3-course meal prep on the unofficial syllabus at Liberty University

Add “cooking demonstrations” to the Liberty University student experience. This semester marked the start of a new offering by Liberty University Dining Services by Sodexo.

Designed and led by Sodexo Regional Executive Chef Sarah Falls, students were taught to create a themed 3-course meal at the Chef’s Table station in the new Reber-Thomas Dining Center, a 120,000-square-foot, two-story structure which opened this past August.

Chef Sarah taught a class size of up to ten students to prepare the meals together.

“We've done three demonstrations so far and students have really enjoyed the experience,” said Chef Sarah. “These classes have also been great for building relationships with students who we otherwise wouldn't have been able to get to know.”

Reece Mininger is a student at Liberty University who attended both the Italian Feast and Fall Fest cooking demonstrations.

“I signed up for the demos because I enjoy cooking in the first place,” said Mininger. “As a commuter student, learning more recipes has allowed me to cook for myself outside of school. It’s a unique activity that not many other schools offer, and I’ve found that cooking relieves stress.”

Mininger said he signed up for the second class because he loved how much he learned in the first one.

“I thought I knew a lot about cooking and found out there was something new to learn! And it was very engaging and fun,” said Mininger.

The third demo featured creating holiday appetizers, and more are planned for next semester.