The Region of Durham is enabling the bright minds of its students by growing Durham College with the addition of a Centre for Food (CFF), currently under construction at the Whitby campus. Set to open this September, the two-storey facility with 3,262 square metres of educational space will be common ground for 900 students to provide training and instruction in all sectors of the food and agriculture development industry, including agritourism and culinary tourism, through the Centre’s eight specialized programs. Emphasis will be on food product development; innovative food production; the preparation, preservation and use of these products in the culinary and hospitality industries; and hospitality and event planning to support agritourism, culinary tourism, and the worldwide marketing of diverse and innovative Ontario food products. Graduates of the CFF programs will become experts on the opportunities for innovation that can be pursued by placing food and farming as pillars of the regional and provincial economies.
This school expansion attests to the dedication of Durham College and the Region of Durham, both members of the Alliance, to the implementation of the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Action Plan. The plan for the CFF has been developed with considerable input from the industry and has attracted great support from the community, including financial support in the form of millions of dollars of donations. The plan has been reviewed by all levels of government, receiving praise for its forward-thinking support of these growing fields.
“Durham Region is recognized across Ontario for an agricultural base that greatly drives our local economy, and the role our local farmers and producers play in positioning Ontario as a leader in the areas of agricultural production, sustainability and research,” said Don Lovisa, President of Durham College. “Playing on those strengths and recognizing the growing need for new men and women to fill existing and emerging roles in the agriculture, horticulture and broader tourism areas, our Centre has been planned and positioned to immediately contribute to our community and province. Our field‐to‐fork cycle – from soil (field) and science, to cultivation and process (and science), and preparation and service (fork) – will specifically meet existing and emerging needs and provide highly trained men and women to help the local and provincial economy remain competitive and grow.”
The purpose-built school includes several hands-on teaching spaces such as: a food and beverage pairing lab; a lecture theatre outfitted with an induction stove, deep fryer, and more; and a hotel management living lab. The hospitality and culinary programs will importantly be closely aligned with food and farming programs, letting students learn about the success that can develop from collaborating across sectors. Celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy will be working alongside the Centre’s green-certified teaching restaurant to highlight sustainable food practices, such as greater sensitivity to ingredient sourcing and natural resource use, as well as waste reduction and diversion.
Naturally, the CFF’s teaching space goes beyond the walls of the building. On June 26th, nationally-renowned landscape architecture firm Janet Rosenberg and Studio, the designers behind the dynamic facility grounds, unveiled their plan to an audience of industry leaders. The plan includes greenhouses, vegetable gardens, an outdoor patio, demonstration plots, fruit trees, pathways that lead guests throughout the grounds, berms surrounding the property, a composting area, and areas for field research. These many facets will highlight and take advantage of Durham’s rich agricultural profile as a site of learning and innovation. Planting in the greenhouses and demonstration plots will be completed by the designers, after which the students will care for and tend to them as part of their curriculum.
The CFF will be a unique showcase in Ontario for food education and research, and culinary and product development, for Durham College students, the field and urban agricultural producers, culinary and hospitality entrepreneurs, regional food product developers, and in particular the food processing sectors of Durham Region, Northumberland County, York Region, East Toronto and beyond. The CFF will be a fully integrated and innovative sustainable food centre with a focus on enhancing the competitive efficiency of the local and Ontario food industry, from field to fork and from concept to fork.
Visit the Centre for Food page on the Durham College website for updates about the project’s status. The kitchen equipment is being installed this month!
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