President Ed Balog Prepares Dinner For AQ Students

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Aquinas College President Ed Balog, Ph.D., exchanged his academic and presidential garb for a chef's cap Wednesday, March 24, as he prepared and cooked dinner for the 630 resident students on the College's meal plan. The President's Dinner began at 5 p.m., but Balog had already been busy in the Wege Cafeteria kitchen since 1:30 p.m. that afternoon.

>>Watch Video of Dr. Balog in the Kitchen.

The idea came about as a result of an informal discussion between Balog's daughter, Madeline , who attends Aquinas, and the Director of Aquinas College Dining Services, Marla Poterack. Balog, she was told, loves to cook and the early returns found the fare delicious!

Balog had met with Chef Tim Ruehs to share his recipes and the ingredients so they could be ordered for the special meal.

The President began working alongside the kitchen staff in the afternoon stuffing and breading chicken breasts, special sauces and preparing his special appetizer, crab cakes.

The menu included mini crab cakes, Chicken Florentine with sautéed spinach and feta cheese, roasted Yukon gold potatoes and whole kernel corn with red peppers.

The President's Dinner was the first of what may be many annual dinners to come.