CALIFORNIA CUISINE, EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, REASONABLE PRICES
NEW STUDENT-RUN RESTAURANT SURE TO PLEASE THE SENSES

Artful Food is at the Center of New Stylish California Bistro in Santa Ana-

The Art Institute of California-Orange County announces the grand opening of its student-run restaurant, 50 Forks. A California bistro that draws inspiration from culinary regions across America, 50 Forks is open for business to the public Wednesday-Friday for lunch with dinner hours coming this Fall. The restaurant is a final passage prior to graduation for final-quarter culinary students.

"We designed 50 Forks to be a progressive American-styled restaurant that features the freshest ingredients, friendly and knowledgeable service all in a unique environment where great food is the hero," says Culinary Arts Academic Director Paul Yarmoluk. "Managed and operated by culinary students, 50 Forks allows students to practice the theory and culinary artistry they've learned and honed over the past two years in an exact restaurant experience from back of the house operations in menu creation and food preparation to the front of the house in service staff, managers, bartenders and money handling."

Before they graduate, The Art Institute's Culinary Arts students are required to run all facets of a fully-operational restaurant that's open to the public. The restaurant is under the direction of two professional chef instructors. Certified Executive Chef Martin Gilligan, who spent more than 10 years as a chef at the prestigious Plaza Hotel in New York City, directs the kitchen and culinary student staff of 50 Forks. He oversees every menu selection and overall food quality, temperature and timing. Chef Instructor Sterlinn Harris, who is also a California-state-certified safety and sanitation educator, runs the front-of-the-house restaurant operation from customer service and traffic flow to menu pricing and managing the P & L.

50 Forks accommodates more than 50 guests in a casual, stylish setting within The Art Institute campus on Sunflower Ave., in Santa Ana. The restaurant features comfy chairs, natural light, a fully-equipped professional exhibition kitchen where guests can view students at work and a 20-foot Culinary Arts mural painted by local artist Jan Le Doux.

All take a back seat to the food. "Big flavors and aromatic pairings with premium ingredients and contemporary presentations embodies the cuisine of 50 Forks," says Yarmoluk. "For example, we're using Hudson Valley Fois Gras, Watsonville Artichokes, Certified Angus Beef, produce from local growers and farmers and artisan-style bread making. It all comes together to create a menu of honest, inviting, progressive-American cuisine with a California flair."

The menu can be described as high value and quality for great prices. The average lunch entree costs $5. Menu specialties include: Yankee pot roast with lumpy mashed potatoes, braised short ribs served with oven roasted root vegetables, salmon lacquered with mango glaze and tropical salsa, Montana free-range chicken partnered with roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, and southern styled pulled pork with Carolina mop sauce.