Fancy yet frugal eats available through culinary education programs
By LAURA CARROLL
VIEW STAFF WRITER
David Becker/ViewDylan Engle serves Sharel Green, right, her lunch inside the student-run restaurant at Southeast Career and Technical Academy at 5710 Mountain Vista St. As part of their culinary training, seniors prepare and serve meals in a live laboratory setting where school staff, students and members of the public are invited.
Kimberly Fannon, left, and Kirsten Harris prepare sandwiches inside the student-run restaurant/kitchen at Southeast Career and Technical Academy, 5710 Mountain Vista St. About two dozen culinary students work in the restaurant, which serves $4 lunches to school staff, students and the public.DAVID BECKER/VIEW
DAVID BECKER/VIEWJosh Keith dishes up the daily lunch special, chicken Florentine, inside the student-run restaurant/kitchen at Southeast Career and Technical Academy.
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For an inexpensive yet gourmet lunch, look no further than local culinary schools.
Many of the institutions offer student-made selections at school-operated restaurants at a fraction of the cost of most eateries.
At the College of Southern Nevada's Cheyenne Campus, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., Russell's Restaurant is the training and development center for students of the Culinary Arts and Food and Beverage Management programs of the Department of Hospitality Management.
During the fall and spring semesters, culinary students cook the food, and food and beverage management students operate and manage the restaurant, which is open from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday while school is in session. Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling 651-4701.
Across town at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Las Vegas, Opus Too Restaurant serves global cuisine for $9.95 for a three-course meal. The restaurant, 2350 Corporate Circle in Henderson, is open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.
Before graduation, the Art Institute's culinary students are required to run all facets of the eatery, including cooking and serving. The restaurant is under the direction of two chef instructors.
For reservations at Opus Too, call 992-8500.
At Café Bleu, the student-run, fine-dining restaurant at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Las Vegas in Summerlin, future chefs serve lunch and dinner to the public Tuesdays through Fridays, except on holidays or when the school is closed. Seating times for lunch run from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and those for dinner go from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
"We recommend making a reservation, but it's not necessary," admissions representative Derryce Howzell said.
The menu features an array of soups, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts, and all are priced separately. There also is a full bar available to patrons ages 21 and older.
"It's all the basic French food," guest instructor Claude Cevasco said.
A three-course lunch at Café Bleu will cost roughly $18, Cevasco said.
Because it is a learning laboratory for the students at Le Cordon Bleu, 1451 Center Crossing Road, the restaurant's menu always features items cooked in the different methods -- roasting, sauté, grilling, poaching and braising.
"People are pleasantly surprised when they come here," Cevasco said. "Everything is homemade. The only thing that they don't make here is eggs and butter."
The students behind the glass at the restaurant are in their last three weeks of kitchen class, and chef instructor Carlos Fernandez wants to make sure they're ready to work when they get out of school.
"This is the last opportunity before you go in the industry in a fine-dining environment," Fernandez said. "Our main concern is the eye appeal when you get it on the plate."
For reservations or information on Café Bleu, call 851-5322.
The Southeast Career and Technical Academy, 5710 Mountain Vista Drive, offers the Adler Dining Room, run by the high school's culinary students.
The eatery is open from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday when the school is in session.
"We are open to the public," said David Watkins, senior class instructor.
The price for lunch usually is $4, with the exception of special meals, such as an upcoming prime rib special during the holiday season.
For more information on the Adler Dining Room, call 799-7500.
The Culinary Training Academy's Westside Bistro is open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. Breakfast runs from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., and lunch goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The bistro's kitchen, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd., includes a full-size hot line training station, a pantry-training and garde-manger area, a complete demonstration kitchen, roll-in computerized ovens and dish and pot-washing equipment.
For more information on the Westside Bistro, call 924-2115.
On the campus of UNLV, the Capstone Café and Sushi Bar is located on the second floor of Beam Hall in Room 228. Breakfast, including dim sum, muffins and cappuccino, is served from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and sushi lunch is offered from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the same days while school is in session. Prices range from $1 to $12. Sushi orders can be requested to go.
Call 895-7792 to place an order or for more information.
The Stan Fulton Bistro is open on select dates from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Stan Fulton Building at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Prices range from $4 to $9. Dec. 5 is the last day of the fall semester.
Check the restaurant's Web site at http://hotel.unlv.edu/pdf/Bistro-Menu-Fall2008.pdf for menu information.
The Capstone International Cafe is located in the same place on UNLV's campus as the sushi bar and will be open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 4
Part of the Harrah Hotel College, students learn management techniques, menu development and customer relations skills as they work the front and back of the house. Prices range from $5 to $12.
Contact View education reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@viewnews.com or 380-4588.
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