Tarleton State University Dining caters “An Evening In Purple”

On March 27, a night celebrating a momentous year, Tarleton State University President James Hurley presented Legacy and Distinguished Alumni honors at the 2023 Gala, "An Evening in Purple.”

Catered by dining services partner Sodexo, the 12th annual gala on March 27 recognized individuals and supporters whose leadership and noteworthy contributions exhibit the university’s core values. Honorees received legacy awards, presented by Dr. Hurley, which reflected excellence, integrity, and respect.

The event is hosted in the Wisdom Gym basketball court, currently Tarleton Basketball's primary court that will soon be moving to the event center in coming years.

The dining team prepared a charcuterie spread to VIP guests and three-course plated meal to the 460 guests in attendance, featuring fresh garden salad, grilled filet topped with chipotle herbed butter, bacon gouda whipped potato, garlic braised broccolini, followed by a dessert spoon trio.

“Sodexo has always been wonderful partners not for the University Gala, but for all of our events,” said Jessica Evans, Senior Events Manager, Campus Operations. “They were conscientious of all the details from small to large and ensured our guests had a fantastic experience.”

For the execution of this event, Tarleton Dining tapped district support, which gives Sodexo teams from other campuses a chance to experience service styles for larger events than they would normally be exposed to.

“Our team has enjoyed the opportunity to meet the folks from other units, teach them about our unit and methods, and maybe even take away some professional insight from another point of view,” said General Manager Tanner Smith. “This year, we had visitors from four of the eight units in our district including servers, chefs, and culinary support.”

“An Evening in Purple” involved three months of planning to discuss food, flow, and execution.

Event day preparations included plating salad and dessert on-site, setting bread and butter on tables, plus bar and charcuterie setup. Food is prepared in the main kitchen, and entree plating is done on-site prior to the guests’ arrival.

"Sodexo is honored to be a part of such an important event at Tarleton,” said Catering Director Ashlee Delgado. “It is amazing to see old friends reconnect in a way that facilitates the education of future Texans. This event has progressed every year with more and more sponsorships. We are delighted to provide all guests with a meal and evening that will be remembered for years to come."