Parisian chef Hubert Sandot will entertain guests with one of his famous bistro meals as the Fletcher Lecture Series hosts its 18th annual Chef’s Benefit Monday evening. The purpose of the benefit is to raise money to pay for the speaker for the annual spring lecture.

Sandot is the owner and chef of Bistro Martinique on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

In addition to the meal he will prepare, Sandot will give a lecture entitled “What is Bistro?” in which he will inform listeners as to what a bistro is.

“Many people are uninformed about real bistros,” Dr. David Middleton, distinguished service professor of English and poet in residence, said.

Middleton is a member of the 16-member Fletcher Lecture Series committee.

Dr. Shelley Fisher Fishkin of the University of Texas at Austin will be the spring 2002 Fletcher Lecturer.

“Dr. Fishkin is an internationally recognized Mark Twain scholar whose works include the 29-volume Oxford edition of Twain’s works,” Middleton said.

The Fletcher Lecture Series has been bringing speakers to Nicholls annually since 1984. It is the oldest chef’s benefit at Nicholls.

“We are the grand old lady of chef benefits at Nicholls,” Middleton said.

The chef for the first lecture was Paul Prudhomme, and the speaker for that year was Robert Penn Warren.

“We get no money from the state of Louisiana or Nicholls,” Middleton said.

On the menu Monday night will be blass (a surprise, according to Middleton), salade bistro, lamb with vegetable ragout and chocolate cake with creme Anglais and raspberries.

The event will begin at 6:30 Monday evening in the Cotillion Ballroom of Bollinger Memorial Student Union. Tickets are $50 and are tax deductible.

Anyone wishing more information should call the College of Arts and Sciences at extension 4387.