Chefs Mentoring Chefs: Vita Nova at the University of Delaware
Hidden away on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus lies a true Delaware treasure and an undiscovered culinary gem, the student-run fine dining restaurant Vita Nova.
It’s where aspiring restauranteurs, sommeliers and chefs serve up classic dishes with a French-influenced contemporary American flair, offering a delectable menu that changes with the seasons, a wine cellar stocked with magnificent vintages and a serene setting for enjoying a tasty meal accompanied by attentive service.
Vita Nova, a cornerstone of the University’s Hospitality Business Management Degree program, offers a fine dining experience that has earned state-wide and regional award. Plus, the experience is a win for the student too.
Chefs mentoring chefs
Graduate Dana Herbert from the class of 1998 went on to start Delaware’s Desserts by Dana and to experience success as a winner on Food Network’s Cake Boss. Others have gone on to positions at top-tier restaurants such as those of famed chefs Gordon Ramsay, Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Danny Meyers.
As a diner, expect to be treated to an array of mouth-watering dishes prepared and served expertly by the sophomores, juniors and seniors participating in the Vita Nova Practicum Lab. Students are guided in their food preparation by Executive Chef Billy Rawstrom, formerly owner/operator of Wilmington’s award-winning Maiale Deli and Salumeria. This Fall, he will be partnering with new Chef Instructor Alison Rainis, a 2016 Delaware Hospitality honors student and graduate who previously was Chef-Manager at CulinArt Group, a national dining services organization.
Chef Billy, whose philosophy embraces “The recipe is just a map, the chef decides what road to take,” says his goal is for students to build a strong base of techniques that they can take with them and personalize. The hands-on learning at Vita Nova gives them the tools to ensure that their talents shine. “I’m just here to assist them,” he says.
Chef Billy’s menus feature the freshest ingredients, simply prepared. Students participate in the development of the seasonally driven dishes, which featured garden-fresh greens and asparagus for spring, and promises a duck dish with a sweet potato puree and blackberry coulis foam for fall.
A meal to remember
A recent meal kicked off with a beautifully plated trio of appetizers including Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna served like sushi with wakame seaweed on a wonton crisp, a wedge of Stropshire Blue Cheese atop a pear and bacon praline, and the star of that trio, African Peanut Soup with a Moroccan flavor profile accentuated by tomatoes and jalapeno. No cream is used but coconut milk lends a velvety texture, and the soup is served finished with crema.
A selection of dinner entrees spanned both seasons, including Pan Seared Halibut with Black Rice and Asparagus topped with Broken Vinaigrette and Potato Gnocchi paired with Truffle Cream, Braised Leeks and Chive Oil.
In pursuit of freshness, the Alaskan halibut came from Samuels & Sons, the renowned Philadelphia seafood purveyor. The black rice in this dish lends a nutty flavor and is the restaurant’s special twist versus a simple boiled rice accompaniment. The broken vinaigrette complements the flaky fish, because when served it “breaks”, meaning that it separates into two distinctive colors, which added a festive note to the dish.
The Potato Gnocchi entrée was prepared traditionally and served with sautéed leeks, which added a sweet delicate flavor. The ingredients complemented each other, and the dish was served with a champagne sauce made of shallot cream. The plate was finished with a flourish of shaved truffles and truffle oil.
For dessert, the citrus-y tang of Lemon Tart with Chantilly Cream and Fresh Berries called out, begging to be tasted. In its preparation, the whole tart pastry is blind-baked then the lemon curd, eggs, fresh lemon juice, butter and a pinch of salt are whisked together, added to the pastry shell and baked. Refreshing wedges are served with a whipped Chantilly cream and a sprig of mint.
But there were so many additional and tempting options. Vita Nova’s Signature Salad is a popular favorite consisting of mesclun greens, jicama, mandarin oranges, candied walnuts and tangerine vinaigrette. A filet mignon served tableside in Russian style is another diner favorite, as is the University’s own ice cream churned with liquid nitrogen, also prepared tableside.
Preparing future leaders
Throughout, the service was highly professional. Instructor and dining room manager Nicholas Waller pointed out that the approximately fifty students who participate each semester in the Lab graduate with knowledge of the kitchen which is invaluable in managing a restaurant operation as well as gain culinary enterprise.
Student Sophia Litrenta, a senior in the Class of 2023, appreciates that the students switch roles each semester between kitchen and service so that they learn multiple aspects of the operation. She is an Aramak scholar, a select honors group of the best and brightest students funded by Aramak Corporation, and particularly enjoys interacting with the guests as she prepares for a hospitality industry leadership role. Litrenta says “I appreciate that the school steers students in the right direction as we learn firsthand how to make the guest experience the best possible.”
So, get your taste buds ready for a treat and get in on one of Delaware’s best-kept dining secrets by booking a meal at Vita Nova. You’ll be happy that you did.
Vita Nova
Trabant University Center, 17 W. Main Street, Newark, Delaware
Open for lunch and dinner by reservation during school semesters
The University of Delaware Hospitality Management Program
Vita Nova Restaurant, which began operation in 1996, is a key element in the University of Delaware’s Hospitality Management Bachelor of Science degree program offered by the Lerner College of Business and Economics. Approximately fifty students participate in the practicum each semester, learning how a professional kitchen and restaurant operates. It is one of the few student-run restaurants operating at such a high level serving the public.
The Hospitality Management program aims to equip students for careers managing restaurants, hotels, events and food, beverage or service operations. Over half of the students study abroad during the program. The degree program has been recognized among the best nationally and is ranked among the top ten US college hospitality programs. After graduating, nearly all of Lerner’s Hospitality students find employment, including at well-known companies such as Marriott International, ARAMAK Food Services, the Augusta National Golf Resort, and the Ritz-Carlton Company, or are managing their own fledgling businesses!
A hard-bound copy of Vita Nova’s 20th Anniversary Cookbook can be ordered online for $50 plus shipping. A portion of the proceeds benefits the University’s Hospitality program.
