Education Center to be Named after Food Processor

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In recognition of its longstanding relationship with food processing manufacturer Cuisinart, the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University institution will officially name its new 82,000-square-foot, eco-friendly education facility the Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence, at a dedication ceremony in December.

 

The LEED-certified facility is a “pioneering example of education meeting environment,” officials at JWU say. The JWU building has been designed to meet standards for certification that include quality of indoor environment, efficient use of water (in this case using captured rainwater for landscape irrigation) and reduced energy usage.

 

The interiors of the facility are energy-efficient and designed to allow natural light to stream through the building, while a white roof and light-colored concrete building exterior reduce the impact of reflected heat released back into the environment.

 

The Cuisinart Center for Culinary Excellence contains 30 educational labs and classrooms for culinary arts, including dedicated hot and cold kitchens; labs for chocolate and pastry preparation; meat-cutting and fabrication labs; bake shops; and an artisan bread lab. There are also three dining rooms; academic classroom spaces; and areas dedicated to the study of wine production, mixology and microbrewing.

 

“The building opened with great approval from students and faculty this fall as the new academic year began,” says University President John Bowen. “For many years, Cuisinart has actively participated in the furtherance of our university’s mission, and the company’s excellence in its initiatives, products and innovative approach to food preparation and cooking align with the quality of our program. It is a fitting tribute to put Cuisinart’s name on a facility that memorializes that excellence with an eye towards the future and the training of the next generation of industry leaders.”