Fine Dining is the culinary arts department’s way of receiving formal, professional experience on campus.

On select Friday nights throughout the semester, sophomore culinary arts students prepare dishes specific to a certain cuisine and serve students and faculty a two-hour-long six-course meal.

The dates are Feb. 9, Feb. 23, March 2, March 16, March 30 and April 6.

All sophomores in the culinary arts program take the course Fine Dining, and they put what they learn into practice for the benefit of the university family.

It is the ultimate test of professionalism, food production and all-around development of the culinary student.

Rob Hansen, the chef who teaches the course, said the experience gained from the Fine Dining class is well worth the effort that goes into the hands-on course.

“Everything you learn in the classroom is practiced in the kitchen,” Hansen said. “Even other culinary schools don’t do as much as we do.”

A different cuisine is presented each night, including Italian, French, Mediterranean and American.

Each diner will receive a choice of appetizer, soup, an intermezzo (a small scoop of sorbet to cleanse the palate) a choice of entrée, a salad and dessert.

As diners leave, they are given a mignardise, an edible ‘thank you’ from the culinary students in the form of a bite-sized chocolate or truffle.

Some menu options offered include a fresh mozzarella, tomato and prosciutto caprese as well as lime shrimp, crab cakes served with remoulade, a goat cheese and leek tart, as well as other savory appetizers.

Among the entrees served are seared duck breast, sous vide sea bass, saltimbocca, a thin slice of rolled veal, stuffed chicken, lamb chops and more.