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FTCC & PWC Present Salad Days, one-of-a-kind dining experience
- Details
- Wednesday, 15 April 2026
- Written by Amanda Ransom
Fayetteville Technical Community College’s annual Salad Days, presented by Fayetteville PWC, brings together students from across campus to create a one-of-a-kind farm-to-table dining experience that blends culinary artistry, handmade ceramics and community engagement. The event celebrates student talent while also supporting an important cause: the FTCC Food Pantry, which helps students facing food insecurity. What began as a collaborative idea between departments has grown into an event that highlights both student learning and FTCC’s commitment to hands-on education. The special lunch will be held April 21 from 11 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at https://one.bidpal.net/2026saladdays/welcome.
“Salad Days is a cross-departmental fundraising event hosted by the FTCC Foundation in collaboration with the Fine Arts and Culinary Arts departments,” said Chef Sabrina Santucci, department chair for Culinary Arts, Baking & Pastry Arts and Hospitality Management. “The event brings together visual art, live performance and a seasonal farm-to-table dining experience to create something truly unique for our community.”
The concept emerged when the Fine Arts Department approached Culinary Arts about finding ways students could contribute. Since FTCC offers a Farm-to-Table elective course during the spring semester, the partnership was a natural fit.
“Together, we developed a collaboration that supports the Foundation while also giving our students meaningful hands-on experience planning and preparing a seasonal menu centered on local ingredients,” Santucci said. “The result highlights student learning, showcases cross-campus creativity, and connects the community with the work happening here at FTCC.”
“Salad Days, presented by Fayetteville PWC, is a fundraiser for FTCC’s Food Pantry that celebrates the talent and creativity of our Ceramics and Culinary programs,” said Jennifer Hammond, executive director of the FTCC Foundation. “It’s a fun way to welcome area residents to campus while supporting an important resource for student success.”
The Food Pantry was established in 2020 to address food insecurity among students. “Salad Days was born out of a desire to raise awareness for the Food Pantry while also highlighting our incredible students and their many gifts,” Hammond said. “This resource helps our students stay focused in the classroom and on their future workforce goals.”
One of the most distinctive features of the event is the collaboration between departments, with culinary students preparing the meal and ceramics students creating the handcrafted plates guests take home.
Students in the Department of Fine Arts work alongside instructor Abir Mohsen to gain real-world experience through the project.
“The Salad Days project provides a great opportunity for our students to gain valuable skills essential for the workforce,” Mohsen said. “Students worked together to establish a process and timeline to complete the commission of 150 plates. While each student had assigned tasks, much of the decision-making and problem-solving was collaborative.”
At the same time, culinary students design and prepare a menu centered on seasonal ingredients and global flavors. This year’s farm-to-table meal features three composed salads created by students in the Farm-to-Table course.
“Each salad highlights fresh seasonal ingredients and globally inspired flavor profiles,” Santucci said.
The Rainbow Garden Salad includes baby spinach, roasted asparagus, radishes, grapes and house-made focaccia croutons with ranch dressing. The Zesty Latin Salad features butter lettuce, roasted corn, avocado, black beans and honey chipotle vinaigrette topped with tortilla strips. The Sweet & Savory Asian Salad includes spring mix, mandarin oranges, cabbage and herbs with teriyaki dressing and wonton strips. Students are also preparing freshly baked yeast rolls.
“The smoky-sweet yeast rolls were developed by one of our Baking & Pastry Arts students graduating this May,” Santucci said.
The event’s presenting sponsor, Fayetteville PWC, plays an important role. “We are incredibly grateful to Salad Days’ presenting sponsor, Fayetteville PWC,” Hammond said. “Their support reflects a shared vision of strengthening opportunities and quality of life throughout our region.”
Community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with the inaugural 2024 event selling out quickly. “Our ceramics department created 100 handcrafted plates for the first event, and it sold out very quickly,” Hammond said. “This year we’ve increased that number to 150 and have already sold more than 80 percent of our tickets.” Each $45 ticket includes a handcrafted ceramic plate inspired by FTCC’s rose garden, a fresh salad, grilled chicken and homemade bread.
“We wanted these plates to be truly special,” Mohsen said. “Each piece reflects the beauty of our campus and the creativity of our students.” Beyond the meal and artwork, the event reflects FTCC’s commitment to experiential learning.
“Events like Salad Days give students opportunities to apply their skills in a real-world setting,” Santucci said. “Students gain confidence and professionalism while preparing for the expectations of the industry.”
Community members can learn more at www.faytechcc.edu/foundation-events. Through shared experiences and student innovation, Salad Days shows how education and community
support can come together to make a meaningful impact.
