Booths lined the concrete paths of the edible display garden, adorned with bite-sized plates Metroplex chefs and Dallas College culinary students prepared.
Bits & Bites serves as a fundraiser for the Dallas College Foundation’s Opportunity Fund – a general fund that offers support for Dallas College students from scholarships to equipment.
This year, the annual festival and fundraiser Bits & Bites was held on a humid afternoon on April 26, at the Dallas Arboretum’s A Tasteful Place. Rain threatened to dampen the festivities, but cloud-dotted skies ensured the only thing flooded that day was the wine glasses hung around guests’ necks.
When asked how they were doing in the heat, Corey Lyon, a participating chef, said, “Living the dream: hot, sweaty and covered in pork fat,” as he seared chunks of pork belly confit that had been pressed for three days.
Hours before the official start time, students lined up to be paired with the featured chefs – most of whom are meeting for the first time. Each chef presented a dish for the event, showcasing the kitchens they work in and their culinary expertise.
Most chefs represented restaurants, but others came on behalf of themselves, such as Belal Kattan of Bazaar Dallas.
Andrea Saldana, private chef and Dallas College alumna, was set up in a half-shaded booth. Her first dish was pork belly confit with apricot mustard, herb aioli and fried leek served with a side of pickled red and golden beets with cucumber.
As the pork sizzled on the grill, students prepared a second dish of fresh fruit, homemade chamoy and Taijin. The dish was offered to guests while they waited for the pork, but it became a sought-after dish for guests seeking a retreat from the heat.
Saldana first participated in Bits & Bites while she was with Wolfgang Puck in 2013. She continued to do Bits & Bites, even when she worked for Gordon Ramsey North America. This was her first year representing herself.
Though they were in a far corner of the space, Saldana said she expected to get long lines based on her previous experience. This year, Saldana served 800 servings of pork belly and 400 servings of fresh fruit with chamoy. At the end of the event, her table ran out of both.
“It is nice to be able to inspire, educate and share war stories with students, even if just briefly,” Lyon said as he fired the pork for Saldana’s booth on the flat top grill. “Sometimes you get something through to them and when you see them in the wild years later, they remember the advice you gave them. That’s pretty cool.”
Inside one of the two indoor halls, Nicholas Nathanielsz served as an alumni mentee for two Dallas College students at the Bits & Bites Best Bite competition. His students were one of three teams chosen to compete for a spot in the World Food Championships.
For Nicholas Nathanielsz, Bits & Bites became a full-circle moment. Like many of the participating chefs, Nathanielsz was an El Centro culinary student who returned to work at the event as a mentor.
That night, his mentees won the second ever Best Bites competition with a dish of smoked gouda mac and cheese with brisket, jalapeño and pickle. “It’s more rewarding, more gratifying, seeing it from this side, as opposed to winning it myself,” Nathanielsz said.
In the same building, a robot arm poured shots for guests and the sonography program students held live ultrasound demonstrations on realistic replicas.
“We have so many really cool programs that a lot of our community is just not aware of, from the bachelor’s degrees that we offer to things like the robotics and fashion design programs,” said Wes Helm, the senior director of external engagement & impact at the Dallas College Foundation.
At the heart of A Tasteful Place, five fashion students showcased one of eight looks they worked on in class. After the event’s fashion show, models stood on platforms with the designers by their side.
Bill Hodges, founding Bits & Bites member and El Centro culinary faculty, said: “The venue has changed, but I don’t think the atmosphere has really changed. It’s still a group of friends.”
