'A brand new look for us': revitalized Culinary Institute set to re-open

A six-month,$7.5 million revitalization at Holland College's Tourism and Culinary Centre, home to the Culinary Institute of Canada, is now complete.

It's a complete redesign which includes a state-of-the art butchery, a cold cuisine production kitchen,
and more than $1.8 million in new and emerging technologies and equipment.

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"The building was basically taken down and the new facility put up and really nothing is where it was before," explained Austin Clement, the school's program manager.

"It's a new interface for students. Much more front and centre with customers, building interpersonal skills that they wouldn't have hidden behind a wall, being face-to-face, a huge technology integration, the latest and greatest technologies, but not throwing away the fire and steel that's always been our DNA."

'It's awesome for us'

The dining room, first floor banquet, and march areas have been also redesigned to represent modern food service operations.

Like other top culinary schools, there will be glass walls for customers to see production in the kitchen.

"It puts the pressure on us which makes us work that much harder," saidHelenaStepanian, a second-year student at the school."Letting them see it, it kind of lets them see what it actually looks like to work in a kitchen, it's awesome for us. We all enjoy it, we're all here because we love it."

'All about being challenged'

"It's all about being challenged knowing that you're being watched," added Clement. "The students will learn to be more tidy, be more efficient, be more professional, develop interpersonal skills around managing stress, time management, all the things that eventually become important when you become a chef."

A new grab and go will be located in the lobby of the main floor.

"What diners or guests will see is really a brand new look for us," said Clement. "A much more modern, much more contemporary approach to food service, which is effective with what's happening in industry.

"We promised people that they would not recognize the place and that is very true," added Clement. "The feel of the building, the access to the students, the flavour of the food even is going to be very, very different and I'm looking forward to seeing how the customers react. I've seen how the students react, they're just blown away, I hope the folks that come visit us will feel the same way."

The dining room and march servery will be open to staff and students next Wednesday and will begin serving the public beginning Friday, Nov.17.

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