Preparations are underway for HospitaBull, the annual fundraiser to support USF Sarasota-Manatee’s College of Hospitality & Tourism Leadership (CHTL). This year’s event is scheduled for 6 p.m., March 26, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive.
A sophisticated dining experience, HospitaBull is organized yearly by the CHTL and host venue, with proceeds supporting student scholarships, faculty development and CHTL equipment purchases. This year, about 20 students from Dr. Joe Askren’s restaurant management class will work with Ritz-Carlton staff in the kitchen and dining area to plan and stage the event.
Dr. Askren said he’ll meet with the hotel’s catering staff and Executive Chef Yann Chupin in the coming weeks to finalize the menu. Subsequent meetings will guide students in understanding their responsibilities.
“This will be our second year at the Ritz and ninth overall,” he said. “This has become not only a great fundraiser for us, but also a major learning experience for our students.”
Working with Ritz-Carlton staff enables USFSM students to learn alongside experts from one of the world’s top hospitality companies. In addition to this event, the upscale property is one of several area hotels that partner with the college to place student interns.
“Their willingness to share best practices and expose our students to real-world scenarios has helped our students succeed,” Askren said. “And they are so professional. Even with so many different departments and employees, they all understand their mission, and that is that they are ‘ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.’ They are a great partner for our college.”
The event is cocktail attire. Visit sar.usfsm.edu/event/hospitabull for individual tickets and table sponsorships.