Photo of a young woman and older gentleman plating some food.

Community Events

Join us for a variety of educational and recreational events at the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center! Wine tastings, cooking classes and other special events will be offered to the public throughout the year. Learn how to pair wines with your meal. Experiment with flavor. Rub elbows with professional chefs. The Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management is eager to provide incredible opportunities for the community to enjoy its resources. Sign up for one or more of our upcoming events below. More events to come!


Pinot Perfection

Join us for an evening of discovery as we explore one of the world's most popular red wine grapes—pinot noir! This varietal is nuanced and versatile. Learn how to pick the perfect pinot for your palette!

Professor David Martin will walk us through tasting a spectrum of pinot noir wines while he shares interesting tales of how Old World vines made their way to the New World. You'll be able to impress your friends by recounting the history over your next glass of pinot.

Charcuterie will be served. Guests must be 21 or older.

About the Guest Speakers:
Dr. David Martin
Associate Professor and Level 1 Sommelier

A native of Birmingham, AL, David Martin is currently an Associate Professor with the Hospitality Management Program at Auburn University. He holds a Ph.D. from Auburn, is a Certified Hospitality Educator, and is a Level 1 Sommelier. He also teaches in the Brewing Sciences and Operations program at Auburn University. Before starting his graduate studies, David worked in prestigious hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, FL, The Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, NM, and the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham, AL, to name a few.

David has taught wine classes since starting his first job as a college professor at San Francisco State University in 2007. Currently, he teaches the Beverage Appreciation class at Auburn during the summer semester and the Food and Beverage Management class during the Fall. He has been fortunate to travel and participate in wine tastings and courses in some of the most recognizable wine-producing regions globally, including Napa and Sonoma Valley, The Champagne Region in France, The Mosel Valley in Germany, and many different regions of Italy.

In 2019, David was competitively selected to attend the Banfi Scholastic Tour of Italy, an immersive seven-day wine and food educational trip sponsored by Banfi Vintners. One student from the Hospitality Program was also funded to attend the trip. Previous students who have studied under David currently work with distributors such as Alabama Crown, United Johnson Brothers, E&J Gallo, and Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. David has also placed students with wineries such as Trinchero Family Estates, Domaine Serene, Raptor Ridge, Robert Mondavi, Stags Leap, One Hope, Holman Ranch, and Continuum.

David hates wine snobbery, and while he appreciates and encourages people to try new wines and challenge their palate, his tried-and-true rule of thumb is that if it tastes good, drink it!

No dress code. Guests may feel most comfortable in business casual attire.

Wooden post with Pino written on it in a field of grapges.

Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024
6:00 pm
(Program lasts about an hour)
Purchase Tickets


Buttercream & Bubbly

Come enjoy an evening of Buttercream & Bubbly – a cake decorating class! You will learn techniques for cake decorating that utilize border tips, a rose tip, writing tips and leaf tips to create a trendy vintage-style cake while you sip on sparkling wine and taste mini treats. You will go home with a cake that you have decorated and your very own set of decorating tips to continue the fun at home. Sounds like a great occasion for a Girls Night Out! Guests must be 21 or older.

Menu: Sparkling wine, Small Gigi’s cupcakes for snacking

About the Guest Speakers:
Jennifer Cooper

Baker & Owner at Gigi’s Cupcakes in Opelika, AL & Columbus, GA

Guests will be provided courtesy aprons to be used during the class.

Photo of cakes decorated with pink icing

Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024
6:00 pm
Purchase Tickets


Wine Tastings with Master Sommelier Thomas Price

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The Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management invites the community to a variety of wine tasting classes with Master Sommelier Thomas Price in the fall 2024 semester. Guests will learn about the wines and tasting techniques in a fun, casual class environment. Tickets are $60-$75 per person, depending on content, and may be purchased online. Guests must be 21 or older and show proof of ID. Guests will taste various wines accompanied by light snacks.

Master Sommelier Thomas Price has spent the last 35 years working in some of Seattle’s most prominent restaurants, including his own. Shortly after obtaining his Master Sommelier certificate in 2012, Price joined Jackson Family Fine Wines as National Director of Wine Education, in addition to working with Auburn University’s Hospitality Management program as a visiting sommelier over the last eight years. Read more about Mr. Price’s journey in this feature from Wine Spectator.

These classes are basic wine appreciation classes that feature a different country or theme each month. Guests will taste various wines accompanied by light snacks.

Wine Tasting Event October Deductive Tasting Icon

Intro to Deductive Tasting
Saturday, October 5, 2024
3:00 - 4:00 pm
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Unknown Italy
Saturday, October 26, 2024
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Purchase Tickets

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Wines of Burgundy
** Saturday, November 23, 2024
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Purchase Tickets

**Please note that this is a football Game Day so normal AU Game Day parking policies will be in place.


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For questions, contact Caitlin Myers via email or 334-844-4267.