Photo Credit: Sue Ruggles
Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Five Star Food & Wine Evening is an amazing opportunity to sample an enormous array of mouth-watering bites while supporting a good cause on Thursday, April 23. The event, going back some 15 years, used to be a more formal sit-down affair with graduating culinary students preparing a single special dish. For the past seven years the format has been more of a grazing experience where patrons can stroll from station to station and taste many different cuisines, prepared by faculty and students of all levels in the Culinary and Baking & Pastry Arts programs. The Hotel/Hospitality, Culinary and Meeting & Event Management program students also have a hand in preparing and running the event.
“It’s a great way for us to showcase the talent of the students [and] our facility, and the stellar faculty that we have at MATC,” says Richard Busalacchi, associate dean of Hospitality & Food Science.
The event allows the students to experience what it’s like to be part of a 500-600-patron event. They get to be involved in everything from the ground up so that they can get a feel for how much work and how many people it takes to accomplish such a big event. “We want to give the best experience we can offer over a three-hour period,” says John Reiss, Culinary Arts instructor. “The students need to bring their A-game and they’ll learn that this is what the industry is all about.”
More than 10 different stations will feature food and pastries, with several including wine and beer pairings. Reiss’ class will be running a Mediterranean table featuring a Tuscan porchetta, a whole herb-encrusted pig roasted in a wood-fired oven, smoked Moroccan lamb rib and pomegranate-glazed chicken kebabs. Another class will work a seafood-themed station with goodies like risotto and sea scallops, assorted fresh oysters, and pan-fried crab cakes with remoulade sauce. Yet another class will focus on “forest” delights like a rabbit ragu with grilled polenta and a ramp-and-wild-mushroom tart. “We want to try to showcase as much of the Culinary and Baking Arts programs as we can,” says Reiss. Interested patrons will be able to explore some of the cooking labs and see where and how the dishes were prepared.
All proceeds from the event will go to fund Hospitality student scholarships. “This event is really a fundraiser and a ‘friendraiser.’ Not only are we able to raise funds for student scholarships but also gain friends in the industry and in the community,” Busalacchi says. “It’s a great night.”
Advance tickets are $45 and may be ordered at fivestar.matc.edu or by calling 414-571-4798.
