CLC's student-managed Prairie restaurant marks fifth year of fine cuisine
Upscale, French and regional American cuisine, as well as new pastries and ice cream, are the menu highlights as Prairie, the College of Lake County's student-managed restaurant, marks its fifth year. The restaurant, located in the lower level C Wing at the Grayslake Campus, kicked off its 2016-17 season in September.
The menu changes weekly to offer variety for both students and customers, said Chef Rob Wygant, co-chair of the hospitality and culinary management program. This fall, upscale entrees have ranged from split-roasted pork tostadas to Italian sausage-stuffed calamari in roasted tomato Pomodoro sauce with aged Parmesan cheese and basil. Regional American entrees span from New England seafood to New Orleans-style creole chicken. French cuisine has included filet of beef au piovre over pommes puree with sautéed French beans.
"Our student are exposed to hundreds of dishes per semester, compared to about 10 per semester at other culinary arts programs in the area," Wygant said.
New to the menu this fall are student-made pastries such as cinnamon bread pudding and chocolate mousse cake. The desserts are produced in a new course, Prairie Desserts (HCM 299), taught by Chef Christine Radulescu, an adjunct professor and pastry chef for the Signature Room, located at the top of the Hancock Tower in downtown Chicago. Complementing the pastries is fresh chocolate or vanilla ice cream, created by students using the program's new ice cream machine.
Hospitality and culinary arts students gain practical, real-world experience in all facets of restaurant management, Wygant said.
"Students rotate duties each week," he said. "During a semester, a student can work as a host or hostess, wait staff, cook, sous chef, pastry chef and manager. Our students not only cook the food, they help plan the menu and order inventory."
Students find the hands-on experience to be invaluable.
"The chefs teaching the Prairie Restaurant course allow you to have creative freedom to design an entrée, and your fellow students give their input to make the idea even better," said Connor McNeil, a 2015 graduate of the program who is currently a kitchen lead at Sunda, an Asian fusion restaurant in Chicago. "Besides the menu planning and cooking, I learned how to handle pressure, manage my time and work on a team."
Prairie's lunchtime business continues to grow, as word has spread that the public can enjoy gourmet-level entrees for $8 and quality desserts for only $4 in an upscale atmosphere.
"This past Spring Semester, we doubled our business over Fall Semester 2015," Wygant said. "We're at or near capacity (58 diners) every day, and we do a robust takeout business, too."
Prairie is open on select dates during Fall Semester. Hours are 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. For details and to make a reservation, visit www.clcillinois.edu/prairie.
The college is located at 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. To learn about CLC's hospitality and culinary management program, visit www.clcillinois.edu/programs/hcm.