On Monday, Feb. 17, the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management hosted a four-course, wine-paired dinner titled "Fusion Flavors: Thai-Italian Auburn Chef Showcase.”
The showcase was hosted at the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center and featured Executive Chef Eric Rivera and Auburn University hospitality alumna Natasha Whitt.
Preparations for the event began months before, but students of the hospitality program began setting the tables before guests arrived at 5:30 p.m. Tables were adorned with the featured menu along with wine pairings for each course.
Guests at the showcase were fully immersed in the experience, with banquet-style tables creating an intimate atmosphere. Attendees enjoyed an inside look at the culinary laboratory through the surrounding glass walls.
Each course was served one by one, with the chefs explaining their personal touches and displaying their culinary expertise in combining Thai and Italian food elements. The wine pairing provided a complimentary taste for each course.
The first course was an oyster duo that combined chilled oysters with lemon parsley cream and grilled oysters with sesame seaweed butter and Thai kimchi. The duo was paired with Mar de Frades Albariño — a Spanish wine with saline, lime, grapefruit and orange blossom notes.
The first course at the Fusion Flavors: Thai-Italian Auburn Chef Showcase.
The second course was Thai duck spring rolls with lemongrass and lime chili sauce paired with Saint Cosme Cotes-Du-Rhone Rouge. This French wine has spicy notes of sandalwood, violets and black pepper.
The wine pairings for the evening were curated by Gretchen Wensuc, an Auburn University alumna with a degree in event management.
“We went with French wine so that it was able to cut through some of the flavors of the duck and still provide an excellent taste to go with it [...] I leave the food to [the chefs], but I like to work together on the wine to find a very specific wine profile that pairs best with the food they’ve prepared,” Wensuc said.
The third course was malfadine pasta topped with braised short rib, roasted garlic, thai basil, bock choy and pesto rosso. The pasta dish was paired with Pertinance Nebbiolo — an Italian wine with notes of red fruits, peppers, a tannic structure and a hint of spice.
Chef Rivera and Chef Whitt collaborated to bring the unique flavors of Thailand and Italy together. The two worked together at Ravello Ristorante, a fine Italian dining experience located in Montgomery, Alabama.
Rivera is an adjunct professor in the hospitality program and provides students with hands-on, professional culinary experiences. Rivera is a well-decorated chef with culinary recognition in The New York Times and Forbes Magazine.
His love for teaching is the driving force behind his current instruction in the food lab and desire to include students in events such as this one.
“It gives [students] variety. It gives them opportunities outside of the classroom. That’s the biggest thing — giving the students these opportunities to see new and different things rather than what every other student is seeing,” Rivera said. “I always try to keep it as varied as possible and think of new, creative ideas for the students.”
The Thai inspiration for the meal is credited heavily to Whitt, who is Thai American. Because Whitt’s father served in the United States Military, her childhood consisted of moving around the country several times. The inconsistency motivated Whitt to find refuge in her mother’s Thai cooking and later inspired her to pursue her culinary career.
Chef Natasha Whitt, an Auburn hospitality alumna, prepares a course at the culinary school's Thai Italian Auburn chef showcase.
Whitt worked under Rivera, gaining knowledge of Italian cuisine. His mentorship inspired Whitt to continue the pursuit of infusing Thai cuisine into her career.
“Some of the dishes we served tonight are some of my first specials I produced at Ravello. [Rivera] always pushed me to think outside of the box and work with what I have — that is what we are doing here with the Thai-Italian fusion tonight,” Whitt said.
The fourth and final course was coconut sticky rice paired with mango sorbet. It was topped with limoncello syrup and paired with a sparkling rosé.
Nods of approval, applause and interactions with the chefs ensued from the guests throughout the dining experience.
The Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management hosts several events throughout the year, cultivating culinary science student involvement, alumni participation and more. For more information on upcoming events, visit AU HOSP’s community events page.
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Celina Aleman, senior in journalism, is a culture writer for The Auburn Plainsman.
