Good dining on the cheap, as a new student kitchen opens in Charleston

Image by 24 North

A fan of Trident Tech's two student-run Culinary Kitchens? Well the Art Institute of Charleston is upping your options, having opened their own spot to dine high on the cheap.

On Friday "24 North Market" officially opened.

The school dubs it at " teaching dining room that provides culinary students with real-world experience in food preparation and dining room management" and, more specifically, "opens for lunch service Wednesdays through Fridays beginning in December from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Guests can select from the prix fixe menu, which includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, for only $12."

They also do takeaway meals.

For more information or optional reservations, call (843) 727-3500 or e-mail 24northmarket@aii.edufor the latest menus head to Facebook. 

Here's a sample menu:

Appetizers
Butternut Squash Bisque: truffle crema, chervil
Butter Lettuce Salad: roasted shallots, gorgonzola, pickled radish, champagne vinaigrette
Salmon Tartare: arugula, cucumber, sesame wafer, chili sauce

Entrees
Linguini Fruit de Mare: shrimp, bay scallop, mussels, spicy red sauce, basil
Beef Wellington: red wine sauce, roasted root vegetables
Crispy Asian Quail: fried rice, baby bok choy, citrus-soy demi-glace

Desserts
Zeppoles: orange, salted chocolate, sweet butter
Apple Cake: crème fraiche ice cream,apple compote
Fried Banana: lychee sorbet, candied cashew, chocolate & caramel sauce

Beverages
Chef's Specialty Drink, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi
Sweet and Unsweetened Iced Tea, Coffee, Espresso  

And, here's loads more info, from a release:

Everything served at 24 North Market is prepared by upper-level students under the supervision of expert chef faculty as part of the Á La Carte class. Patrons can watch the students in action through the large windows that separate the dining room from kitchen. “We are very proud of our culinary program and now the public has the opportunity to see why,” said Rick Jerue, president of The Art Institute of Charleston. “Our culinary students have spent numerous quarters perfecting their techniques and studying cuisine. Now, they have the opportunity to demonstrate those skills.”

Culinary students also serve as wait staff and hosts in the student-run restaurant, learning ways to ensure exemplary customer service and staff management.  “The goal of this program is to develop culinary leaders. Chefs lead the kitchen; it’s not just cooking,” said Chef Eric Watson, department chair of the Culinary program. “When our students graduate, they understand how to run a restaurant, from picking a good location to designing a menu to managing the kitchen.” This well rounded approach is part of The ArtInstitutes commitment to preparing students for the workforce.

The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes is the largest system of culinary schools in North America, with more than 35 locations. The Culinary department at The Art Institute of Charleston offers a of science degree program in Culinary Arts Management, associate in arts degree programs in Culinary Artsand Wine, Spirits & Beverage Management, and certificate programs in Baking & Pastry and Culinary Arts.  Students in the Culinary Arts program are taught classical principles of cooking along with modern techniques and trends. In addition, more than 20 international cuisines are introduced to students throughout the program.  All culinary classes are taught by industry- experienced chefs in a hands-on setting.

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