Florida Tech Campus Dining’s memorable Valentine’s Day entry into its award-winning Global Kitchen series took guests on a trip to the original “City of Love,” Paris, France.
The final Global Kitchen Dinner Series meal of the spring is set for 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 at PDH and will feature the foods of Peru. While we eagerly await that culinary and cultural journey, here’s a closer look at February’s Global Kitchen meal from the City of Love.
The food was a highlight reel of classics of French gastronomy, from Salad Niçoise and escargot to quiche Lorraine, coq au vin and bouillabaisse. Dessert featured macarons, tarts and more delectable “patisseries Parisiennes.”
At many schools, an array of culinary delights prepared by craftspeople at the top of their game would be the sum total of the event, and it would surely be special. Not at Florida Tech.
“Campus Dining takes pride in creating experiences for guests that excite all the senses, using smells, textures, music and props to enhance the effect,” said Director Evan Olsen.
That is why diners had their first experience by merely entering the dining hall: a nearly 16-foot tall, hand-assembled replica of the Eiffel Tower greeted them, the handiwork of multiple students working in Florida Tech’s L3Harris Student Design Center.
“Our initial theme was based on highlighting a few “Cities of Love” including Rome and Honolulu,” Olsen said. “However, when the team of students from our design center told us they could build an Eiffel Tower to scale for our dining room, THE City of Love, Paris, France became the sole influence.”
Over 18 days, using more than 70 pounds of plywood, 34 cans of spray paint and 995 lights, students built the replica. Three of the days alone were used to cut sheet after sheet of plywood into tower segments using a computer-numeric-controlled router table.
“Another three days were spent on designing and toolpath generation,” said Zac Schardt, the student leader of the project. “The remaining time went into sanding and prepping the wood, painting, lighting and assembly.”
A majority of the staff at the design center ended up assisting, Melanie Heetai, Connor Geran, Mathilda Tristan, Nick Cordell, Rongxuan Ma, Peter Zappala and Sean Sapper – most of whom later enjoyed a meal under the glow of their majestic creation.
“This event is for the students, and their interests and involvement are so important to us,” Olsen said. “We worked with them for months on the design and construction, and the finished product has become something of legend around campus. It’s now housed in the lobby of the engineering building. “
Born out of a 2016 university initiative to celebrate its international diversity, the Global Kitchen Series was created by Olsen and Chef Jon Skoviera to continue to put focus on students’ desire to enjoy international cuisine and culture. Michelle Novak, campus dining manager, has been integral in the planning and execution of each dinner’s theme, decorations and history.
