CAMPUS NEWS

Contact: Jeff Weaver, Melony Ritter
(501) 760.6410 office
press@np.edu

April 28, 2016

 

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM STUDENTS OPEN FLAVOR (501) CAFE

Hot Springs, Arkansas – The National Park College (NPC) Hospitality and Tourism program opened the Flavor (501) Café April 7 and April 21. The project is part of the Restaurant and Events Management Class and is the group’s largest fundraiser of the year. It provides students with hands-on management of a food and beverage operation along with all facets of an event including decorations, music, raffle and silent auction items, marketing, budgeting and more.

Hospitality student during opening of cafeThe NPC Hospitality program takes students through a rigorous program that includes travel and tourism, hotel operations, food and beverage management, food prep skills, and event management training. In the spring semester, students experience hands-on training when planning and executing the opening of the student café. This year, students decided to embrace the newest trends in food and beverage management and change the name and “feel” of the student café from “The Alternative Café” to “Flavor (501) Café.” There is an increasing interest in the local food movement, popularity of organics, and the overall need for more focus on healthy cooking and nutrient retention in preparation. The name reflects their desire to deliver incredible food with interesting flavor profiles while promoting local producers.

Flavor (501) opened for two theme days, “Down on the Farm” and “All About Asian.” Guests enjoyed a range of specialties including jerk pork loin with blackberry orange sauce, garden ratatouille and parmesan polenta, rosemary syrup strawberry shortcake, chicken lettuce wraps and shrimp ginger wontons, and Chocolate Mango Royalle.

Photo: Hospitality and Tourism student, Jamie Durfee, during the opening of Flavor (501) Café.

Hospitality Student at Cafe OpeningThe local hospitality industry and local vendors were greatly supportive and provided many silent auction and raffle items. Supporters included Mountain Harbor Resort, The Arlington, Hotel Hot Springs, Magic Springs, Dr. Lewis Cox DDS, Petco, Anytime Fitness, Addley’s Candles, Mid-America Science Museum, Garvan Gardens, Murphy Farms, Bistro 400, The Culinary District, Mercer Knives, Purple Cow, Copper Penny Pub and Colorado Grill.

Proceeds from the café and raffle/silent auction fund the Hospitality Student Activity Fund and the Wanda Reese Hospitality Scholarship.

Photo: Hospitality and Tourism student, Gentry Sanders , during the Flavor (501) Café opening of “Down on the Farm.”