From the Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Please join us today at the Guest Chef Table with Thompson Hospitality's Chef Jerl Griffin in Bengal Kitchen from noon to 2:00 p.m. Chef Jerl has 35 years experience in the foodservice industry, is a graduate of the Cooking and Hospitality Institute in Chicago, and currently serves as the Thompson Hospitality regional executive chef. Chef Jerl's extensive resume includes notable concepts such as Houston's Nordstrom and Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. He has also placed in various cooking competitions, appeared in live television cooking segments, and performed culinary demonstrations at Bloomingdale's.

Today's culinary event celebrates Black History Month, as well as Mardi Gras, with a menu including chicken Creole, maque choux with Andouille sausage, and steamed rice, all served alongside mocktail hurricanes. Of note on today's menu is Chef Jerl's chicken Creole, which is more than just a recipe; it is a culinary chronicle of the diverse cultures that converged in New Orleans and the Caribbean during the colonial era. The story of this dish is rooted in a "melting pot" of influences that transformed basic ingredients into a sophisticated, aromatic staple. 

I hope you will be able to make time to attend this uplifting event today.