Fall Flavors Entice Taste Buds

November 14, 2012February 25, 2020 The Guardsman

7_OnlinePhoto_News_EducatedPalate_ShaneMenez_Image02 — Swan cream puffs were one of many desserts prepared by students in the Baking and Pastry program for the Fall Harvest Buffet held on Nov. 8 at Downtown Campus’s restaurant, Educated Palate. Photo by Shane Menez/The Guardsman

By Joe Bender

The Guardsman

The Harvest Buffet is a three-day seasonal event put on by Professor Chris Johnson and the Culinary and Service Skills Training program at City College. The buffet celebrates the bountiful harvest and a successful semester.
This event is held at the Educated Palate, a restaurant owned and operated by City College and located at the Downtown campus on Mission and 4th Streets.

7_OnlinePhoto_News_EducatedPalate_Menez_1 — Managed by students and staff from Culinary and Service Skills Training Program, The Educated Palate restaurant hosts their Fall Harvest Buffet offering multiple dishes from seared salmon, to desserts such as swan cream puffs at the Downtown Campus’s Educated Palate Restaurant on Thursday, Nov. 8. Photo by Shane Menez/The Guardsman

The Culinary and Service Skills Training Program is a tuition-free noncredit course that is part of the accredited Culinary Arts and Hospitality Studies department. It trains over 250 students from around the world in culinary arts, food service management and hotel management.
The Culinary and Service Skills Training Program provides immediate vocational skills for students looking to get in the industry right away.
The harvest festival happens every semester and has officially been named “Harvest Buffet” for about 10 years now.
The event sold out, as usual.

“At first, the Harvest Buffet was a one-day event with two seating times and it wasn’t enough,” said Johnson.
Over the years, seatings increased due to popularity, but the event continued to sell out.
“Now we have the Harvest Buffet for three days with two seatings a day and it continues to sell out. People really like the food,” Johnson said.
The recipes are designed by master chefs who teach students how to prepare each dish. When the dish is made, both students and chefs taste the dish and adjust the flavors until they are satisfied.

The classic Reuben sandwich and the corn meal and pecan-encrusted catfish were back by popular demand.
The Educated Palate features a modern, minimalist aesthetic with rustic coloration and a prime view of the hustle and bustle of downtown San Francisco. Upon entering, customers are greeted by a mountainous wreath of freshly baked breads and a plethora of smells reminiscent of a Thanksgiving dinner.
This year the Harvest Buffet took place Nov. 6-8 with two seatings at 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day. The restaurant has a capacity of up to 50 guests.