Crab ice cream cones with Creole-honey mustard sauce and grilled shrimp and scallop “Popsicles” waited on a table covered with a white cloth in the Children’s Garden area of Reiman Gardens.

Soft violin music played in the background as guests, paying $47 each, strolled between ten stations, each with food thematic to the area it was served in. This feast was Freeman’s vision.

Freeman Moser is currently a lecturer in apparel, education studies and hospitality management and Tearoom coordinator for hotel, restaurant and institution management.

He was also the former director of education at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, said he was inspired by his work in New York.

“People would call me for dinner suggestions, but I couldn’t just send them to a particular place … so I would send them one place for one course and another for the next,” Moser said.

“I wanted to show students what I feel is a strong example of a fine dinner event.”

The progressive-style dinner at Reiman Gardens was the first of four dinners created by Iowa State’s fine dining management course, but this event is much different from any other dinner, organizers said.

Guests walked from one area of the gardens to another while tasting food inspired by the look of that distinct area. While the dinner lasted a mere three hours, the preparation took weeks.

“We’ll be working until three in the morning,” said John Glenn, senior in hotel, restaurant and institution management, during Tuesday night’s pre-preparation.

“Freeman focuses on the perfect food,” Glenn said.

“He uses only imported or locally-grown produce.”

Students were assigned to specific areas in the garden and then given a recipe by Moser.

“Freeman set the whole menu, but he gives us the creative freedom to alter the recipe,” said Brian Furey, senior in hotel, restaurant and institution management.

Furey helped create and serve pastrami cured salmon and profiteroles with smoked salmon mousse and a caviar garnish.

Moser emphasized each student had to demonstrate what he or she had learned in the past three years in order to create this event.

“Each team had to conceptualize, design, execute and evaluate,” he said.

Moser also spoke highly of the tight unit of students and the time and effort they put into the class.

“My favorite quote is from one of my previous students, Mike Crabb, ‘I’m only taking 17 credits this semester, but 19 are fine dining,'” Moser said.

“Everyone works together and puts so much effort into what they do.”

Todd Petrowsky, senior in hotel, restaurant and institution management said he agrees.

“There is no competition between anyone — we support one another,” he said.

Glenn and Petrowsky said they appreciate having Moser as a professor.

“Freeman has been a mentor to me and has inspired me,” Glenn said.

Petrowsky said Freeman had inspired him to pursue different areas of his major instead of focusing on just one area.

“He is the best, most contemporary teacher I’ve ever had,” Petrowsky said.