Dietetics students preparing themed feasts in collaboration with Cornell Dining chefs

Preparing a meal for hundreds of guests takes a little bit more than opening a cookbook and chopping some vegetables, and each spring semester, the students of NS 4880, the Applied Dietetics in Food Service Systems course in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, learn just how involved it can be. Students collaborate with Cornell Dining’s culinary teams to devise themed menus, arrange entertainment and marketing plans, and ultimately host their dinners in Cornell’s west campus dining rooms.

The Class of 2025 cohort in NS 4880 split into two groups, who are hosting a pair of dinners on April 29th: an elegant Roaring ’20s themed dinner at Keeton House Dining Room, and an NYC Borough Food Crawl at Cook House Dining Room. 

The New York Crawl 

“When we first started the project, we looked back at previous themes and discovered that the Class of 2020 had planned a ‘Big Red Meets Big Apple’ dinner that had to be canceled,” says senior Jada Vyphuis, who’s working on the NYC themed dinner. “We wanted to pay homage to that class while also putting our own spin on the theme, emphasizing the diverse neighborhoods of New York City rather than focusing on a single borough.”  

Jada and her teammates have been working with Chef Kris Angle and Chef Pyiphyo Aung at Cook House Dining Room, and says “it’s been amazing” working with them. “Both chefs encourage us to take the lead in sharing our ideas and vision for the menu, and they contribute their expertise and suggestions to refine and enhance our concepts.”

“We’ve learned that food service for large groups requires careful planning, collaboration, and adaptability,” Jada says. “Balancing creativity with logistics — such as ingredient availability, preparation time, and efficient service — is essential.”

Elegance of a Bygone Era 

“We wanted to take on the challenge of transforming Keeton House Dining Room’s cozy atmosphere into an elegant dining experience,” says senior Payton Bethmann, who’s on the marketing team for the Roaring ’20s dinner. “Not only in decorating the space but also in adapting 1920s cuisine to fit modern student preferences and food trends,” Payton added, noting that “many classic dishes from the era don’t align with today’s dining habits, so we focused on creating an ambiance of elegance with our menu rather than including specific dishes popular during the 1920s.”

The Roaring ’20s dinner also serves to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the College of Human Ecology, being observed this entire academic year. Keeton House Dining Room’s Chef Sam Ramer “has provided us with valuable historical insights into 1920s cuisine, helping us create an event that feels immersive to the time period,” Payton says. “His knowledge of flavor profiles has been instrumental in crafting recipes that blend the theme with modern tastes.”

"The NS 4880 collaboration is one of my favorite parts of my work in Cornell Dining,” says Chef Sam. “It’s rewarding to watch the students develop realtime skills in management, delegation, collaboration, and leadership while planning their event.”

“I’m always impressed with the creativity and enthusiasm students bring to the project,” says Associate Professor Emily Wilcox Gier, who has taught the course for over two decades. “The themed dinner event project in NS 4880 represents experiential learning at its best.”

“As a capstone Dietetics project, students apply their knowledge of nutrition, management and quantity food production while executing a fun event for the Cornell community, adds Professor Gier. “Students receive hands-on experience working with professionals in modern, high-tech kitchens with exceptionally trained chefs. Students carry the training and experience into their future practice as registered dietitians. Students enjoy the opportunity to provide something special for the West Campus community.”

“Our students are fortunate to collaborate with Cornell Dining for this unique learning opportunity to apply theory to practice,” she says. “Their experience as Cornell students gives insight into execution of the project.  Working alongside professionals in culinary, marketing, administration and management polishes their teamwork skills and prepares them for future leadership roles.”

“My part in this is to help coach and provide professional consultation to them on this learning path,” Chef Sam continues. “Each lab period we meet and discuss the details of their menu. I share industry insights and culinary management knowledge to help enhance their decision making while they complete the modules assigned for the course. These modules include recipe testing, menu development, food service system training, marketing creation, and event decor planning.”

“Executing a large-scale meal service is incredibly challenging,” Payton says, adding that after working with the culinary team, “we gained a deeper appreciation for just how complex the process is. From managing food costs to timing production and ensuring consistency in quality and presentation, every detail matters.”

“Planning a menu for an event like this also involves predicting attendance and accommodating the diverse dietary needs of the customers who visit the dining rooms daily,” she says. “It takes a high level of skill, teamwork, and adaptability to serve thousands of people efficiently while still delivering creative and delicious meals.”

Everyone’s welcome 

This month’s dinners are open to the public, so students, staff, faculty, and community members are welcome to enjoy the meals. Students can use a meal swipe or Big Red Bucks, staff and faculty can pay with MealChoice, and anyone’s welcome to pay for the meal with a credit card.

• Roaring ’20s Dinner at Keeton House Dining Room
• NYC Borough Food Crawl Dinner at Cook House Dining Room 

“Students are taking all the foundational knowledge in nutrition and science they’ve learned at Cornell and applying it toward the experience of preparing food for 1,000 people,” says Emily Gier, associate professor of practice, who has taught NS 4880 for over twenty years.

“In a few weeks this will all come together in front of their peers, friends, and family,” Chef Sam says. “On that night, I always enjoy watching them grin ear to ear as the scope of their accomplishment sets in.”

“We’ve seen how teamwork plays a crucial role,” says Jada, “as working together can transform a meal into a meaningful and memorable experience.”

“Seeing the chefs seamlessly execute this process every day has given us a newfound respect for the expertise and effort behind each meal,” Payton says, “making us even more appreciative of the work that goes into feeding the campus community.” 

About Cornell Dining

Cornell Dining is consistently ranked in the Princeton Review's top ten for best campus food among all colleges and universities in the country! That high rating comes from customer surveys, and reflects Cornell Dining's commitment to serving high-quality foods that are healthy and creatively prepared with genuine care for a diverse community. Cornell Dining operates over 30 on-campus eateries -- which include residential dining rooms, cafés, coffeehouses, food courts, and convenience stores -- and serves more than 23,000 meals a day to members of the Cornell community. For more information, visit dining.cornell.edu.