East Tennessee Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences Center -- Project Overview

East Tennessee Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences Center

A center to support the development of the culinary arts and nutritional sciences in the East Tennessee Region. The center will be a catalyst in transforming the food industry by preparing an educated workforce, providing access to regional foods, test and demonstrating best practices in food preparation and use of nutritional knowledge, and supporting family by education programs in growing and preparing food. 

East Tennessee Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences Center is to be comprised of the following components:

Culinary Arts and Nutritional Sciences Seed School

A 6-12 SEED Foundation based boarding school with emphasis in preparation for careers in the culinary art and food science industries. Students completing studies at the school are expected to continue their education on the university or culinary institute level. They are educated to serve the next generation of workers need to transform the food industry. The education is to provide an introduction to ideas, crafts, and techniques that will improve institutional, commercial, and restaurant food services. 

•  Classrooms (40 students per grade)
•  Teaching Kitchens and Food Laboratories
•  Residence Halls (housing for 240 students)
•  Administrative Support Areas (offices, conference rooms, reception area, etc… for the school.)
•  Cafeteria
•  Garden, and Farm Area 

http://www.seedfoundation.com/

Community Culinary and Nutrition Education Center

A community hub that provides education in the culinary arts and nutritional sciences with emphasis on education to respect cultural culinary traditions, promotion of regional foods, regional gardening, increase nutritional quality, and reduce obesity. The process and methods of education are to promote and support a holistic family atmosphere and serve the widest breadth of economic and cultural diversity in the region.

•  Classrooms
•  Teaching Kitchens
•  Administrative Support Area
•  Teaching Garden and Farm Areas
•  Child Care Support and Integration
• Emphasis on family gardening and meal preparation and passing on of techniques between generations

Regional Food Market

A retail food market that provides fresh and prepared foods based on regional ingredients, cultural traditions, nutritional knowledge, to the Knoxville community. Emphasis is placed on creating a retail environment that serves wide economic strata within the Knoxville community. 

• Sale of regional based seasonal foods
• Sale of “pre-prepared” meals and foods 
• Sale of preserved regional foods
• Sale of food items to support the preparation of regional foods
• Sale and rental of kitchen and garden implements that support the growth and preparation of regional food
• Integration of culinary and nutritional knowledge as part of the retail experience
• Emphasis on family meal preparation and passing on of cooking techniques between generations 

“fast food” Prototype Restaurant

A restaurant to test, prototype and present regional foods that are culturally relevant, regionally oriented, and nutritious. This restaurant may be a prototype for a student food center at a university, corporate cafeteria, or a neighborhood quick service restaurant. The “fast food” restaurant serves as a test and educational environment for the SEED school.

• Kitchen
• Service area/food pick-up counter
• Pedestrian walk-up service
• Seating for 60 
• Restrooms

Family Restaurant

A family oriented restaurant that promotes the foods and techniques of cooking that can be implemented in the home.  Food served in this restaurant are tested and taught in the Community Culinary and Nutrition Education Center. 

• Kitchen
• Seating for 60
• Restrooms

“Fine” Regional Culinary Arts Restaurant

A place where the fine art of food preparation is developed, tested, and presented to the public. Emphasis placed on food innovation and restaurant dining experience. Guest chefs lead the restaurant in an annual term that provides regional, seasonal holistic dining experiences. The guest chef also serves as an instructor at the SEED school. 

• Studio kitchen
• Restaurant Service Kitchen
• Seating for 20