At Misericordia University, movie night has become a fully immersive culinary experience. Students recently gathered in the university dining hall for the second annual Film to Fork event, an interactive evening that pairs a big-screen favorite with a chef-created menu inspired by scenes, settings, and food moments in the movie.
Film to Fork is a collaboration between Campus Life and dining services partner Metz Culinary Management. It debuted last year with Ratatouille, the animated film centered around culinary creativity in Paris. This year’s presentation was built around Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
The program originated with Dominick De Matteo, Assistant Director of Campus Life at Misericordia University, who was inspired by similar experiential dining events in larger cities and wanted to bring the concept to campus. Campus Life manages the movie licensing and ingredient costs, while the Metz culinary team develops and executes the menu
“We work together to build the menu around the film and create an experience that feels immersive and fun for the students,” said Jessica Kline, Executive Chef for Metz Culinary Management at Misericordia. “It’s a creative challenge for our team, and it’s rewarding to see students so engaged and excited throughout the evening.”
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs inspired an ambitious, 11-course menu, with each course timed to correspond with a scene in the film. The menu included hamburger sliders served during the movie’s famous “raining hamburgers” sequence; spaghetti and meatballs tied to the “spaghetti tornado” scene; colorful Cumulonimbus Cloud drinks topped with cotton candy; plus mini waffle chicken sliders, pizza, hot dogs, brownie mousse cups, and other themed creations.
Chef Kline and her sous chef volunteer their time to prepare the meal. Accommodation is made for students with food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Registration filled quickly for this year’s event, with attendance capped at 65 students. Because Campus Life covers the food costs, students are able to attend without using meal swipes, helping make the event accessible and community-focused.
Student reaction underscored the popularity of the concept. One attendee described the event as “bringing really big city activities to a close-knit community,” while others praised the immersive combination of film, food, and shared campus experience.
Beyond the themed menu itself, Film to Fork reflects a broader effort by Misericordia University and Metz Culinary Management to create memorable campus experiences that foster connection and student engagement outside the classroom. The two teams collaborate throughout the year on a variety of student-focused programs and special events.
“As dining programs continue to evolve, students are looking for experiences that are interactive, social, and memorable,” Chef Kline said. “Events like this turn dining into something students actively look forward to being part of.”