Chefs cook international dishes for students at Robert Morris University.Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Thursday, April 14, 2011
By Linda Wilson Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
College cafeteria food has come a long way from the days of "mystery meat" languishing on warming tables.
A crew of "Traveling Chefs" treated students at Robert Morris University to healthy, fresh food cooked to order in front of them.
Chefs used "authentic ingredients and food preparation techniques indicative of Lebanon, Cuba, Vietnam and Thailand," according to a news release from Parkhurst Dining Services, which provides cafeteria food at the food court on the university's Moon campus.
On the April 6 visit from the traveling chefs, featured recipes included curried shrimp in coconut milk, bun chay (rice noodles with stir-fried vegetables) and bistec a la plancha with papas aplastadas (seared beef steak with crushed potatoes).
Parkhurst, which is part of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group based in Homestead, provides food for colleges, universities and businesses such as Chatham University, Bucknell University and Mercyhurst College.
Periodically, chefs from a variety of Parkhurst clients take their cooking skills on the road.
"It exposes our students to foods of the globe that may not be offered in the daily menu," said Grace Hoyer, a spokeswoman for Parkhurst. The school's chefs get the chance to network with chefs from other schools and companies, she said.
Part of the Traveling Chefs program includes sharing cooking techniques with students and corporate clients and giving them "a culinary education as they describe the fresh ingredients and local agriculture used to prepare the selections," Ms. Hoyer said.
Visiting chefs at Robert Morris were Lori Chiodo, executive sous chef at Allegheny College; Lee Keener, executive chef at the Google Pittsburgh office; and Dave DeCollo, executive chef at PNC One.
They joined the Robert Morris University staff -- executive chef Dan Chiaverini and executive sous chef Jim Morgan.
Linda Wilson Fuoco: lfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-722-0087.
First published on April 14, 2011 at 5:24 am
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