This fall, the 35th annual Colorado Mountain Winefest took place in spectacular fashion, not only featuring some of the best wines in the country, but also elegant food crafted and served by the Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Tech Culinary Arts Program.
Palisade is considered the wine and peach capital of Colorado, as it is rich in agriculture with over 30 wineries and vineyards, wine tasting rooms and fruit orchards. For decades, the Colorado Mountain Winefest has been more than just a wine event; it’s been a vibrant celebration of community.
For reserved guests, the festival is an elevated experience where guests enjoy meals prepared by the CMU Tech Culinary Arts Program. The program is led by Associate Technical Professor of Culinary Arts Wayne Smith. His courses offer hands-on opportunities with a large variety of foods. For 23 years, Smith has partnered with Winefest to ensure every single culinary student has a hand in the event.
“A lot of what we do in the program is what I would call a safe space. They’ve got a lot of time to work on projects. They’re doing fairly small-scale projects,” said Smith. “This brings in the element of there's real people out there that are going to eat this food. They have, you know, professional-level expectations.”
The Colorado Mountain Winefest is a big step for students to get their feet wet in a professional environment. All students had different roles, but they were tasked with not only creating a solid recipe but duplicating each plate for 1500 guests. Cooking at a large volume is no simple task and something the students would not get any other way in a classroom setting.
“I think that’s the biggest benefit for our students,” said Smith, referring to his students feeding a mass quantity of people. “Finding out they can do that, that they are capable and that they’re very successful at this.”
Smith still takes away keen moments from Winefest to incorporate into his classroom. The culinary arts staff adjust their classes prior to the event to not only prepare, but to teach their students the importance of prepping for and cooking at a large event.
Winefest is also a key fundraiser for the program as a whole. This year, the program raised over $15,000 to put towards scholarships and the culinary arts program as a whole. Each year, the community supports the program, donating to the students so they can have a special leadership role in a kitchen after they graduate.
Smith and his students repeatedly get nothing but praise for their hard work and dedication at Winefest. Many patrons come back each year to enjoy the food and support the students who create it.
“The number one comment that they get from the reserved side is how impressed guests are with the food and the students,” said Smith. “That is the primary reason why they buy a ticket and come back year after year.”
The Colorado Mountain Winefest is a community event that fosters a close relationship with culinary arts students at CMU Tech. The students get hands-on experience and build confidence by serving hundreds of people with high-quality food. Each year, Smith and his students’ goal is to make a good product and make people happy. The culinary arts program does just that and will continue to shine each fall in Palisade, Colorado.