Good as Gold: Campus Dining Wins Top Prize for Paris Meal
National Recognition Celebrated as Communty Enjoys Italian Feast Wednesday
At any given restaurant, there is so much more to the food on your plate than just the food on your plate. Of course how that food was prepared is paramount, and how it tastes even more so.
But taste ideally is not the only sense engaged. The look, feel and sound of the environment matter, too. When all these things are done well, this symphonic blend of sensations and pleasures becomes an experience, not just a meal.
Campus Dining’s innovative and popular Global Kitchen dinner series seems to have cracked the code. Wednesday brought the Fall’s first meal, a colorful feast of Italian delights cooked, painted and otherwise enjoyed by a packed Panther Dining Hall crowd.
The gathering comes as the Global Kitchen meal held on Valentine’s Day’s with the foods and feelings of Paris recently earned national recognition as one of the best events of its kind in 2025.
The dinner Wednesday was anchored by chicken Scallopini, a rich and meaty ragu and creamy risotto and bookended by an abundance of antipasto and insalata at the start and cannoli, lemon ricotta cake and ethereal tiramisu at the end.
The room featured a popular gondola photo area with Campus Dining director Evan Olsen serving as gondolier. There were also information displays and other touches, including the red checked tablecloths seen in so many Italian restaurants.
After steady recognition for the last several years from National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) for 2023’s Day of the Dead Global Kitchen meal (bronze award) and a retail marketplace honor for Panther Grocery (silver award), the leading association for campus dining services once again spotlighted the excellence of Florida Tech’s Campus Dining.
This time with gold.
For its Valentine’s Day fete set in one of the most romantic cities in the world, an event featuring a 16-foot-tall Eiffel Tower replica designed and assembled by students and a lineup of French gastronomy worthy of the 6th arondissement, Campus Dining won gold for Residential Special Event of the Year.
“You turned Panther Dining Hall into a four-star Michelin restaurant…” one patron wrote.
The award celebrates an outstanding event taking place in residential dining for its strong focus on the student experience. “College and university dining teams across the country were recognized for setting the standard in student-centered foodservice,” according to NACUFS.
Olsen said he and his team seek engagement from students in everything from food choices to décor because that deepens and enhances the events.
“Students ensure the meals are authentic to the country and region we are representing, and with the decorations help transport our patrons to these wonderful places,” Olsen said. “We are just thrilled at how these events really capture and represent the Florida Tech spirit.”
Born out of a 2016 university initiative to celebrate its international diversity, Olsen and Executive Chef Jon Skoviera created the Global Kitchen Series 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.
Coming Nov. 12: The second Global Kitchen event of the Fall featuring the foods and culture of Japan.
