The Teaching Kitchen at Rutgers University at Camden (NJ) opened in Fall 2022 to get students cooking. The kitchen, located inside a dining hall, gives students the opportunity to take cooking classes led by campus and community chefs. They can also use the kitchen when no classes are being held to create their own meals.
The Teaching Kitchen website explains that the resource “will serve as an interactive learning opportunity with our campus chefs and local community chefs. When classes are not in session the space will be open to Raptor Dining Hall guests to craft their own special dishes including smoothies, omelets, waffles, stir fry, pasta and more.” Recipes are provided for students to try, too.
Other schools also use the campus teaching kitchen concept to engage students, reported Foodservice Director. At Princeton University (NJ), their students learn about healthy eating, sustainability and more through campus teaching kitchens. And Northwestern University (IL) offered virtual teaching kitchen classes during the pandemic to help students learn to prepare healthy, inexpensive meals.
Sources: Foodservice Director, 10/25/22; Teaching Kitchen, Rutgers University at Camden, https://dineoncampus.com/rutgerscamden/teaching-kitchen
Explore many other campus strategies like this within our Student Engagement: 50 Campus Initiatives to Motivate and Engage Students Post-Covid resource.
