The culinary arts class of 2027 hosted a four-part Fine Dining Series this past semester. They presented a French and Italian fine dining experience over a span of two months, and just two weeks ago I attended one of two Chronicles of Narnia experiences. 

Each of the seven courses coordinated with a book from C. S. Lewis’s Narnia series.  Dr. Radford read sections from the different books that paired with each course, immersing the night into the world of Narnia. This created a perfect environment to thoroughly enjoy the meal. There was a wide variety of plates, including a salad with candied pecans, goat cheese, apples and a pomegranate dressing – certainly a favorite. For another dish, the culinary team presented a dome of chocolate mousse with apricots. Other courses included pomegranate sorbet, lamb and risotto, fish soup, a filet of fish and pavlova. And, of course, at the end of the meal – Turkish delight.

Overall, I loved this experience. The skill level of the sophomores who prepared the meal impressed me, and I appreciated the coordination and effort an event like this requires.  I will definitely return to experience next year’s theme through edible storytelling.