College of DuPage Welcomes Chef Paul Virant Dec. 4

College of DuPage’s Classical Cuisine Class will host Chef Paul Virant for a Classical French dining experience Tuesday, Dec. 4, at Waterleaf Restaurant in the Culinary & Hospitality Center on the Glen Ellyn campus, 425 Fawell Blvd.

The evening begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The menu includes dishes created and prepared by Chef Virant and assisted by the College’s Classical French Cuisine Culinary Class. Students from the Quantity Food Prep Culinary Class will serve.

Chef Virant, owner of the celebrated Vie in Western Springs and the recently-opened Perennial Virant in Chicago, relies on fresh, market ingredients as the full focus of his dishes to showcase local flavors.

The Dec. 4 menu includes scallops in cream sauce, fresh fish, roast pork with apples in mustard sauce, and crepes with chestnut and whipped cream. The evening’s wine menu includes selections from Castello Banfi Montalcino.

“Waterleaf and College of DuPage are excited to welcome Chef Virant and showcase his culinary style to diners in the western suburbs,” said Jean Pierre Leroux, General Manager of Waterleaf and the Inn at Water’s Edge. “This evening of fine dining exposes a new audience to Chef Virant’s skills, while giving the College’s students hands-on experience working with one of the Chicago area’s top culinary talents.”

Virant was named Best New Chef 2007 by Food & Wine Magazine and Best New Chef by Chicago Magazine in 2005. Virant’s Vie restaurant was awarded three stars by Phil Vettel of the Chicago Tribune in 2005. In 2010 and 2011, Vie earned a Michelin star, and Virant appeared on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” and received the James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes Nomination.

The cost of the Dec. 4 dinner is $80 per guest and online reservations are available. For more information or to make reservations, call Sarah Martino at (630) 942-3943 or click here.