What: Guest Chef Day at the University of North Texas’ student-run restaurant, the Club at Gateway.
Who: This year’s guest chefs are Andrew Klipsch, head chef at Bruce Hall Cafeteria, UNT’s busiest dining halls and his daughter, Nastassja Klipsch, who has helped her dad in the kitchen at their home since age 4 and was working with him as a culinary professional by age 14.
The pair, who are also UNT students, will work directly with other students to prepare a gourmet lunch.
When/Where: Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to noon. April 2 (Tuesday) at UNT’s Gateway Center at 801 N Texas Blvd. in Denton. Media should arrive by 10 a.m. for the best visuals.
Parking: Parking is free for diners, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the special event section of Lot 20 across from the Gateway Center.
Cost /Reservations: Meals are $17 per person or one season ticket plus $6. Each ticket includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage. Patrons can pay by cash, check or UNT interdepartmental transfers only.
Menu: Lunch features paneed pork with a dark cherry mustard sauce, rustic garlic mashed potatoes, blistered green beans and carrots in a sweet soy reduction.
The full menu is online at https://htm.unt.edu/content/guest-chef-day.
About the Restaurant: The Club at Gateway is an on-campus restaurant that gives students real-world experience running a business. During the class, which is taught through the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, students learn how to manage a successful restaurant – including menu planning, meal preparation, marketing, serving, staff management and budgeting.
Background: Chef Andrew Klipsch has worked for UNT Dining Services for the past four years. As the general manager and chef of Bruce Cafeteria, he oversees the busiest dining hall on campus, serving up to 5,000 guests per day. He also is heavily involved in the operations of multiple campus-wide events. Chef Klipsch’s varied background in foodservice spans more than 20 years in cities from Las Vegas to New York. He has owned restaurants, bars and a catering facility. He has been a corporate chef, executive chef and has managed catering, concessions and foodservice for race tracks, music venues, golf courses and private clubs. He is currently working on his master’s degree at UNT in interdisciplinary studies.
Nastassja Klipsch has grown up in foodservice, working with her father since the age of 14. She has been a cook, server and bartender. At one point, she was studying engineering at another institution, but she eventually left to pursue a degree more aligned with her passion. She is now a senior in the UNT hospitality management program.