Mix an international culinary star with a group of talented college chefs, throw them together in the cramped kitchen of Upperclass Dining Hall and what do you get?
A magical Mexican menu created to feed the appetites of students, staff and faculty.
On Monday, Nov. 9, acclaimed chef Roberto Santibanez will share his culinary skills with Union’s dining staff and chefs from other area schools, including Marist College and SUNY New Paltz. The chefs will prepare an authentic Mexican meal featuring ancient Aztec tortilla soup, Conchinita Pibil and Guajillo marinated chicken breast, which will be served for lunch in Upperclass. At 6:30 p.m. in Old Chapel, Santibanez will lecture on Mexican cuisine and lead the chefs in a cooking demonstration for the campus community.
During his two-day stay, Santibanez will also talk with students and staff and sign copies of his books.
The visit by Santibanez, the former culinary director of Rosa Mexicano restaurants, comes at a time when the College has been using his “Mex to the Max” recipes since the start of the school year.
Santibanez and fellow chef Mai Pham recently partnered with Sodexo, a leading food service company used by Union, to share their recipes with about 600 schools to “help satisfy a growing culinary literacy among college students who have traveled to or lived in different countries or read about world cuisines and insist on authentic flavors.”
“We are very fortunate to have someone like Roberto Santibanez visit our campus,” said Dan Detora, Union’s director of Dining Services. “We’ve had great success using his recipes and have received wonderful feedback. This is a great opportunity for the campus to enjoy truly authentic Mexican cuisine.”
The menu:
Soup: Ancient Aztec Tortilla Soup
Deli: Mexican Club Sandwich
Panini: Very Veggie Quesadilla
Demo: Conchinita Pibil
Hot: Guajillo Marinated Chicken Breast
Salsa Vera Cruz Filet
Frioles Negro
Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Dessert: Authentic Mexican Fruit Cake