BLOOMINGTON – During May, Jeffery Taber, assistant professor and program chair for Hospitality at Ivy Tech Bloomington, and two of his students, Angel Bartholomy and Emily Bougher, joined three faculty members and 23 hospitality students from Ivy Tech Indianapolis and Fort Wayne campuses on a trip to France. From May 11 to May 24, they visited Paris, Versailles, Tours, Saumur, and Lyon.
“Lyon is the culinary capital of France,” said Taber. “During the trip, students learned about true French cuisine. They had the opportunity to experience a range of culinary adventures, from a delicious casual family-style dinner at a duck farm to a unique fine-dining experience in a Michelin Star-rated restaurant.”
Students toured restaurants, gardens, chateaux, farms, and caves, learning about wine production, and classical French pastry production. They also prepared their own dinners at the Institut Paul Bocuse, an internationally renowned hospitality and culinary arts school.
“Student enrichment and the opportunity to share knowledge from their trip is a valuable outcome that we hope to impart on others,” said Taber.
Emily Bougher graduated from Ivy Tech in May 2018 with an associate degree in hospitality administration – culinary arts.
“Other than the food itself, my highlights of the trip were visiting the culinary schools and getting to cook there,” said Bougher. “It was an amazing learning experience to just sit and watch as they brought out food, and to hear what it was and what was in it.”
Bougher is now in the process of starting an event coordinating business with her sisters.
“We will be starting out doing small parties and work ourselves up to doing corporate events,” said Bougher. “I will use my knowledge I got from France to incorporate the best customer service I can, and make everything feel like the most special occasion.”
The trip was funded by the Indiana University Center for International Business Education (CIBER). IU CIBER is a national resource center, funded by a Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education. IU CIBER provides opportunities for IU students and faculty, and also for community colleges and minority-serving institutions and business professionals throughout the U.S.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
