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Compliments to the Chef
P

aul Sprunger

aul Sprunger, executive chef at the University of Wisconsin Coming into the position,
P- Madison, can easily remember his first day working in he had an idea of what uni-
food service. “I decided that food service would be the career versity dining was like, and
for me the day President Ronald Reagan was shot,” he said. that expectation has matched
“I had a paper route, and the day that he was shot, I started his experiences. “Not that I
my first dishwashing job at one of the restaurants that was on underestimated the student,
my paper route. It was a small bar/restaurant in upstate New but I think students have be-
York. I heard the owner say that his dishwasher had called in come much more refined
sick, so I talked my way into him letting me work that night in their tastes in some re-
and it turned into a permanent thing. I was 15 years old.” spects,” he said. “I think this
From that day forward, he was hooked. “Once I got in there has a lot to do with cooking
and saw how exciting a restaurant could be on a Saturday shows and channels. They
night, I decided that was probably what I wanted to do for are exposed to a lot more at
the rest of my life,” he said. a younger age.”
After high school, he attended culinary school at Johnson While the most popular items on the menu aren’t the
and Wales University, where he received his associate’s degree healthiest for them, the students do enjoy trying new things
in occupational science and culinary arts, and a bachelor’s and experiencing cuisines from around the globe. “We have an
degree in foodservice management. obligation to our students to expose them to some things that
Eventually, Sprunger’s career path led to becoming the possibly they haven’t seen before,” said Sprunger. “We have a
corporate chef for a local restaurant group for 10 years, before large international contingent here, so I think it is important
joining the university. “I spent a good number of years in the that we don’t forget that they are part of our collective customer
private sector; a lot of those years were on the higher-end base. For example, last summer, I focused on breakfast items
dining,” said Sprunger. “I always said that I spent the first that were not typical to American breakfast, items that were
half of my career cooking for those who wanted to be fed, more typical of Southeast Asia. We added things like congee
and I would like to spend the rest of my career cooking for bowls and some more whole grains, more savory items at
those who need to be fed. I put the students in that realm. breakfast, as opposed to typical American fare. It is comfort
Our students are family to us and we are responsible for them. to the people from those areas, and it exposes Americans to
We make sure that they are getting good, clean ingredients as different types of cultures from around the world. They seem
much as possible and a good, well-balanced diet.” to like it.” —OCH

Vegan Island Stew with Quinoa Fritter Cakes

STEW Add ginger, vegetable broth, sweet potatoes,
Ingredients: salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Sim-
1 pound, 2 ounces white onion, diced mer for about 3 minutes. Add peppers and
1 tablespoon, 1.5 teaspoons canola oil tomato and continue to simmer for about 3
14 ounces green cabbage, diced minutes. Add zucchini, okra, lime juice and
.875 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper black beans. Stir well and simmer for about
.25 cup ginger, fresh minced 20 minutes until vegetables and sweet
1.5 cups vegetable broth potato are tender.
2.75 teaspoons kosher salt
1.75 pounds fresh sweet potato, peeled and QUINOA FRITTER CAKES
diced 3/8 inch Ingredients:
.75 teaspoon ground black pepper 1.4 pounds quinoa about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed
9 ounces green bell pepper, diced ¾ inch 1.5 quarts vegetable broth and quinoa is tender to the bite. Set aside to
9 ounces red bell pepper, diced ¾ inch 1.875 pounds smooth applesauce cool. When cooled, add applesauce, oil and
14 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes 7 ounce canola oil green onion to quinoa mixture. Stir together
9 ounces zucchini, diced, 1 inch .25 cup parsley fresh, chopped dry ingredients and along with the parsley,
9 ounces fresh okra, sliced ¼ inch 3.75 ounces green onions, sliced stir into quinoa mixture. Refrigerate until
5.75 ounces black beans, canned, rinsed and 1.3 pounds all-purpose flour ready to sauté. Heat sauté pan or griddle to
drained 1 tablespoon, 2.75 teaspoons baking powder medium high heat. Add oil to pan; enough to
2 ounces fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon kosher salt coat bottom. Using a #30 scoop, add quinoa
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 2 ounces vegetable oil (more if needed, to cakes to hot sauté pan and sauté until golden
sauté cakes in batches) brown. Carefully flip and cook other side until
Preparation: golden brown.
Heat oil in heavy bottom pan over medium Preparation:
heat. Add onion and saut. for 3 – 4 minutes Toast quinoa in 350-degree Fahrenheit oven Serve 6 ounces of stew with 2 quinoa cakes.
until soft. Add cabbage and cayenne pepper until golden (about 7 minutes). Rinse and
and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes. drain. Simmer quinoa in vegetable broth for Yield: 20 servings

10 | APRIL 2017 ON-CAMPUS HOSPITALITY