FVCC Chef's Table dinner delights the palate while providing learning opportunity

Executive chef Andy Blanton works with sous chef Billie Melnick and Conor Sears to add the finishing touches to a bronzed sea scallops appetizer at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Max Malcomson adds a spoonful of truffles and mushrooms to garnish a Sirloin Beef Steak Tips entree at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Max Malcomson garnishes lobster rolls served on bao buns as an amuse-bouche at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

From left, Max Malcomson, Billie Melnick, Conor Sears and Kaylee Bishop add garnishes to a round of bronzed sea scallops appetizers at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Conor Sears adds drops of lemon basil oil to a bronzed sea scallops appetizer during a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Beet carpaccio with horseradish yogurt, candied red onion and watercress served as an amuse-bouche at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Conor Sears and Kaylee Bishop add shallot mignonette and chive creme fresh to a dish of oysters on the half shell during an amuse-bouche at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Oysters on the half shell from Totten, Washington, served with a shallot mignonette and chive creme fresh at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Executive chef Andy Blanton and Conor Sears sear scallops for a bronzed sea scallops appetizer served at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Samantha St. Onge, left, and Zephy Hanson plate a variety of mignardise, or bite-sized desserts including a spiced apple and quince tart, at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

A slice of Smith Island Cake with Maple Cream served as dessert at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Sirloin Beef Steak Tips served with a glace de viande, potatoes dauphine and spinach foam at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Spiced apple and quince tart pastries at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Paw Paw Yogurt with Petite Johnnycake served at intermezzo at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Crab and corn soup served as an amuse-bouche at a Chef's Table dinner series held by Flathead Valley Community College's Culinary Institue of Montana on Friday, Feb. 21. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by CASEY KREIDER Daily Inter Lake
| March 9, 2025 12:00 AM

Created and prepared by students of Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute of Montana, each Chef’s Table dinner series features a thoughtfully crafted menu highlighting the diverse culinary traditions of regional American cuisine.

Chef’s Table serves as a vital learning opportunity for first-year culinary students, immersing them in the elements that shape the country’s regional flavors, including Indigenous influences, cultural diversity and geographic impact.

All proceeds from the sold-out events support FVCC’s culinary program, helping students gain hands-on experience in menu planning, execution and hospitality.

I attended the New England and Chesapeake Bay Cuisine with Wine Pairings event. It featured a round of amuse-bouche with lobster roll on bao buns, beet carpaccio, oysters on the half shell and a crab and corn soup.

These were followed by a bronzed sea scallop appetizer with a shaker squash bread and cultured butter. The chefs then served an intermezzo of paw paw yogurt with petite Johnnycake before the entree of sirloin beef steak tips with glace de viande, potatoes dauphine, spinach foam and a 2022 Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles from the Barossa Valley of Australia.

Dessert was a richly layered Smith Island Cake with Maple Cream.