Alcohol & Cuisine: Culture & Responsible Service

Catalog description

This course focuses on the relationship between alcohol and cuisine. Students will gain a historical perspective on the societal, economic, and regulatory trends that shaped the gastronomy of regional entities around the world. The course will explore the role of these trends in defining the customs, opinions, health policies, as well as the attitudes of the various cultures towards alcohol and gastronomy. Evaluating social influences and issues with the spread of food and beverage across communities will allow students to engage in thoughtful discussions regarding cultural differences related to health and wellness initiatives, regulations, and service standards. A primary goal of the class is to instill a strong sense of social responsibility by educating the students not only on the legalities of alcohol sales and service in their community, but on health and wellness issues, and more importantly, on the responsible way to serve and consume alcohol. Students will gain a worldly perspective on regional food and alcohol cultures and how this shapes policies and regulations related to health guidelines and service practices. Specific lectures will emphasize the potential liabilities nationally linked to alcohol service in private settings or organizations such as Greek life, tailgating or other social gatherings. The course will provide training and may offer professional certification in responsible sales and service of alcohol. This certificate, besides educating students on the regulations and proper alcohol service standards, is also a critical mitigating factor in problem cases involving insurance companies or legal courts.