Liberty Dining surprises students with chef pop-ups

Area Chef Sarah Falls and Executive Chef Perry Ford tag-teamed chef pop-ups this semester to surprise and delight students at Liberty University.

“We love holding chef pop-ups for students, and since we don’t pre-promote, they come as a surprise to passersby,” said Chef Ford. “We always serve something trendy for them to try, and the best part is that the pop-up food is free.”

Three chef pop-ups have been held on campus over the past months, including Spaghetti Alfredo; Birria Tacos; and Walking Tacos - which were the most popular to date.

“The Walking Tacos were delicious and super convenient as they were served in a bag,” said Chef Ford.

Many students expressed nostalgia about the pop-up experience, telling chefs of fun memories when they were younger at summer camps and county fairs.

“Students said they hope we do these pop-ups more often,” said Chef Ford.

Chef Ford said he enjoys pop-up events as they let him explore campus a bit more and interact with all the students and faculty.

“I think events like this are important because they show students that we care about them,” said Chef Ford. “Sometimes just giving something little like a free snack can go a long way. That one little gesture might take their day from zero to 100."