Campus to Coast at Big Rock Deck
Campus to Coast
A University-Inspired Coastal Seafood Dinner
Presented by Aramark
Campus to Coast is an intimate, five-course plated seafood dinner featuring chefs representing three North Carolina universities. Each course highlights North Carolina ingredients and is accompanied by a curated wine pairing.
Event details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 3, 2026 |
| Time | 6:00 PM |
| Location | Big Rock Deck, North Carolina Seafood Festival |
| Capacity | Limited to 30 guests |
| Ticket price | $150 per person |
| Format | Five-course plated dinner with wine pairings |
| Presenting sponsor | Aramark |
| Beneficiaries | Proceeds split between the North Carolina Seafood Festival and Feast Down East |
Featured university chefs
- Chef Michael Bluto — East Carolina University
- Chef Bryan Slattery — Campbell University
- Chef Ryan Andress — UNC Wilmington
Five-course menu
Course One — Chef Michael Bluto, ECU
Hydro red lettuce, heirloom baby tomatoes, pickled blackberries, brown-butter spiced pepitas and chicken-skin Parmesan tuile, served with blackberry-fig dressing.
Featured local ingredients:
- Peak City Farms hydro red lettuce
- Rhodesdale Farms heirloom tomatoes
- Joyce Farms chicken
Course Two — Chef Bryan Slattery, Campbell University
Sesame-and-cashew-crusted Southern Breeze tuna with crisp seaweed, Miso Master aioli, Spicewalla chili crunch and an angel-hair cabbage and cucumber garnish.
Featured local ingredients:
- Southern Breeze tuna
- Miso Master
- Spicewalla chili crunch dry mix
Course Three — Chef Michael Bluto, ECU
Spicewalla Boneyard Blend-dusted smoked trout with Ashe County Cheese pimento cheese, Accidental Bakers Everything Bagel flatbread crackers and frizzled collard greens.
Featured local ingredients:
- Sunburst Farms trout
- Spicewalla spices
- Ashe County Cheese
- Accidental Bakers crackers
- Feast Down East collard greens
Course Four — Chef Ryan Andress, UNCW
Crispy UNCW black sea bass with Cajun-style fried rice, apple-cider-braised cabbage, maque choux relish, Kewpie yum-yum sauce and garlic chives.
Featured local ingredients:
- North Carolina black sea bass
- Southern Breeze breader
- Grassroots andouille sausage
- Tidewater Grain Company rice
Course Five — Chef Ryan Andress, UNCW
Carolina Beach lemon gelato with Spicewalla furikake crumble, five-spice local honey and Urban Gardens micro basil.
Wine selections
The wines listed for the dinner are:
- Besson “Le Granit” Brut Rosé — Beaujolais
- Biokult Grüner Veltliner — Burgenland
- Estival Sauvignon Blanc — Horse Heaven Hills
- Justin Chardonnay — Central Coast
- Domaine de la Croix des Vainqueurs Brut — Vouvray
Proceeds will be shared by the North Carolina Seafood Festival and Feast Down East.
