SAIT culinary classroom opens for business

Sept. 23, 2009, CALGARY – Calgary foodies gathered at SAIT Polytechnic yesterday to celebrate the opening of a new gourmet food store – the Market Place
at SAIT.

The
store, thought to be the first of its kind on a post-secondary campus, serves
as a live classroom for SAIT Polytechnic’s School of Hospitality and Tourism
students.

“We
are very excited to be celebrating the opening of the Market Place at SAIT. The
idea for this facility built off the success of our fine dining restaurant, the
Highwood,” says Tom Bornhorst, Dean of SAIT’s School of Hospitality and
Tourism. “With the opening of the Market Place at SAIT, students will have the
opportunity to gain valuable experience, this time in a retail setting. They
will translate customer service theory into real-world application.”

The
Market Place at SAIT integrates approximately 100 students from three programs:
Baking and Pastry Arts, Professional Cooking and Meat Operations and
Management. The students work together in the space, selling their products,
just as they would when they go to work in the community.

“With
the guidance of SAIT instructors our students essentially manage this store.
They play a role in every step in the process from ordering and making the
products to responding to customer inquiries and requests,” says
Bornhorst.

Features
of the facility include a deli counter that sells meat cuts, a bakery counter
displaying artisan bread (delivered fresh twice daily) and fresh baking, and
coolers featuring to-go style main course and side dishes. The facility will
also sell specialty culinary items such as veggie chips, almond paste, rolled
fondant and specialty oil and spices.

The
Market Place at SAIT is located on SAIT’s main campus in the John Ware
Building. The Market Place is open Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and
Friday 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.