The art of fondue

When 24 students enrolled in Stuart Hyatt's advanced sculpture class, they probably never imagined establishing a totally functioning fondue restaurant in four weeks. But they have done so.\nThe idea might seem a little strange to the onlooker, but it all makes perfect sense when one realizes that the aim of this course is to use one's own body as a medium for creativity. These S371 students have actively participated in transforming a previous "hole-in-the-wall" space into "The Lazy Monk," offering a serene and exotic atmosphere and delicious food, its creators say. The only catch -- the restaurant will remain open until March 13, marking two weeks of operation since the March 1 grand opening.\nHyatt's concept for this particular project grew out of his own personal feelings about being an artist and breaking the typical stereotype that a good artist has to be discovered.\n"My whole view is that the idea of being an artist isolated in the studio is kind of an old model for how one works," Hyatt said. "You gotta get out there! There's not going to be some grand patron that walks into your studio and discovers your genius. You have to convince the world everyday and be consistent."\nThe project is a good model of teaching upper-level art classes because everyone brings his or her own creative interests to the table, Hyatt said. Everything from the furniture to the menus, from the food to the pictures on the wall has been a product of his students' creative flair. \nSenior Jenny Oleck designed the menus, a number of flyers, as well as the logo for "The Lazy Monk." She said she thrives on the spontaneity of the project and the restaurant's themes keep it interesting. \nEach night has a different theme that coincides with the decorations and "mystery drinks and snacks" that are presented on that particular night. Some of the varying themes have included "The Disco," "The Prom" and "Las Vegas," among others. Aside from creating the furniture, uniforms, decorations, themes and cooking the food, the students are also the servers.\n"The Lazy Monk" offers a three course fondue meal beginning with an assortment of baked baguettes, as well as slices of apples and pears served with three different cheese fondues. The customer is free to choose mediterrasian beef, chicken, or vegetable raclette skewers, each served with a variety of dipping sauces. And finally, for dessert, five different chocolate fondues are served with a selection of items such as: pound cake, marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, biscotti and cookies.\nSenior Laura Gaskill visited "The Lazy Monk" Sunday and said her favorite part was ordering the "Flaming Campfire S'Mores Galore" for dessert.\n"I went with a big group of people and thought it was a fun experience to do something unique like that with a bunch of my friends," Gaskill said. "We all ordered different things to try and then we all shared them."\nEach entrée costs $10 and includes a combination of a cheese fondue, raclette and dessert. Just ordering a dessert fondue would be $5. After paying off the organizing costs, the remainder of the money the restaurant makes will fund scholarships to be awarded to the most talented and financially needy art students. \nDespite the fact that these students are working for free, they are all enormously dedicated to the project. Each student has to work half of the 13 nights and put in an enormous amount of work for the class, but it doesn't seem that anyone is complaining.\n"I think that this is one of the coolest things I have ever been a part of," Oleck said. "And it's not just because of the art aspect. It incorporates everything: people skills, business aspects, time management … everything!"\nShe was skeptical when her teacher, Hyatt, first mentioned the project. She thought the idea seemed so far-fetched that it couldn't possibly work out in four weeks. But "The Lazy Monk" has enjoyed a fairly successful following. Not even halfway through the project, the restaurant's creators have come close to paying off their costs. \n"I tried to raise the ambition for my students in this class and they've met it and exceeded all of my expectations," Hyatt said. "When you get 24 really dedicated students, it's amazing."\nHis students' hard work has helped to establish the only fondue restaurant in Bloomington, albeit for a short time. Lazy should be the last word to describe this place.