For Alison Pearlman, an art historian and associate professor in the art department, restaurants present a complicated yet rewarding object to study. Pearlman’s book, “Smart Casual: The Transformation of Gourmet Restaurant Style in America,” looks at the role of restaurants as conveyors of class values and interests and discusses how gourmet restaurants have transformed since … Continue reading The Art Behind Smart Casual Restaurants: Professor Explores Eatery Culture