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Culinary Week features talents of master chef
March 27, 2008
Italian flavors reign supreme at PLU’s first-ever Culinary Week March 30 to April 4 that features certified master chef Ken Arnone.
Hosted by Dining and Culinary Services, the week includes interactive cooking sessions taught by Arnone, PLU staff and local experts, as well as a free lunch featuring authentic Italian cuisine.
“We have this new facility and many new staff members, all who bring to the table different culinary talents,” said Erin McGinnis, director of Dining and Culinary Services.
Three of the dining managers, including McGinnis, are both PLU and culinary school graduates. The interactive sessions will showcase the talents of the staff and provide an educational opportunity for the PLU community, she added.
Dining staff will also be in class next week, as Arnone spends three days instructing them on regional Italian cuisine to improve the pasta and pizza offerings in The Commons. According to McGinnis, the staff will be better equipped to prepare authentic dishes and get the best flavors when they understand the building blocks and culinary traditions behind them.
“There’s great potential for kicking out some fabulous pasta dishes and pizza dishes,” McGinnis said.
Arnone is one of only 61 certified master chefs in the United States. He was last on campus two summers ago to train dining staff on new Asian recipes he developed for PLU. A former classmate of McGinnis’ from the Culinary Institute of America, his background includes stints at several prestigious hotels and restaurants across the nation, teaching at the culinary institute and numerous awards.
Along with PLU staff and local experts and alumni, Arnone will host several interactive cooking sessions throughout the week that are open to the PLU community.
“We thought as long as we’ve got Ken on campus and have him in the back of the house teaching staff, why not make the same types of things available for students, faculty and staff?” McGinnis said.
The interactive sessions and “Flavors of Italy” lunch on Wednesday are free for students, faculty and staff, but reservations are required. The schedule includes:
Monday, March 31
Tuesday, April 1
Wednesday, April 2
Thursday, April 3
Friday, April 4
For more information, visit the Dining and Culinary Services Web site. Make reservations by contacting dining@plu.edu.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by alumna Roxanne Cooke during Arnone's visit to campus two years ago.
“We have this new facility and many new staff members, all who bring to the table different culinary talents,” said Erin McGinnis, director of Dining and Culinary Services.
Three of the dining managers, including McGinnis, are both PLU and culinary school graduates. The interactive sessions will showcase the talents of the staff and provide an educational opportunity for the PLU community, she added.
Dining staff will also be in class next week, as Arnone spends three days instructing them on regional Italian cuisine to improve the pasta and pizza offerings in The Commons. According to McGinnis, the staff will be better equipped to prepare authentic dishes and get the best flavors when they understand the building blocks and culinary traditions behind them.
“There’s great potential for kicking out some fabulous pasta dishes and pizza dishes,” McGinnis said.
Arnone is one of only 61 certified master chefs in the United States. He was last on campus two summers ago to train dining staff on new Asian recipes he developed for PLU. A former classmate of McGinnis’ from the Culinary Institute of America, his background includes stints at several prestigious hotels and restaurants across the nation, teaching at the culinary institute and numerous awards.
Along with PLU staff and local experts and alumni, Arnone will host several interactive cooking sessions throughout the week that are open to the PLU community.
“We thought as long as we’ve got Ken on campus and have him in the back of the house teaching staff, why not make the same types of things available for students, faculty and staff?” McGinnis said.
The interactive sessions and “Flavors of Italy” lunch on Wednesday are free for students, faculty and staff, but reservations are required. The schedule includes:
Monday, March 31
- 10:30 a.m. – Fresh pasta demonstration and tasting with Ken Arnone
- 3:30 p.m. – Olive oil tasting with Ken Arnone
Tuesday, April 1
- 10:30 a.m. – Italian cheese tasting with Ken Arnone
- 4 p.m. – Chocolate tasting with PLU baker Erica Fickeisen
Wednesday, April 2
- 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – “Flavors of Italy” lunch in The Commons, featuring the new flavors Arnone taught the Dining and Culinary Services staff. The meal is free with a PLU ID and costs $8.75 without an ID. Donations will be accepted for the PLU Community Garden.
- Noon – Risotto demonstration and tasting with Ken Arnone
- 4 p.m. – Truffles and tempering with PLU baker Erica Fickeisen
Thursday, April 3
- 11 a.m. – “How to Cook a Catered Meal from your Residence Hall” with Lisbet Mielke ’90, owner of Ravishing Radish Catering
- 2 p.m. – Thundering Hooves natural beef presentation with Keith Swanson ’89
- 3 p.m. – “Sushi Demonstration and Tasting” with PLU lead cook Casey Tomlinson and lead catering cook Javier Alejndro
- 4 p.m. – Interest session for the PLU Community Garden hosted by the PLU Garden Club
Friday, April 4
- Noon – Latkes demonstration and tasting with Svea Erickson ’06, PLU catering manager
- 3 p.m. – Falafel demonstration and tasting with Erick Swenson ’91, PLU culinary operations manager, and Tony McGinnis
For more information, visit the Dining and Culinary Services Web site. Make reservations by contacting dining@plu.edu.
University Communications staff writer Megan Haley compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 8691 or at haleymk@plu.edu. Photo by alumna Roxanne Cooke during Arnone's visit to campus two years ago.