DECEMBER 2015 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • 15
CULINARY SUPPORT CENTER, THE REFECTORY
AT THE YALE DIVINITY SCHOOL AND
CAFÉ MED AT THE YALE MEDICAL SCHOOL
at Yale University
T
he Yale Dining
team wanted to
change the way
they provided food
to campus operations in order
to improve its quality and
consistency, increase value,
enhance effciency and reduce
waste. The solution was to
integrate decentralized op-
erations into one centralized
facility that could support cold
food production for catering,
residential and retail dining
facilities. "Yale Dining's vision
was to have a world-class
culinary center that could add
value to the students as well
as support our mission," says
Raf Taherian, associate vice
president for Yale Hospitality.
Finding the perfect facility
to house the operations posed
an inner-city dilemma for
the team. Catering produc-
tion and the bakery had been
housed for 50 years in the
basement of a building that
opened in 1902 and contained
the dining commons. "The
building was outdated and
needed expensive regulatory
code updates," says Adam
Millman, director of auxiliary
operations. "In addition, the
building was on a busy street
without the proper loading
dock, which led to the practice
of loading trucks in the middle
of traffc to support our cater-
ing operations, which was very
dangerous for our employees."
A 16,800-square-foot culinary support
production center with state-of-the-art
bake shop, cold food production, warehousing,
cook-chill/sous vide production and
packaging supports catering, residential and
retail dining operations.
By Donna Boss, Contributing Editor
Photos courtesy of Yale Dining; photography by William Wilson,
director of marketing and communications
facility design
p r o j e c t o f t h e m o n t h
A team member at
Café Med prepares
menu items based on
customers' requests.