Terra Fresca Restaurant at the University Center will be open for lunch Tuesday through Friday throughout the summer. A full menu is available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with the popular international buffet on Fridays.
Lunch hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and reservations are available by calling (831) 459-2689. The restaurant will reopen on Mondays on September 17.
The University Center Coffee Bar will be open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout the summer.
New Chef
James Smith has joined the culinary team at Terra Fresca as the new chef de cuisine. An avid gardener, Smith focuses on seasonal fresh fare.
Prior to taking this position at UCSC, Smith was chef de cuisine at Cisco Systems. A 1997 graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Smith came west to take a position as sous chef at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco. He joined the Left Bank Restaurant in Menlo Park in 2002, where he became executive chef in 2003. Smith also assisted in the successful opening of the Left Bank at Santana Row in San Jose. In 2004, he and and a partner opened Sestri in Santa Cruz, which received top reviews for its Italian seasonal menu. Smith sold his share of Sestri in 2006.
