At Woosong University, third-year Global Culinary Arts students from SICA Dining Room Service and SICA A'La Carte take on one of their most demanding academic challenges, running a fully operational fine dining restaurant from concept to service. This semester, students took on a Scandinavian theme under the direction of Professor Lawrence and Professor Ashley, bringing the FIKA concept to life through an authentic seven-course menu.

The experience is structured as a multi-week rotation. Students move between front-of-house and back-of-house roles across the weeks, giving each student firsthand experience on both sides of the kitchen pass.

The menu reflected both ambition and research. Guests were served a seven-course Scandinavian meal, opening with a Salmon Gravlax and Nordic Style Scallops Tartare, moving through a Cauliflower Soup with Swedish Brown Cheese, a Cod Fillet with Flying Fish Roe and Spaetzle, and a Roasted Pork Belly with Sauerkraut and Boiled Potatoes, before closing with a Marte Kneben dessert of Coconut Milk Sago and Raspberry Coulis.

The concept was developed collaboratively between Professor Lawrence and Professor Ashley before the semester began. "We considered several options like Swedish and French cuisine, but we noticed many people were already doing French," the Professors explained. "So we decided to go with a unique Swedish theme." The menu was designed to be as authentic to Scandinavian cuisine as possible, while remaining achievable within the constraints of a student kitchen.

For Professor Lawrence, the value of the class goes beyond cooking. "This class simulates a real industry, real-world situation. Every time, something unexpected happens in the kitchen. Students learn how to manage impromptu situations." Ingredients arriving late, staff shortages, last-minute menu changes, all of these became part of the learning. "Students must adapt quickly. This module gives them real-world experience in solving problems, not just cooking."
Professor Ashley also highlighted this from the front-of-house perspective. "Students may have great ideas, but sometimes those ideas aren't realistic due to budget or availability. They must think creatively within their means." His focus was on building professionalism and guest interaction, encouraging students to use storytelling, creativity, and genuine hospitality to create a memorable dining experience.

Students on both sides of the service reflected on how different the experience felt from their regular classes. Rosa, who served as Runner Team Leader for the front-of-house team, described coordinating food delivery, communicating with the kitchen, and managing table etiquette including proper service order. "Real dining service is much busier and more complicated," she said. "It was a great opportunity to be the runner team leader and manage the overall flow."

In the kitchen, students faced their own set of challenges. Wilson, who handled the soup section, described a moment when ingredient shortages forced the team to rethink the menu on the spot. "We create a new menu," he said simply. Angela from India noted the pride she felt in the team's ability to adapt. "This is our first real kitchen experience, so I still have a lot to learn. But I was happy that we learned quickly and adapted to challenges."