Miami Dade College, Miami Culinary Institute

This striking building in Miami’s skyline houses Miami Dade College’s Miami Culinary Institute, a new concept soon to become the brightest star in culinary education across the nation. Housing a program that combines food, culture and innovation on a 50-foot by 90-foot downtown Miami lot required an eight-story structure featuring classrooms on all levels. The facility includes general kitchen and baking labs, a food and wine demonstration lab/theater, ground-floor bakery and cafe, plus a penthouse restaurant and commercial kitchen—all designed to enrich the students’ experience and the community’s involvement.

The program is rooted in sustainable practices and eco-culinary innovation taught by the world’s top professional chefs with a hands-on approach. The building is on track to be certified LEED gold. The Food & Wine Theatre is equipped with studio lighting and professional audiovisual equipment that provide for broadcast and distance-learning opportunities. All food refuse is mulched and recycled into compost for the institute’s organic garden.

The cafe and restaurant offer a complete soil-to-soil educational experience—from the garden, to the table, and back to the ground where it all began.

"The striking exterior and interior translate well ‘outside to inside.’ Noted sustainable design includes food composting and recycling. Classroom technology is integrated and laid out well for student participation."–2011 jury

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