It’s spring. Birds are singing, trees are budding and students in Chef-Instructor Mary Kiernan’s Restaurant Operations class at Syracuse University are placing food orders and planning daily menus, getting a taste of work in a restaurant kitchen, waiting on tables and managing the “front of the house.’’
Welcome to the 2012 edition of luncheon service at Lyman Cafe, on the second floor of Lyman Hall. It’s a rite of spring for students in the Restaurant Operations class, which is required for degrees in Hospitality Management and Nutrition Science and Dietetics at SU’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
Themes and menus for the luncheons feature dishes and recipes selected and worked out by the students themselves. Each menu includes a choice of specialty beverage, starter, entree, dessert and coffee or tea. Substitutions are not available and special dietary needs cannot be met.
You get what you get – and what you get is a restaurant-quality lunch more lavish than your usual work-a-day fare, prepared and served by an enthusiastic team.
My sister and I attended lunch at Lyman Cafe last week at the invitation of Chef Kiernan, who I profiled for the March-April edition of Central New York Magazine: The Good Life.
It was an invitation I couldn’t refuse. Take a look at some of the food we enjoyed and you’ll see why:
Grapefruit Basil Sipper: No alcohol. Refreshing and delicious!
Artichoke Banana Pepper Soup: A puree memorable for its unusual combination of vegetables and flavors (zippy!), served with steamed, stuffed baby artichokes.
Shaved Steak and Gorgonzola Sandwich on Sour Dough Bread, crispy sweet potato strings on the side.
Panna Cotta with raspberry reduction and house-made chocolate biscotti
Days later, our minds wander back to this luncheon, and the care with which the students prepared and served it.
Hats off to Chef Kiernan and her charges!
Lunch is served at Lyman Cafe at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the remainder of April. The cost is $14 per person, payable at sign-in prior to seating. Reservations are a MUST and the reservations book fills up quickly. To check on reservation availability, call 315-443-1710 or email her at [email protected]
What a lovely story! Even though I am not teaching or have anything to do with the restaurant operations class, I feel very glad that you were enjoying a pleasant experience in the Cafe. It is also so nice to hear another blogger's experience with our hospitality students and the program.
Posted by: Linchikwok | 04/03/2012 at 11:00 AM