Roasted rattlesnake and fried alligator were on the menu for students at Curry College on October 17th when the school’s Dining Services presented “Exotic Explorers Theme Dinner” in the Dining Marketplace of the Student Center.
“Curry Dining Services prides itself on making every dining opportunity an exceptional student experience,” says General Manager Keith Meal of Curry College’s dining services provider, Sodexo. “We’re taking this mission to the next level by offering exotic menu choices while educating students about their origin and preparation.”
Sodexo Executive Chef Christian King developed the innovative theme meal and menu.
“Our culinary staff prepared all of the exotic menu items in our open kitchen and used many recipes from their home countries, including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Haiti,” says Meal.
The program, presented in collaboration with the Curry College Student Activities Department, offered students a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to sample some fairly exotic menu items such as…
- Ginger Beer Glazed Mako Shark
- Fried Alligator, Creole Remoulade
- Slow Roasted WildBoar, Demi-Glace
- Ostrich Egg Fried Rice
- Roasted Chipotle Rattlesnake
- Buffalo Burgers
- Ostrich Burgers
- Chai Tea
- Sriracha Ice Cream
In addition to the exotic menu, the Curry Dining Marketplace décor was temporarily transformed with exotic foliage while the Dining Services staff wore pith helmets and special tee-shirts created for the event.
Students who chose to sample the exotic menu items received a commemorative tee-shirt. The special program was highly publicized with radio ads on the Curry Radio station and daily posts to the Dining Services Facebook page.
“Response from students is overwhelming,” says Meal. “The real success of our Exotic Explorer’s Night was the interaction between the Sodexo culinary team and our students.”
Sodexo’s program at Curry College offers monthly themed events and weekly food station events. The themes range from health and wellness with Sodexo’s Regional Nutrition Manager Danielle Shargorodsky to ethnic menu diversity events like “Taste of the Dominican Republic”, “Passport to the World”, Black History Month, and Native American History Month.