Starting this month, Ohio University students can expect to see a wider variety of locally produced, fresh foods in campus dining halls.
Culinary Services recently completed renovations to a building now known as the Central Food Facility, expending $7 million in the process. The building is almost 40 years old.
Culinary Services began designing the revamped building in 2007, and construction began a year ago. This state-of-the-art facility is one part of an ongoing renovation project Culinary Services will continue for two years, said Brian Thompson, director of auxiliaries.
Thompson said the funds for the Central Food Facility renovations were attained through operational dollars from Culinary Services and did not contribute to any debt.
One of the Central Food Facility's major features is its cook-chill system, which allows the department to produce a large quantity of food in a single centralized location. The kitchen is able to chill-blast and preserve the freshness of food such as soups, pastas and sauces. The facility then sends the products to dining halls throughout campus where they can be prepared and served.
“The cook-chill system allows us to take advantage of local crops and local produce,” Thompson said.
With a bulk of the food being prepared centrally, Thompson said Culinary Services will be able to invest less in renovations for the kitchens in dining halls. This includes the ongoing renovations to Nelson Dining Hall.
Culinary Services now will have funds available for more noticeable renovations to the dining halls, such as better student seating, he added.
“There will be more room for investment into the overall residential experience,” he said.
This winter, Culinary Services will begin the second phase of the renovation process to the Central Food Facility, Thompson said in an email.
“(This phase) will further expand out our current vegetable preparation operation and our ability to make use of increased local, fresh products,” he added.
