Ready for the World Café: India

The Ready for the World Café, which is sponsored by US Foods, operates from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the UT Visitors Center, 2712 Neyland Drive. Each luncheon will consist of intermezzo, or small appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert. Advance tickets will be sold for each of the ten luncheons, and capacity is fifty to sixty diners. Cost will be $12, and the faculty–staff discount applies. For tickets, see Marcia in 110 Jessie Harris Building or call 865-974-6645.

The Indian luncheon menu is:
Appetizer: Hot and sour soup

Intermezzo: Traditional Indian raita (a dip made of spices, yogurt, and vegetables)

Entrée: Chicken vindaloo with Indian spiced pilau rice and aubergine bhaji (curried chicken with basmati rice and eggplant, all flavored with Indian spices) served with naan bread (sweet flatbread with a chewy texture) and almond honey milk

Dessert: Mango Kulfi (a mango Dreamsicle-like treat) over karanji (fried fritters filled with raisins, almonds, and coconut)

The Ready for the World luncheons will be produced through the collaboration of HRT 445 (the Advanced Food Production and Service Management class), the UT Culinary Institute, and Pellissippi Culinary Institute.

Students enrolled In Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRT) 445-taught by Clinical Assistant Professor Donetta Poisson-will work as general managers, dining room attendants, assistant kitchen managers, dining room managers, and dining room service employees. They will be responsible for the execution of the dining experience, managing staff, help in menu planning, preparation, participating in cooking, quantification, cost analysis, service during meal time, marketing of the event, and customer satisfaction activities.

This week's student café manager from HRT 445 is Hailee Korotkin. From Birmingham, Michigan, she is a senior in management with entrepreneurship collateral. Korotkin is minoring in HRT and has worked for Aramark Catering and is a certified bartender. She cultivates her own mushrooms, including shiitake, oyster, lion's mane, and reishi, and hopes to one day own and run a mushroom farm.

Students from the Pellissippi Culinary Institute who will serve as kitchen managers are Sam Lovell and Andrew Whaley.

Lovell works at Cheddar's and plans to move back to Nashville after he graduates.

Whaley said he's always been interested in cooking and the restaurant business.

"I remember as a youngster I helped set the table and always wanted to be involved in the kitchen," he said. "I am known as a grillmaster, because I am good at barbecue and smoking. I currently work as a culinary assistant at the institute. My goal is to own a catering business in Knoxville."

More Indian culture events will take place next month at the International House, including Indian Movie Night at 6:30 p.m. on April 9, an Indian Coffee House at 6:30 p.m. on April 10, and Indian Culture Night at 6:30 p.m. on April 11.