Silver cutlery and pristine plates decorated with exotic bread and meat will sit on white countertops as the Culinary Studio hosts the second Chef’s Table.
Ohio University Culinary Services is presenting the event at its studio in Jefferson Marketplace. The stove will be hot and ready 6 p.m., Wednesday when attendees are expected to arrive. Tickets are priced at $15 and are available for purchase online on its website.
Chef’s Table is a collaborative idea from the Culinary Services’ management team and the executive chefs. The dates are usually picked to commemorate an approaching festival. The second part of the Chef’s Table series will have Irish influences to mark the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day March 17.
The menu includes delicacies ranging from gaelic soda bread, corned beef and cabbage to an Irish steamed chocolate pudding.
“(Chef’s Table) is not just for those who want to have fun, but also for those who want to learn some food history, combinations and cooking tips,” Tim Bruce, executive chef at Culinary Services, said.
Bruce attributed the influences of the decadent menu to his Scottish-Irish heritage. The menu is designed to inspire guests to cook for the upcoming Irish festivity. As of press time, five guests have already registered for the night with nine seats still available, Mark Brunton, assistant director auxiliaries of marketing and communications said.
The visitors will not only enjoy a meal, but also get a chance to wear the chef’s hat behind the counter, Bruce said. Guests are encouraged to ask questions and converse with the cook as he prepares the meal.
The second part of the Chef’s Table is one of a monthly series that the culinary services plans to host throughout the academic year. Visiting culinary professionals will be hosting additional installments to diversify Athens’ gastronomy scene.
Chef Robert DeWitt from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas, will be presenting the forthcoming Chef’s Table on March 22. DeWitt will be entertaining his guests with a Vietnamese-themed meal.
Brunton said Culinary Services is also aiming to collaborate with local breweries and wineries to host a variety of tastings in the future.
The inspiration for the event is rooted in providing the students and the Athens’ residents with an educational educational food experience that reflects the motivations of the Culinary Studio, Don Jackson, general manager of Jefferson Marketplace, said.
“We want to celebrate food and show others how to prepare great meals,” Jackson said.
