The Goal

Let’s start with “why?” Why do people choose to dine at a fine or casual restaurant in spite of so many other fast-food and take-out options? According to the most recent research, the answer is the atmosphere and the experience. For anyone seeking to build a career in the fine or casual dining industry, then, the key to success is delivering the best experience for the guest.

And that brings us to “how?” How can the way we serve food enrich the guest’s meal? How does our approach to pouring wine, taking orders, placing dishes, and clearing tables influence the guests’ connection to the food on their plates? To answer these questions, and more, this introductory course explores both the “why” and the “how” of modern food service.

Team-taught by a veteran restaurateur and wine expert and an historian of food and food culture, the experience offers college-level training without the college-level cost. To help students understand why servers and diners approach food in the ways they do, the course explores the history of food, wine, restaurants, and American dining culture. To help them apply this knowledge to enrich their guests’ experiences, the course invites students to develop practical skills in hospitality, table service, wine service, and more.

In short, the course equips young professionals to advance in their culinary or hospitality careers by teaching them how to deliver an excellent dining experience. As they share this knowledge with their guests and colleagues, they will enrich not only their own careers but their local food cultures as well. Indeed, as the old saying goes, a rising tide raises all ships! Join us!