Culinary students go global for auction

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First-year Culinary Institute student Noah Parker works on a gourmet dish that will be among dozens offered during the 18th annual Tasters' Guild Auction, scheduled for Friday. Special to the Record-Eagle/Carol South

February 20, 2012

By Carol South Special to the Record-Eagle The Record Eagle Mon Feb 20, 2012, 07:29 AM EST

TRAVERSE CITY — The 18th annual Tasters' Guild Auction offers 500 lucky attendees an evening of world and world-class cuisine.

Presented by Northwestern Michigan College's Culinary Institute, the event showcases the talents and creativity of students who together create, cook and serve cuisine from a dozen cultures or regions. This year's Tasters' Guild Auction is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 24.

Cuisine offerings range from Mexico, the Caribbean, Asia and France to India, Greece, Germany and New Orleans. The evening of culinary immersion also features local, regional and international wines as well as local brewers.

While all of the Culinary Institute is involved in the Tasters' Guild Auction, World Cuisine students design and create the menu for each table as well as the food's themed presentation.

Baking students create a luscious assortment of desserts.

"They take so much pride in this. The students bring so much enthusiasm — they have fun with it," said Fred Laughlin, director of the Culinary Institute. "We all love it."

Jessica Cashin, a first-year student who moved to the area just to attend the institute, is part of the Spanish cuisine team.

"I really enjoy working the back of the house because I feel I am doing something to entice people to enjoy good food," she said of the countless hours of prep work that go into creating her team's array of dishes.

"I'm excited to have a bunch of people come in, have a good time and eat a lot of great food," added classmate Noah Parker. "We'll see a lot of smiles."

The Tasters' Guild Auction was the brainchild of Darric Newman and Bill Borre, who initiated it in 1995 to promote culinary excellence in the region. The first year drew 70 attendees to the Park Place Dome and raised about $4,000. The Culinary Institute was struggling at the time with just 40 students; now 250 students are enrolled in the two-year program.

The fundraiser has become a huge draw over the past 18 years for regional foodies. Since the Culinary Institute moved to the college's Great Lakes Campus at 715 E. Front St. in 2004, the auction has sold out every year. This year's event is already sold out.

The Tasters' Guild Auction encompasses the Culinary Institute's extensive facilities, including a huge banquet hall, restaurant, two-story atrium, wide hallways and four kitchens.

Live and silent auctions raise additional funds thanks to an array of high-end culinary items, opportunities and adventures. Highlights this year include a National Cherry Festival fireworks finale viewing package, a 2013 Super Bowl party for two dozen and private grilling lessons with grill master Laughlin.

The approximately $40,000 Laughlin expects the event to raise is disbursed directly as student scholarships, with 20-25 recipients benefiting annually.

"We'll practically empty the pot every year; it's truly a scholarship event," he said.

Students apply for consideration, and a committee of institute faculty and staff evaluates their grades, application essay and resume. Each year's winners are announced during the evening.

"That's the nice thing about this event is that the money we raise stays in the culinary program," Laughlin added. "The attendance shows that the community is really supportive of the event — it's really turned into the big event of the winter."

As the long evening winds down, students plan to carve out time for visiting the tables of their friends and classmates.

"I want to see what everyone else does," said Jessica Strait, a first-year student in the program.