TSTC Culinary Arts program aims to show vibrancy of vegan dishes

(HUTTO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College’s Culinary Arts program is incorporating vegan dishes into its student-operated restaurant menu this semester at the East Williamson County campus.

Level 3, which is the name of the restaurant, is located on the third floor of the East Williamson County Higher Education Center and is open for dining by reservation. Culinary Arts students serve and prepare the food.

The vegan options on the menu, which will be served each week that the restaurant is open, are orzo pasta salad and a mezze platter with vegetables and hummus.

“There is a bad stereotype that vegan food does not taste good,” said Brian Bohannon, an instructor in TSTC’s Culinary Arts program.

Some specials of the week will also be vegan.

Nicholas Luckie, a Culinary Arts student from Lago Vista, will make leek and potato soup with coconut milk as a special later in the semester. He likes vegan food’s versatility in being able to substitute ingredients.

Communication is important between the restaurant’s customers, servers and kitchen staff. Chasey Davis, a TSTC Culinary Arts instructor, said the program did a mock restaurant service day with students being critiqued on whether they asked customers about allergies and dietary restrictions.

“It’s important for them to have that knowledge in their brain,” she said.

Other menu items include herb-crusted lamb chop with red cabbage, flat iron steak with cauliflower puree and Brussels sprouts, and chicken Kiev with whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus. Desserts include Basque cheesecake and creme brulee.

Bohannon said he let students create the menu.

“There are different lifestyles and different ways to eat,” he said.

The average price for lunch will be under $15. All money from the restaurant goes back into the Culinary Arts program to support students’ educational needs.

The restaurant will be open from noon to 1 p.m. on Thursdays until April 4, but it will be closed the week of March 11.

To get a registration link to sign up to dine at the restaurant, email Davis at chasey.davis@tstc.edu.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.