Taste: A New Dining Experience at SMSU

Taste

A NEW DINING EXPERIENCE AT SMSU

Great chefs have great mentors.

For Ronnie Walker, Chef and Instructor for the Culinology® and Hospitality Management programs at SMSU, that inspiration could be found under his own roof as a child. “I got interested watching my dad,” said Walker, talking about his father Ron. “He enjoyed cooking, and it made an impression.” Walker is the brainchild behind Taste. The student-operated restaurant opened for service earlier this fall. It is located in the Individualized Learning building and open on Thursdays and Fridays during the academic year. It’s been met with enthusiastic reviews, but if there’s one thing he wishes he had, it’s a sledgehammer. “I wish I could tear down some (dining room) walls,” he said. “It’s been very popular, and I’m running out of room.”

The restaurant can accommodate 38, but that’s tight. “Thirty-six is a little better,” he said.

Above: Chef Ronnie Walker Food Photography by: Adam Henning

It’s a simple space, enhanced by modern table decor. Visitors enjoy a relaxed, quiet environment. Frosted glass separates the dining room from the kitchen, giving just a hint of the flurry of activity going on behind-the-scenes. Students work tirelessly to ensure patrons enjoy a dining experience unique to the region.

The meal consists of a starter, salad, entree and dessert. A fourcourse meal that’s carefully planned and prepared. “It’s unique for this area. Something different that people can’t get anywhere else in the region,” he said. The cost is prix fixe: a complete meal consisting of several courses served at a total fixed price. The price includes beverages.

As for his restaurant philosophy, Walker says this: Taste is simple food, done right.

He wants to use locally-sourced products as much as possible. The SMSU agricultural test plots just north of Marshall have supplied some vegetables, and the SMSU greenhouse offers some fresh herbs. Walker receives a regular supply of pork from a local supporter of SMSU.

He will be changing the menu from time to time. “We’ve added a pork dish, and a shrimp dish,” he said. “We’ll change the menu, but not every week.”

A son of the South, Walker grew up in North Carolina with family in Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina.

He earned a degree in culinary arts from the Art Institute of Atlanta. And like most in the industry, started working at an early age.

“It was at Sandlapper Seafood, as a dishwasher. I was 15,” he said, referencing the Simpsonville, S.C. establishment.

Walker found himself in the region through a series of unexpected circumstances. He had come north to take over a farm, but some issues arose during that process. He saw an ad for an adjunct position at SMSU, and took that job for 18 months, before a full-time opening came up. He’s excited to put down some roots in the community and adapt to the Midwest climate.

“Mowing grass in the summer, and [blowing] the driveway in winter,” he joked. “People talk differently here, they use some different terminology. Little things I hadn’t picked up on. The other day somebody said to me, ‘You’re not from around here, are you?’”

The launch of Taste allowed Walker to become more familiar with other areas of the university, such as science and agriculture.

“I’ve worked with different departments. People here are outgoing, and they are willing to help,” he continued. “The students are so excited, and that makes me more excited.”

Diners are asked to fill out a survey and the input has been overwhelmingly positive. “They like the service. There’s really been nothing bad. This is unique for this area—something different—and I think people appreciate that.”

Most, but not all, of the students involved are from the Culinology® and Hospitality Management programs. And the students gain real-world, hands-on experience from working the front of the house and all aspects of the kitchen.

“Things are going really well,” he said about the studentoperated restaurant.

Over the years, the program has offered restaurant-style dining under a number of different names. Initially, it was over lunch. Then after a short hiatus, the restaurant concept returned. And while longtime fans are glad to see its return, they are especially happy with the level of professionalism and style offered by Taste.

Reservations can be made online at www.SMSU.edu/go/taste or by email at: Taste@SMSU.edu. The restaurant will be closed during the winter break, but will reopen for weekly service on Jan. 26, 2022.