McCracken Hall, the home of the Patton College of Education, reopened in January and revealed a new kitchen demo and lab area for students to help them understand the impact of food on community.
Thom Stevenson, a visiting assistant professor for the college, has been helping students understand the impact of food through classes he has held in the kitchen. He hopes it will help students connect better with each other and their community.
The power of food, he said, is based in communication.
“It helps individuals who may or may not communicate with each other on a regular basis become more aware of who each other are,” Stevenson said.
One of Stevenson’s classes, food and culture, has helped students break down barriers and respect cultures by teaching them the correct terms to use.
“We would use the terms that are respectful to all cultures and all countries,” Stevenson said. “We would prepare the cuisine and show them the nuances between the different cuisines, but also the similarities that happen, so they can understand we're all interconnected as people.”
The kitchen these classes use has gas, which helps control temperature. It also includes counters, a teaching stage and the option to videotape and record lectures for students to use as a reference.
The new kitchen has also served as a meeting place for the Club Managers Association of America, an organization for managers, students, vendors and professionals associated with "country, golf, city, athletic, faculty, yacht, town and military clubs." Caroline Hollatz, the president of the Club Managers Association chapter at Ohio University, said the organization has not been able to cook in the kitchen yet but has plans to do so this year.
“(Our goal is) to gain a better understanding of the kitchen equipment, learning new recipes and cooking methods,” Hollatz said. “It's really fun to work as a team in there, too.
The kitchen has already been used to cater high-profile events such as a reception for OU’s Foundation Board and the reception for President McDavis and his wife’s portrait unveiling, Kim Barlag, the director of communications and design management for the college, said.
Stevenson said the college is working on making the kitchen more accessible so that all students will be able to use the kitchen for class and catering. The kitchen has a bake shop table that is tall enough for a wheelchair and allows students who use wheelchairs to bake safely.
Stevenson also said a partnership with mechanical engineering will make the kitchen a "smart" kitchen, which will benefit all students regardless of their ability.
“(The kitchen) is built for learning,” Stevenson said. “It's built for long-term sustainable engagement, and it's experiential learning at its best.”
Students pay a lab fee, which can range from $60 to $80, to pay for the food used in the kitchen. Stevenson said the class tries to source locally when they can and have met with a farm on campus about partnering for ingredients.
“We support the local community however we can because that's my master's degree, sustainability, so that's what I believe in,” Stevenson said.
