FIRST LOOK: Fox Valley Tech's Cultural Cuisine

Posted by Jeff Flynt on

On February 24th, Fox Valley Technical College will hold their 15th Cultural Cuisine event at their Appleton campus.

It's a showcase event featuring the skills of students in the school's culinary program.

But before the event that Department Chair Chef Jeff Igel described as the "Super Bowl" for Fox Valley Tech's future culinarians, the media and members of the public were invited to a pre-critique of the menu.

This year's theme is "Famous Chefs", so you'll notice that all of the tasting menus were designed and produced in the vein of chefs you may have heard of.

Team Paul Prudhomme

  • Sweet Potato Shooter
  • Alligator Fritter with Red Pepper Remoulade
  • Chicken and Waffles
Team Bobby Flay
  • Sweet Potato and Roasted Plantain Soup w/Smoked Chili Crema
  • Fry Bread Taquitos w/Jerk Chicken, Red Cabbage Jicama Slaw and Mango Habanero Sauce
  • Adobo Braised Pork w/Creamy Polenta and Apple Chutney
Team Auguste Escoffier
  • Skewered Veal Meatballs with Curry Sauce
  • Pommes Marquis and Wild Mushroom Ragout
  • Roasted Roma Tomato stuffed with Spinach, Feta, Fennel and Anisette
Team Wolfgang Puck
  • Three Cheese Crab Macaroni and Cheese
  • Wolfgang's Spring Roll
  • Chicken Caesar Pizza
Team Marie-Antoine Careme
  • Orange Water Flower Pavlova w/Vanilla Bean Chantilly, Strawberry Coulis and Pink Champagne Caviar
  • Almond Pithivier Leaf w/Honey Cardamom Sauce
  • Chocolate Hazelnut Petit Four w/Mocha-Hazelnut Buttercream, Bittersweet Ganache and Pepper-Berry Sauce
We each had a chance to review the dishes and score them on a 1-4 scale. 
Chef Igel said afterward, "We don't expect all the dishes to be ready for prime time, but we'll take the feedback and look it over to see what adjustments need to be made."
From my personal notes:
  • The expected star of the program was the dessert course and it did NOT disappoint. The presentation was the most outstanding and the flavors of each were of equal regard.
  • The Prudhomme and Flay courses together were ahead of where the Escoffier and Puck courses fared from a taste standpoint. 
  • Both sweet potato dishes were pulled off fairly well and I enjoyed the different vibe from the chicken and waffles (SPOILER ALERT: The chicken is not fried).
  • Really liked the Adobo braised pork dish and the wild mushroom ragout was well done.
The event again is Sunday, February 24th from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Fox Valley Technical College-Appleton campus. Tickets are $40 per person (and I'm told it's all you can eat). There will be refreshments (non-alcoholic, beer and wine) and a silent auction inside the Jones Dairy Farm Culinary Theatre.

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