Allegre closed its doors Wednesday, drawing to a close the first meal of the semester, and as the last customers put on their coats to leave, those involved said they had a success.
The student-run restaurant in the Applied Technology building opened to the public Wednesday and will be open throughout the semester for those who were able to make reservations.
"Things went pretty good," said senior and co-manager Shalimar Hand. "There wasn't too much stress."
This week's theme, The Hunter's Table, centered around a main entree of rabbit. Cream of carrot soup, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes and cinnamon bread pudding with a brandy sauce accompanied the meal.
The meal was so professional it was hard to believe students made everything themselves from scratch.
The entire lunch was beautifully presented and garnished. Quiet instrumental music played over the speakers while patrons of the restaurant dined. The atmosphere of the meal made one feel as if he or she was sitting in a high-class establishment.
Place settings were neatly arranged on the white cloth-covered tables. Maroon napkins sat folded between utensils while yellow flowers added a bit of elegance.
With one meal to their credit, students relaxed and joked as they finished cleaning for the day. Questions swirled throughout the kitchen about the day's rainy weather and how they would make it to class without getting drenched.
Before students could brave the rain, however, professor Lois Altman and graduate assistant Renee Degraaf met with the class in the kitchen.
"I was disappointed by our no-shows, but I thought everything else went really well," Altman said.
Hand perused comment cards left by customers. The only complaint was the dining room was too warm, which the students could not control. Otherwise, the cards praised the servers for a job well done and complimented the kitchen on a wonderful meal.
During the meeting, students swapped tips on how to handle the problems that arose. Students were reminded to help each other to ensure that time goes faster and the meal runs more smoothly.
Students switch positions each week, and those outgoing advised each other on how to handle each job.
Nicole Cervo advised fellow student Megan Morrison on how to handle the job of pantry. Cervo told Morrison to remember to manage her time while trying to prepare both the soup and salad dishes to avoid feeling rushed. One of next week's co-managers, junior Sarah Warfield, also told Morrison not to worry about the sometimes-stressful job.
"There won't be a whole lot for the others to do (next week), so you'll have a lot of help," said Warfield.
Students have seven more meals to prepare and serve, including a meal at the Muncie Mission for more than 80 people. This allows students to get a feel for other areas of food service.
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