The Flathead Valley Community College Foundation will host its fourth annual Festival of Flavors Sept. 29 through Oct. 8. The gala will feature 13 events showcasing the talents of eight of the Flathead’s finest chefs and FVCC culinary arts students and faculty.
As one of the culinary arts instructors at FVCC, I am proud to be a part of this important event that raises funds to support student scholarships and programs at the college. Last year, Festival of Flavors raised $50,000, a record for an FVCC Foundation event. The proceeds go toward helping students fund their education so they can achieve their educational goals and provide better lives for themselves and their families. The money raised also helps FVCC continue to offer outstanding and cutting-edge programs that prepare students for success whether they plan to transfer to other colleges to complete bachelor’s degrees or whether they are training to enter, or re-enter, the workforce.
Our six new culinary arts students and five senior sous chefs will present two special Chef’s Table dinners for the festival. The dinners will feature light hors d’oeuvres followed by a five-course dinner comprised of an appetizer, sorbet, main course, cheese course and a featured dessert. Each course will be paired with select fine wines. During the event, my students will deliver the entire presentation including the food and beverage preparation, plating and service. I will serve as the evening’s emcee, introducing each course and how it is prepared. We invite you to join us in our 3,224-square-foot instructional kitchen to watch our students create a culinary feast right before your eyes.
Our Chef’s Table dinner on Sept. 30 will feature pushed foie gras with pears and sauternes, sorbet, American Kobe New York strip loin roasted in herb salt crust with creamed Madeira morel sauce and forked mashed truffle potatoes, assorted fruits, fresh baked breads and imported and domestic cheeses. We will finish it off with chocolate ganache towers, handmade cookies and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
On Oct. 7, our students will prepare and present Alaskan scallops with spinach, truffles and saffron vanilla cream, sorbet, filet mignon with blue cheese crust with port wine sauce, sauce béarnaise and bull and bear popover, assorted fruits, fresh baked breads and imported and domestic cheeses. Our featured dessert will be Heather Ho’s lemon meringue ice box cake accompanied with handmade cookies and chocolate dipped strawberries.
For the festival finale, our students will participate in the Grand Wine Tasting at the Hilton Garden Inn on Oct. 8. Our students will join other outstanding chefs in the valley as they prepare and serve a variety of delicious foods that will accompany the more than 200 wines that will be available for guests to sample.
I invite you to join us as we support this great cause. Tickets for Festival of Flavors must be purchased in advance and are available at www.fvcc.edu/festival or by calling 756-3632.