Thursday, January 20, - 3B 68 Thursday, January 20, 2011 // The B-Side ... cv a th Cafeteria creativity at the'U Meet the culinary experts behind the chicken broccoli bake By LEAH BURGIN SeniorArts Editor When Natalie Emcard swipes into a campus dining hall, she may not consider herself a customer. But for the chefs who toil in hot kitchens Rehind the scenes, students are cus- tomers. And each chef uses his or her creativity and culinary arts training to satisfy the thousands of patrons daily who bustle through the serving lines and salad bars in the Universi- ty's nine residential chow houses. But students who may be pictur- ing dramatic scenes from "Top Chef" £nd "Iron Chef" will find that Univer- sity kitchens don't exhibit the same panache,wittybanter or frantic atmo- sphere prevalent in such TV shows. North Quad Chef Frank Turchan - a Culinary Institute of America grad who, like many of the chefs employed at the University, has worked in a number of high-profile restaurants, country clubs and hotels - said he misses the artistry of high-pressure kitchens similar to those featured on the small screen. "If you watch a dinner service at any of the fine restaurants, it's almost like a dance," he said. "No one talks, they call out orders, there's just this flow. It's amazing how food goes out. "I could see down the line and it's like an orchestra," he added, refer- ring to his time at the dinner theater Opus One in Detroit. "You can coor- dinate who's doing what. You got the saute station and the grill and the roaster and the broiler and it's all crazy." When East Quad Chef Buzz Cum- mings, a 20-year veteran of Residen- tial Dining Services, discussed his decision to work for the University, he remembered being uncertain if cooking at a "college cafeteria" would merit the same creativity as other jobs in "the business." His concern was not without foun- dation. According to Cummings, for 14 years, the policy of University dining was to mimic a "McDonald's model." "If you go to Bursley to eat lasagna, you should go to East Quad and West Quad and South Quad and eat lasa- gna and it should be the exactly the same," Cummings explained. "Just like McDonald's. If you go and get a cheeseburger and fries and a milk- shake here, you should be able to go to Japan and get the same thing." Four years ago, a new director was hired who, according to Cummings, had a different philosophy - creat- ing a niche identity for each dining hall on campus to increase selections for the students and options for the individual chefs. Students can now see the result of this change - West Quad boasts a burrito and Mediterra- nean bar, the Hill Dining Center rolls sushi and North Quad specializes in international cuisine. But University chefs aren't given complete free creative rein. Dining Services executive chef Steve Mey- ers, who has worked at the Universi- ty since 1986, emphasized that, while students may have a different dining experience depending on where they eat, the University still stresses stan- dardization for dining hall basics and favorites, like the chicken broc- coli bake. Chefs are also expected to con- coct meals based on other Univer- sity guidelines, including vegan and vegetarian options, nutritional con- siderations and student allergies. And, unlike cooks at private restau- rants, RDS chefs must, as Turchan described, "feed a small city" - up to 5,000 students per dining hall - every day: FOOD WARS Each week, one Ann Arbor staple menu item becomes a battlefield as Daily Arts editors butt heads over which restaurant makes it best. Where should you go for your burger, fro-yo or garden omlette? Daily Arts will fight for the truth. SWEET POTATO FRIES Dear Ricky Gervais, Go brush your teeth, you fat git. Sincerely, Johnny Depp Dear Five Guys, Soon, there will only be four. Sincerely, Shaman Drum Dear Simon, Dog, this new lady I'm working with is nuts! And so is J. Lo. Sincerely, Randy North Quad Chef Frank Turchan used to work at Opus One in Detroit. 012 E. William (734) 663-3379 UM Students, Faculty, & Staff CUSTOMER APPRECIATION Lunch Buffet M$.5 .2 $2 OFF our Lunch Buffet With Beverage Included Just Present Your U of M -8D. Ofe xie:2/1 8/2011 Despite all the factors that must be considered when writing up each recipe and menu, Meyers believes that chefs have the creativeblicense to dabble freely in their chosen craft. "I think the opportunity was always there," Meyers said. "From the day I started here, one of the discussion points was, 'We want the food to be more exciting.' Even back in 1986, we wanted the food to be cre- ated as nice as possible and presented as nice as possible." Cummings and Turchan agree with this statement, citing examples like recipe concoction, chef specials, themed dining weeks, local vegetable purchasing and special University occasions as opportunities for them to stretch their culinary muscles and take a stab at a new and exciting dish. Turchan, who has created about 40 new recipes this academic year, believes that culinary creativity can be found in the many options a simple See CHEF, Page 8B QUICKIE BURGER 800 South State St. The sweet potato fries at Quickie Burger are the best you're likely to find. They cost more than most are willing to pay for a pota- to product whose purpose is to supplement the taste of a cheeseburger, but after all, they aren't just normal potato fries; they're sweet potato fries. If you're willing to spend $6.50 on a burger, you should splurge and spend the extra $3.50 on these fries. The only thing you'll regret is how quickly you ate them all. SEVA 314 East Liberty St. While not marketed as "sweet potato" per se, Seva's yam fries are the vegetarian haven's most popular menu item, and for good rea- son. Each delectable morsel bursts with soft, sugary goodness under its crunchy and salty exterior. But the real highlight of the appe- tizer is the dipping sauce that accompanies it: Made from a combination of mayonnaise and locally stewed Clancy's Fancy Hot Sauce, it makes double dipping a must. SAVA'S 214 South State St. Sava's has been gradually classing it up since its leap across the street. But while many things may have changed, the sweet potato fries have stayed true to their old deliciousness. The portion is generous and the fries are warm and soft. The wide, thin strands of sweet potato are perfect for dip- ping, the only flaw beingsome are cut so thin that they end up more fry batter than sweet potato. GRIZZLY PEAK 120 West Washington St. At Grizzly Peak, the sweet potato fries are just as they should be: hearty, sweet and per- fectly crispy. They are less fries than thick- cut wedges, which provide the full flavor and texture of the common sweet potato. The brewery fries the orange starches light- ly, so as not to detract from their delicate sweetness. There is enough taste present to warrant condiments useless. Fans of sweet potatoes and fried fare need look no further. " Restaurant Week: A list of all establishments featuring can't-resist deals for hungry students on a tight budget. Film for thought: Do movie directors have a responsibility to the world they represent? A look at experimental film "The Five Obstructions." * Curtians up: Spend a weekend in the Windy city and see a phenomenal play: "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" And the winner is: Seva and Grizzly Peak tie North Quad features food from around the world in addition to the 'U' dining hall staples