- April 22, 2025
Loading
Becky Maree, Blair Bloomston and Ralph Schmedlock
Dr. Sandra Stone, regional chancellor for University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, with Dean of USF College of Hospitality & Tourism Leadership Patrick Moreo
Guests dined on espresso chocolate mousse with dark ganache, topped with hibiscus-honey crystal at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Sandra Rios and Dana Johnson
William Mariotti, Dr. Anila Jain and Dean of USF College of Hospitality & Tourism Leadership Patrick Moreo
USF student Amber Bixby plates desserts for the guests at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
John and Joanne Foley
Clara Ramos and Mey Vidal-Paredes
USF student Christina Guerron-Orejuela plates desserts for the guests at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Sheila Watkins and Eric Peters
Valerie Riddle and Julie Gillespie
Guests dined on espresso chocolate mousse with dark ganache, topped with hibiscus-honey crystal at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Bob Kirscher, Mary Beth Hansen and Katherine Hansen
Amanda Kulaw, Tugba Sarac and Katerina Berezina
USF student Reenada Khair plates desserts for the guests at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Aida Goniche, Frida Bahja, Sara Quintero and Nefike Gunden
Brian Cooper, Anthony Aviles, Clay Kearney, Jeff Moses and Dan Callender
HospitaBull was held on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Jessica Geisler, Eleni Kouvatsos, Jon Pierce, Becky Maree, Blair Bloomston and Ashley Campbell
Patrick and Erin Duggan
USF student Ben Martin washes vegetables to be included in the meal for guests at HospitaBull on March 2 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota.
Charles Githler and Jay Schrock
Ali Faizan, Tugba Sarac and Fran Bryant
Contrary to popular stereotypes, it wasn’t all stress and chaos behind the kitchen doors of The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota on March 2 for HospitaBull.
The event, which is completely organized and executed by University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee students in the USF College of Hospitality & Tourism Leadership with help from students from the USF Sarasota-Manatee Culinary Innovation Lab (and a few Ritz staff members), gave the students the chance to work in a real kitchen and ballroom that hosts some of the biggest events in Sarasota.
Hospitality management and culinary students alike seemed completely cool, calm and collected behind the scenes — if they were afraid or nervous to be working under the pressures of preparing for 140-person event, they sure didn’t show it.
Guests started their evening mingling and sipping at cocktail hour before adjourning to the ballroom for the main event. Dinner began with a prefix salad course dubbed “The Red Carpet” that consisted of tossed baby greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced strawberries, spiced pecans and local strawberry-rhubarb dressing.
The main course was pan-seared chicken breast with wild mushroom risotto cake and an assorted vegetable medley.
Event-goers ended their meal with a espresso chocolate mousse with dark ganache, topped with hibiscus-honey crystal.
The evening also included several speakers — including Regional Chancellor Dr. Sandra Stone and Executive Chef Yann Chupin of the Ritz — as well as an auction.