TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025 | 6:30 PM
Dr. Sevin Gallo of NWACC and Chef Vince Pianalto of Brightwater
Explore the historical influences that have shaped Portuguese gastronomy, from the spice trade of the Age of Exploration to the Arab and African impact on flavors and techniques with Chef Vince Pianalto and History Professor Dr. Sevin Gallo. Start the evening off with a traditional ham and cheese puff upon arrival. Then master caldeirada, a traditional Portuguese fish stew that showcases the country’s deep maritime heritage with its rich blend of fresh seafood, potatoes, and aromatic spices. For dessert, learn to prepare the beloved pastéis de nata (custard tarts). After sharpening your Portuguese culinary skills, deepen your understanding of the Portuguese Empire with a thirty minute history lecture focusing on the historical and cultural context of this unique Iberian cuisine. Tickets are priced per person. Recipes will be provided.
*All class ticket sales are final. No refunds or credit transfers to other classes are available.*
MEET THE HISTORIAN
Dr. Sevin Gallo 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.
Sevin has a Ph.D. in Modern Middle East and Latin American comparative world history from the University of Akron, and an MA and BA in European History from Kent State University. Her research focuses on the ways nationalism, popular culture, food-ways, and modern state-formation intersect. In addition to teaching world history, Sevin works as the Global Studies degree coordinator at NWACC, and she leads study abroad programs to Greece, Spain and Morocco, and Turkey. She's lived in Istanbul and loves traveling so much that she started a boutique group travel company in 2019. She loves to coordinate 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, Ark., 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 owner and chef of La Maison des Tartes in Fayetteville, owner and chef of Bouchee Bistro in Fayetteville, and owner and chef of Vicenza's Italian Restaurant, as well as the culinary coordinator for William 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,” says Vince. “Also, working in such a fantastic environment and facility makes teaching so enjoyable.”
“I feel that Brightwater has opened up a new arena of instruction that is available to a large segment of NWA that wouldn't otherwise be possible,” adds Vince.
In his free time, Vince enjoys spending time with his dogs, gardening, traveling and cooking.
