Auburn University's 2011 Hospitality Gala to Feature a Culinary Adventure

Gala Will Feature Cuisine and Wines from Award-Winning Chefs and Winemakers and Exciting Live Auction Items

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. March 04, 2011

AUBURN, AL - March 3, 2011 - A nine-day trip to Rome, Tuscany and the Italian Coast; a voyage on the world's largest private yacht, and a five-day getaway to the Napa Valley are among the enticing live auction packages to be offered at the 2011 Hospitality Gala, hosted by the students of Auburn University's Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRMT) Program. The event will take place on March 31, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University. The all-star evening will begin with a reception that will include cooking demonstrations by three award-winning chefs and wine tastings with renowned winemakers. A chef-guided culinary journey combined with the live auction and an award presentation will round out the evening. This year's gala will also serve as a tribute to Horst Schulze, Chairman and CEO of The West Paces Hotel Group, for his contribution to the hospitality industry and the HRMT Program. Individual tickets for the gala are $100. Table sponsorships are available at three different price levels: $1,250 for a Magnum Table, $5,000 for a Jeroboam Table, and $10,000 for a Sovereign Table. For additional information on the gala or to purchase tickets, please visit www.thehospitalitygala.com.

“The annual gala is a way to showcase to the community the success of the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, especially the higher than industry average employment rates of its graduates,” said College of Human Sciences Dean June Henton. “Since 1992, the gala has served as an annual fundraising event to benefit educational initiatives of the program.”

The culinary adventure will begin with demonstrations from chefs Odette Fada, Michael Schwartz, and Xavier Solomon. Chef Fada, who serves as the corporate chef for Rana USA (www.giovanniranausa.com), is highly recognized for her contributions to Italian cooking and is using her talent to create delicious new pastas for Rana USA. She has previously worked in some of the finest restaurants in Italy and the United States, including 14 years as Chef at San Domenico in New York City. Michael Schwartz is the chef/owner of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink (www.michaelsgenuine.com) in Miami, FL. In 2010, Chef Schwartz received the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef and is a nationally-renowned culinary innovator at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement. Chef Xavier Salomon, Executive Chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay (www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HalfMoonBay), is a fifth-generation chef. He trained under Jo Rostang at his Michelin three-star restaurant La Bonne Auberge in Antibes, France and graduated from Thonon les Bains Culinary Academy. He is the fourth in his family and only second in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to earn the title Maître Cuisinier de France (French Master Chef).

Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji, Master Sommelier Frederick Dame, and Clovis Taittinger will be on-hand during the reception to provide samples of their celebrated wines and champagnes and to answer questions about the winemaking process. Mr. Kemiji has formed numerous wineries, including Miura Vineyards, Candela, ALMVS, ANTIQV2S, ACVS in the United States and two projects in Spain - Arrels and Clos Pissarra. As Vice President of the Heirloom Wine Group, Mr. Dame will be representing the wines of Chateau St. Jean. Dame is the first American to have served as President of the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide and is one of only 73 Americans to have passed the Master Sommelier Examination. Mr. Taittinger is the director of Champagne Taittinger, one of the greatest names in Champagne. Founded in 1734, it is the third oldest Champagne house. Two thirds of its production is exported to more than 100 countries, and it is featured on the wine-lists of the most prestigious restaurants in France and around the world.

Junior and senior students majoring in hotel and restaurant management are getting real-world experience as they plan and execute all aspects of the hospitality gala. They receive guidance from assistant professor Alecia Douglas, Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, and the program's partners at The Hotel at Auburn University led by Managing Director Hans van der Reijden. The event is an extension of the program's ongoing relationship with the West Paces Hotel Group, the Atlanta-based luxury hotel management company that manages The Hotel at Auburn University.

“This event has become one of Auburn's largest fund raisers, and as it is planned by students in the hospitality program, that achievement demonstrates the bright futures ahead of them," said Jay Gogue, Auburn University president. "The honoring of Horst Schulze is special to us, as he has been involved with Auburn for more than 24 years, and his name, for many, is synonymous with quality service."

About the Hotel at Auburn University
Centrally located near the shops and restaurants of downtown Auburn, AL, The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center is just a short walk from the excitement of Auburn University and a diverse array of cultural and entertainment attractions. Whether in town for the big game, a special party, or a productive business meeting, the hotel's 236 newly renovated guestrooms and suites offer true Southern hospitality in an ideal setting. For a true taste of Italy, visit Ariccia Trattoria & Bar, located inside the hotel. An open kitchen and outdoor terrace seating add character to this restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, Sunday Brunch, and offers take-out service. Ariccia features an espresso bar and unique wine list, and has a private dining room for special events. Located in Ariccia Trattoria & Bar, Piccolo is Auburn's only true lounge experience for specialty cocktails and a large variety of appetizers and desserts. The menu features a variety of small plates perfect for sharing, refreshing cocktails, and piccolo bottles of champagne. Live jazz performances take place on Fridays and Saturdays (except on home football game weekends). The property is managed by the Atlanta-based West Paces Hotel Group. For additional information or reservations, please call (800) 228-2876 or visit www.auhcc.com.

About Auburn University
Auburn University has provided instruction, research and outreach to benefit the state and nation for more than 150 years, and is among a distinctive group of universities designated as Land, Sea, and Space Grant institutions. Auburn makes a nearly $5 billion economic contribution to the state each year, has more than 250,000 graduates and provides 130 degree programs to more than 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students.

For more news about Auburn University, visit http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/. In-depth reporting, including multimedia features and downloadable photographs for media use, can be found at http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/newsmakers/.