in the center pieces, drinks are being prepared, and music starts to play from the host stand.
Guests start arriving just as the sun starts to set. Some guests line up at the host stand waiting to be seated. Others line up to grab a meal to go. The kitchen door is open, and the smell of the food makes its way into the hallway where guests are waiting. Many guests take note of this and make comments about the delicious smells that linger in the air. The guests began to be seated and their excitement grows. Soon the space is filled with the sounds of chatter and the clinking of glasses as the drinks, and appetizers, begin to be served.
Recipe Box Café will be continuing for the reminder of the semester. They will continue to have both dine in and take out options. To reserve seats for upcoming Recipe Box Café events, go here.
kagans@my.dom.edu
