Dining With Tomorrow's Culinary Professionals

By Janice Binkert | March 11, 2017

Lobdell’s, A Teaching Restaurant, at Northwestern Michigan College’s Great Lakes Culinary Institute (GLCI), has been called Traverse City’s best–kept secret. And yet this venue, which affords stunning 180–degree views of West Grand Traverse Bay, Power Island and Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas, is one place where you’d be well advised to reserve a table in advance. Why? Because those who know about it come back again and again.   

Learning by Doing
One might expect that the facility – which is essentially a classroom – would be basic and functional or that it might serve simple food since it is operated by GLCI students who are still learning their craft. Nothing could be further from the truth. The experience of dining at Lobdell’s, while relaxed for guests, occurs in an elegant, upscale atmosphere with gleaming china, stemware and silverware, crisply pressed white tablecloths, artfully folded napkins and flowers on every table. A full bar and wine list complements the diverse and creative bistro–style menu, and the white–coated waitstaff is discretely friendly and attentive. The students are taught not only how to prep and cook with flair and efficiency in a real–life restaurant kitchen, but they are also introduced to the finer points of professional dining room service.

Lobdell's, named for the generous local benefactors who made the restaurant possible, is open for lunch during NMC’s fall and spring semesters and features a new menu every session. Chef–instructor Joel Papcun teaches and supervises the back of the house (that’s culinary speak for the kitchen and line crew), while front of the house director Patty Huhta, with assistance from service coordinator Kerry Fulcher, trains and manages the dining room team.

Three weeks of intense theory and development take place before the restaurant opens. “The restaurant class [CUL 295, Contemporary Service and Cuisine] is a required part of the GLCI curriculum,” said Papcun. “It is the capstone course for the program. Students develop the food selections, create and test the recipes and decide on plate layouts while being trained in table service, beverage service and general restaurant procedures.”

In addition to passing on their own expertise, Huhta and Papcun arrange for specialists from other fields to present wine seminars and other specific industry–based training. Then, in the course of the semester, students move through nine work stations, including everything from dishwasher to server and sauté cook to wheel/line lead. Customer service skills, host duties, reservation systems, menu planning and costing are emphasized as well.

Respect from All Sides
“This gives students the chance to become adept at things they might not have experienced before,” said Huhta. “It’s important for them to understand all the different sides of the hospitality business.” It’s a tall order for these aspiring culinarians, but both Huhta and Papcun agree it’s one the students are well prepared to fill.

“The students are here from 9am until 3pm four days a week,” said Huhta. “Monday is prep day in the kitchen and set–up day in the dining room. Tuesday through Thursday, we start in the classroom in the morning and then move into the restaurant.”

Huhta has great admiration for students who work outside of school, which is common. “It’s a demanding program,” she emphasized, “and when they have another job – even if it’s 20 hours a week – that’s a lot, because this class is like a job itself, and most of them are taking other classes, too. But the majority of them handle it well, keeping up with their schoolwork along with everything else they have going on. We’re very proud of them.”

Papcun concurred. “Working with the students at GLCI is very rewarding,” he said. “The amazing variety of personalities and skill levels keeps me sharp and continues to drive my own desire to learn.”

Customers are encouraged to fill out comment cards after dining at Lobdell’s. “Every morning that we’ve had service the day before, we go through them and discuss them – what we did right, what we could have done better,” said Huhta. “We appreciate hearing constructive criticism and praise. As their instructors, Chef Joel and I hold the students to high standards, but in the end, the most important thing is being respectful and kind to guests – I think in any type of job, that’s the key thing.”

A Feast for the Senses
There’s no denying that Lobdell’s food is also a key factor that keeps its clientele loyal. A sampling from the current menu reveals delicacies from the fields, forests and waters of Northern Michigan and beyond, tickling the taste buds and delighting the other senses, too. Temptations include roasted wild–caught white shrimp with garlic butter, spinach, lemon–basil aioli and toast points; corn and bacon chowder with chives; smoked duck on a bed of mixed greens, candied pecans, port–infused currants and Manchego cheese with black currant vinaigrette; and seared beef tenderloin with shiitake and cremini mushrooms, shallots, garlic, thyme and Chardonnay–Dijon cream sauce.

Hungry for more? How about a piece of decadent flourless chocolate cake with raspberry mousse and hazelnut cream anglaise, topped with raspberries, cocoa nibs and Chantilly cream? And while we’re on the subject of desserts, they’re all prepared for the restaurant by GLCI’s Advanced Baking and Garde Manger classes, as are the breads, charcuterie and salad dressings.

“Lobdell’s focuses on seasonal foods as the supply in Northern Michigan permits,” said Papcun. “We use as many local and sustainable products as we can, sourcing many items from long–time partners in the region (including free trade coffee and organic/biodynamic tea selections) as well as nationally recognized sustainable purveyors. For example, the fish and seafood featured on each semester’s menu meet the requirements of the Monterey Bay Aquarium ‘Seafood Watch’ program.”

The quality of the food is high, but the prices are surprisingly low – and there’s no extra charge for that million–dollar view outside the windows. “It’s a nice spot to bring people from out of town so they can sit overlooking the bay while enjoying some very good food,” said Huhta. “Our regulars bring in guests all the time – friends, family and business associates. Our community is proud of the school and likes to show it off – and show off the students, too.”

Lobdell’s is located within the Great Lakes Culinary Institute at the Great Lakes Campus of Northwestern Michigan College, 715 East Front Street in Traverse City. Open for lunch Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:30am–1pm during the spring semester (first week of February to end of April) and fall semester (mid–September to mid–December). Reservations are highly recommended. GLCI’s World Cuisine classes will be hosting two special events at Lobdell’s this spring: a French dinner Mar. 17 and an Italian dinner Apr. 21. Seats are still available for both. For more information, call (231) 995-3120 or visit nmc.edu/lobdells.

Price Rating: $