TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2025 | 6:30 PM
with Dr. Sevin Gallo of NWACC and Chef Vince Pianalto of Brightwater
Türkiye Day may look a little different this year as Chef Vince Pianalto and historian Dr. Sevin Gallo step into the HKS Kitchen to spice up your Thanksgiving season by transporting you to the vibrant culinary world of Turkey. Throughout the evening, Sevin, who studied and lived in Istanbul, will share the rich history and flavors of Turkish cuisine gathered from her travels and research while Chef Vince guides you through making delicious dishes. You’ll start with an appetizing spread of traditional Turkish mezze platter with pickled bell pepper and green beans, yogurt dip, and crackers. Then, you’ll get into the hands-on portion of class and make lahmacun (Turkish flatbread with spiced lamb), and you’ll end the evening with pistachio baklava. Join us for an evening of cooking and tasting that captures the spirit of one of the world’s most flavorful and underrated cuisines. Recipes will be provided. Tickets are priced per person.
*All class ticket sales are final. No refunds or credit transfers to other classes are available. If you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend, please contact us to check our waitlist.*
MEET THE HISTORIAN:
Dr. Sevin Gallo, with a Ph.D. in modern Middle East and Latin American comparative world history and an MA and BA in European history, teaches world history through the lens of food at Northwest Arkansas Community College. Her honors classes meet at Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food and at local restaurants. In these non-traditional environments, students examine different historical processes while considering how food systems and food culture shape the human experience.
In addition to teaching world history, Sevin works as the Global Studies degree coordinator at NWACC and leads study abroad programs to Greece, Spain, Morocco, and Turkey. She loves traveling so much that she started a boutique group travel company in 2019 and now coordinates travel experiences that foreground authentic local cuisine within each destination's significant historical and cultural context. Her current group travel programs include Morocco, Argentina, Greece, Turkey, France, Spain, and Tanzania (including the famous spice island of Zanzibar).
MEET THE CHEF:
Brightwater Instructor Chef Vince Pianalto is originally from Springdale, AR, and credits his parents and grandmother for being instrumental in his enthusiasm for cooking. As a curious child, he enjoyed working alongside them to learn how to cook.
Vince’s work experience includes being an owner and chef of several area restaurants. Additionally, he has been the culinary coordinator for Williams-Sonoma in Rogers and a culinary instructor for Springdale High School and Springdale Public Schools. Vince joined Brightwater in 2016.
“I love teaching my craft to other interested people. Brightwater allows me to do that for a wide variety of students, and I love the team I work with at Brightwater. Also, working in such a fantastic environment and facility makes teaching so enjoyable,” he explained.
