ECC culinary school announces its program's next guest chef

Executive Chef David Kramer, a full-time instructor at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, is the next guest chef for Elgin Community College's 2007-2008 Distinguished Visiting Chef Series.

This dinner will be held Tuesday in Spartan Terrace Restaurant in the Culinary Arts Center on the ECC Main Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. A 6:30 p.m. wine and hors d'oeuvres reception precedes dinner at 7 p.m.

The reservation deadline is 5 p.m. Monday.

Kramer, a College of DuPage alumnus, is a graduate of the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in New York. He joined the College of DuPage part-time in 1999 and became a full-time faculty member in 2003. Kramer developed his talents at fine Chicago area restaurants, including Maggiano's Little Italy, Chicago, Oak Brook and Schaumburg; Papagus Greek Taverna, Chicago and Oak Brook; Marriott's Hickory Ridge Conference Center; the Art Institute of Chicago; Hyatt Oakbrook Hotel; the 95th Restaurant; and Lawry's The Prime Rib.

He also has traveled and trained in Europe to broaden his understanding of the culinary history, traditions and cultures of the many regions there.

Kramer will spend the day lecturing and working with students of the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Institute of Elgin at ECC to prepare the evening's dinner. The four-course, Mediterranean-inspired menu includes a starter of tzatziki, melitzanosalata and hummus; followed by chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon with greens and romesco sauce; the second course will be fennel and orange crusted bass over a bed of lentils topped with a fennel and blood orange slaw, and the entrée will be beef stefado. Chocolate fig custard and almond baklava complete the menu.

Reservations are $50 and available by calling the ECC ticket office at (847) 622-0300. For more information on ECC's culinary program, visit www.elgin.edu/spartanterrace.