“ACI’s herb garden”
…another example of how we’re still moving our program forward.
As our program continues to evolve in a positive direction, another asset we’ve added to our campus is an herb/lettuce garden. The project was started a few years ago, and now, after some trial and error, we’ve created a wonderful bed of fresh herbs and micro greens. A majority of the credit goes to our very own Chef Mattox, CCC,CS, CPI, FMP for taking so much time to care for the plants. At a recent dinner service in our on-campus restaurant, Du Jour, almost every single dish on the menu had at least one component pulled from the garden THAT DAY. It doesn’t get any fresher than that. In an environment that seems to be moving toward more computer driven classes, our on-campus herb garden is very NOT computer driven. In fact, I’d say it’s moving the opposite direction: doing things the right way, more hands on, more personal, and more like it used to be done in the “old days”. It’s not over either. The vision is still growing. As we continue to figure out what grows well and what doesn’t, we’re looking toward higher yields, more variety, and MAYBE even heirloom tomatoes! Keep watching, and get involved!
Tags: aci, aci chefs, aci students, Arizona Culinary Institute, arts institute, chefs, cooking schools, culinary schools, evening program, fine dining restaurant, going green, le cordon bleu, pastry chef, sugar pulling, wine tasting